Listen to the players!
You must listen to the players who are actually playing with the ball in real NBA games. The NBA obviously tested the ball in NBDL games, the All-Star game and in summer league games. However, the mistake here lies in the fact that many of the younger players in those testing scenarios don't have a true voice of influence - not to mention they have grown up playing in AAU tournaments using micro-fiber, moisture absorption balls - they don't really know the difference. Hear-tell Spalding is trying to move away from making leather sports balls altogether, partially because of a leather shortage. A leather shortage? These factors should not, in and of themselves, give the NBA reasoning to change the ball.
Shaq, along with many other highly regarded NBA players, have expressed real displeasure over the performance of the ball. That would be enough for me to scrap the entire thing. I don't care what issues Spalding presents. Of course they would want the NBA to follow suit in moving to a cheaper manufactured product. It would surely be difficult to continue to provide only the NBA with leather balls, which many leagues on all levels in the US and around the world have already moved away from. No matter... the NBA needs to stay with the leather ball.
The NBA should not spare expense when it comes to game equipment. The leather ball is tradition because it is good. The leather ball is the way it is supposed to be. Leather-to-wood-to-hand-to-glass-to-net. There is a beauty in the sound of the leather bounce to the wood. Synthetic micro-fiber rubber is just not the same.
A true, broken-in leather ball is the best feel by far. The NBA players know this new micro-fiber ball is going to change the way they have to approach all aspects of ball handling, passing and shooting. The sticky-ness of the new ball will grab the wood, the skin, the steel and the glass in a very different way. It is going to change the game. A micro-fiber ball could have been the culprit in the 2006 WBA Championship game last spring. My team, the Cartersville Warriors had a last second shot bounce strangely on the rim, after PG Anthony Slater launched a runner in the lane with two seconds left in the first OT period. The ball seemed to catch the rim then scoot to the other side, where it screached to a halt and fell away. The ironic thing is... we debated on several different balls with opposing Head Coach Harold Ellis, of the Rome Gladiators, before settling on a Micro Fiber, Moisture Absorbtion ball that our team actually brought. A disgruntled Ellis, who presented a ZK Composite ball, finally relented. A leather ball may have had a more natural bounce, allowing the ball to slide on the rim, instead of catching the steel. The ball can change the game.
We have also used moisture absorption balls in my SEBL Summer Pro League for a number of years now and there are some that don't stick too much, but there are other issues. The moisture absorption balls do just that. Towards the end of games, the balls have absorbed so much sweat they become saturated. A fully saturated moisture absorption ball becomes extremely slippery and it can not be wiped off -- and you can't squeeze the perspiration out. That ball is done for a while and you have to throw out another to continue play. At least with leather, you can usually sufficiently wipe the ball off, as long as it's surface is not too worn.
Growing up in the 70's and 80's, I can remember we mostly had rubber, or some sort of imitation leather basketballs to play on the play ground. We could not wait to get in the gym, where we would get to play with leather basketballs -- quite often Spalding or Wilson, leather basketballs. The touch of the leather made you feel like you were playing real basketball. The sound of a leather ball swishing through the net is much sweeter.
While it is Spalding's perogative to shift its operations completely away from leather, the NBA should find another company to continue making its traditional, well-respected leather ball. In its own small way, the NBA leather ball is a part of the mystique of the NBA. If Spalding needs out of that, there is always Wilson. I am sure they, or some other company, will be glad to slap the NBA logo on their leather manufactured ball! Leather is simply better.
I hope the NBA does not go the cheap route. Listen to the players who play the game!
p.s. Mr. Stern, when you revert back to the good 'ole leather ball, there is a place you can donate all those micro-fiber balls. Oh, could you ask Spalding to stamp the letters... "SEBL" ...on the other side of 'em? Hey, leather is great, but donated is free. We will dribble them until the rubber needs to be re-tread.
