Why does the WNBA use a smaller ball?

The smaller and lighter basketball was introduced to make women’s basketball more interesting to spectators because female players tend to shoot from longer distances more often than men do, and they generally have more accurate control of the ball when shooting (Logan, 1978).

What size are NBA balls?

Size 7
Size 7. Size 7 basketballs measure 29.5” in circumference and have a standard weight of 22 oz. Size 7 basketballs are the standard ball size for most men’s professional basketball associations, as well as men’s college and high school basketball leagues.

Does women’s basketball use a smaller ball?

The regulation WNBA ball is a minimum 28.5 inches (72.4 cm) in circumference, which is one inch (2.54 cm) smaller than the NBA ball. This is a standard size 6 ball. As of 2008, this size is used for all senior-level women’s competitions worldwide.

How many inches is a WNBA ball?

With a circumference of 28.5 inches, the official WNBA ball’s size is one inch smaller than the regulation size for the NBA, 29.5 inches.

Is WNBA ball same size as NBA?

ROSTERS: WNBA teams have 11 players on regular-season rosters; NBA teams have 12. That compares with 23 feet, 9 inches in the NBA. BALL SIZE: The circumference of the WNBA ball is 281/2 inches, the same size as the ball used in women’s college basketball. The NBA ball is 295/8 to 297/8 inches in circumference.

Are NBA balls heavier?

NBA basketballs, according to USA Basketball, are 29.5 inches in circumference while the WNBA’s basketballs have a maximum circumference of 29 inches. Both should be inflated to between 7.5 and 8.5 pounds per square inch.

What Ball does the NBA use 2021?

Wilson
The original official NBA basketball returns home. Wilson and the NBA go back to 1946 with the original official NBA basketball. Starting the 2021 – 2022 season, we’re on the court once again as the new official basketball of the NBA.

Is the NBA rim 12 feet?

Since about 1987 to the present, it’s been about 6-foot-7. That means that players today have a much easier time playing above the rim. In the 2008 Slam Dunk competition, Dwight Howard asked the NBA to raise the height of the rim to 12 feet to prove his dunking ability was about more than his height.

Are NBA hoops bigger?

For junior high, high school, NCAA, WNBA, NBA and FIBA, the rim is exactly 10 feet off the ground. Rims at every level of play are 18 inches in diameter. Backboards are also the same size at each of these levels. A regulation backboard measures 6 feet wide and 42 inches (3.5 feet) tall.

Does the WNBA use a smaller basketball than the NBA?

WNBA ball is smaller than NBA ball. With a circumference of 28.5 inches, the official WNBA ball’s size is one inch smaller than the regulation size for the NBA, 29.5 inches.

What is the official size of a WNBA basketball?

In the WNBA, the basketball has a diameter of between 9.07 and 9.23 inches. Basketballs used in the NCAA are between 9.39 and 9.55 inches for the men and 9.07 and 9.23 inches for the women.

What is the standard height of a WNBA basketball goal?

Height of a WNBA Basketball Hoop. 10 feet | 305 centimeters. The height of a WNBA basketball hoop is the same exact size as the NBA hoop. James Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891 using this height, and to this day 10ft [305cm] is the universal standard hoop height used around the world.

What size ball does a NBA basketball use?

Basketball sizes vary by age, gender, and level of play. The official size of the basketball used by the NBA is 29.5 inches in circumference . That’s the same size used throughout men’s college and high school basketball leagues. The WNBA uses a slightly smaller ball, measuring 28.5 inches in circumference.