While the right basketball gear won’t guarantee you dunk every ball, it can go a long way to helping you finesse your skills, feel confident on the court, and have the best runners to boost your speed, agility and stamina during each pickup game.
Let’s explain some of the features to look for when choosing your basketball equipment, clothing, and shoes.
Training Advice for New Basketball Players
How should a beginner train for basketball? If you’re new to the game, there are lots of ways to begin training, from practising drills, following online tutorials, or simply joining in as many games as you can to learn from more experienced players.
Basketball combines several skills, from flexibility to speed, endurance to hand-eye coordination, so there are many ways to build on your baseline fitness and ability, on and off the court. Some of the activities to incorporate into your training might include:
- Tempo sprint training mixed with longer runs: These exercises work your fast-twitch muscle fibres to enhance your sprint pace while helping build stamina for longer games.
- Ball handling skills: If you can catch, pass, throw and shoot accurately, you’ll already be on your way to being a valued team member. Spending time shooting hoops, dribbling, and working on coordination is worthwhile.
- Jumping is an essential action: Athletes practise broad jumps and vertical jumps along with exercises such as skipping to strengthen their legs and familiarise themselves with the motion.
The better shape you’re in, the easier you’ll find a basketball game, but it’s also important to enjoy your training. If your primary aim is to get involved with a friendly, welcoming team sport, join in at your local court or ask for a pickup game whenever you can, and you’ll be able to learn as you play.
Picking the Right Basketball Training Kit
Basketball shoes, or runners, are hugely popular as a fashion accessory, with world-famous brands associated with the names of the best NBA players in history, but they’re also designed with precision engineering to help improve your game.
Shoes are the most important piece of equipment you’ll need, along with a ball, because a supportive high-top keeps your ankles secure, whereas a flexible sole helps you pivot, run, shoot and jump on a variety of court surfaces.
Other equipment you might consider includes:
- A basketball jersey, or a selection to choose between: Sweat-wicking, lightweight jerseys keep you cool, stop your skin from overheating, and are much lighter than a typical tee. A good-quality jersey won’t rub and has the correct fit around the arms and waist to avoid restricting your movements when you shoot and dribble.
- Basketball shorts: Typically, basketball shorts are slightly longer than you might wear for running, with an elasticated waistband for stability and a similar lightweight, quick-dry fabric to a jersey. You can wear leggings or sweatpants for outdoor games or in the winter, but in a league game, everyone wears shorts with matching colours.
- Caps: These are optional, but they also make a big difference to your visibility and coordination if you’re playing in bright sunlight! A cap with an adjustable closure is ideal since you can fit the cap to your head, so it is snug enough not to slip without being uncomfortable.
Basketball players also tend to have sports socks to prevent their shoes from rubbing, sweatbands, a bag for their kit, spare jerseys and, of course, a sports bottle or two to stay hydrated.
What Kit Will I Need to Join a Basketball Team?
If you’re really into basketball and want to join a team, you’ll usually need a kit to match the rest of the players, although smaller local teams may have a team colour, and leave you to pick any jerseys, shorts, socks, caps and headbands you like, provided they’re in a similar shade. Some leagues also have rules about the equipment players are allowed to wear on the court, such as shooting sleeves, a type of compression sleeve that aids in speedy recovery.
Otherwise, referees and umpires are in charge of the rules, and they’ll normally provide a ball that complies with regulations. A standard NBA ball is a size seven and pressurised to a specific measurement, so players aren’t expected to provide the game ball. However, if you invest in a ball to practise hoops in your park or yard, it’s well worth purchasing a quality ball since you’ll be used to the size, weight and texture, helping with accuracy during every game.
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