Official NBA ball
Black Spalding
Spalding is an American sporting goods company founded by Albert Spalding in Chicago, Illinois in 1876. It is now headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The company specializes in the production of balls for many sports, but is best known for its basketballs. Spalding also makes a range of other products for baseball, soccer, softball, volleyball, and American football.
History[]
Spalding was founded in 1876 by a Chicago baseball team manager by the name of Albert Goodwill Spalding. The company first manufactured early baseballs and developed the first modern baseball bat. Spalding played for the dominant Red Socks and led the league in wins for multiple years. He was a pitcher and even pitched using the balls that he invented himself.
In 1877 Spalding invented the first baseball glove. This invention marked the transition in baseball from using bare hands to using the unthinkable 'sissy' glove.
In 1887 Spalding invented the first modern American football.
Then, in 1894, Spalding invented the first modern basketball. When Basketball creator James Naismith asked Spalding, Spalding created the iconic basketball that was used from then on instead of the soccer ball. The basketball has been arguably Spalding's most recognizable product and over 250,000 balls are sold each year in America alone.
The next year, in 1895, Spalding invented the first volleyball.
Later on, in 1930, Spalding revolutionized the golf ball, inventing the first liquid center golf ball, the Kros-Filte.
In 1983, Spalding replaced Wilson as the official NBA game ball.
In 1997, Spalding became the official producer of the WNBA ball.
Later, in the 2010s Spalding branched overseas and became the official supplier for the NBL (Australian Basketball League) and the Euroleague.
From the 2020-2021 NBA Regular Season, Spalding is being replaced by Wilson as the official supplier for the NBA.