Sources: NBA partners with Wilson to produce official game balls starting with 2021-22 season
The NBA’s contract with Spalding is expiring and now Wilson will be the new partner to produce the league’s official game ball starting with the 2021-22 season, which happens to be the league’s 75th anniversary, sources with knowledge of the deal informed Yahoo Sports.
Wilson will also serve as the official game ball of the WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League (BAL), sources with knowledge told Yahoo Sports.
The NBA and Spalding mutually agreed to part ways, sources say.
Spalding has been the official game ball of the NBA since 1983. Prior to 1983, Wilson was the league’s partner for 37 years.
The same leather and product specifications will be used to produce the new ball with the assistance from the NBA and NBPA, which will create a player advisory board to offer suggestions. Wilson basketball engineers, product designers and player insights specialists will work with the NBPA advisory board to create the new game balls.
The WNBA will continue using a composite ball.
Wilson is the official game ball of the NCAA tournament and is used in most high school games around the country.
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