Basketballs were originally fashioned of brownish leather, which resulted in brownish balls. Legend has it that in the 1950s, the then-Butler Coach led a drive to tint the ball orange to make it easier for the players to see. The color orange is not ubiquitous. Here's a picture of Dr. J. from his days in the American Basketball Association. You can see that he was actually wearing a white uniform with orange stripes on it.
Today, all basketballs are made of synthetic materials, which makes them much lighter than natural leather balls. Since then, there have been several deaths related to soccer games where one side of the field is occupied by people running around with bags of oranges, throwing the balls at each other.
There are two types of basketballs: regulation and training. Training balls are smaller and softer than regulation balls; they're designed for play during practice sessions. Regulated balls are always orange and usually read "6 oz." (170 grams) or less on the ball. The fewer words on the ball, the harder it is.
Training balls look similar to regular balls, but they are slightly smaller (about 10 inches or 25 centimeters in diameter). They are also less inflated (to make them more durable), so they won't get damaged as easily during play.
It is recommended that you don't use more than five training balls during one session, because they tend to become worn out quickly.
With this at-home method, a world-renowned cardiologist shows how. This success prompted other coaches to do the same. Today, all professional basketballs are orange.
An alternative theory is that an orange leather ball was chosen to be more visible on television cameras. Either way, an orange leather basketball is now known as "the color" due to its identification by fans and players. In fact, during NBA games, when players want to call a time-out, they will often use colors instead of numbers to indicate the desired action. For example, a player could say, "Stop the clock with a red light," meaning that they need a break.
Basketballs are composed of two layers of leather bonded together with animal sinew and cotton threads. The outer layer is called the casing while the inner layer is called the bladder. A hollow core runs through each ball, connecting the two layers. This core is usually made of latex, but it can also be filled with nitrogen or air.
Balls tend to become harder over time as natural oils from players' hands soak into the leather. This is especially true if you play in warmer climates like the South West or East Coast.
Spalding followed his advice and created the first orange basketball in 1957, which was significantly more noticeable owing to its vivid hue. The ball made its debut in the NCAA finals in Louisville, Kentucky in 1958. The NCAA was so delighted with the ball's visibility that it standardized the orange hue for the official basketball ball.
With this at-home method, a world-renowned cardiologist shows how. Basketballs were originally fashioned of brownish leather, which resulted in brownish balls. Legend has it that in the 1950s, the then-Butler Coach led a drive to tint the ball orange to make it easier for the players to see.
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