If you’ve heard of basketball, you likely have heard of the brands Spalding and Wilson. These names are practically synonymous with the sport and have had a quiet rivalry over the past few years when it comes to which one reigns supreme within the basketball industry.
If you’re looking to get into the sport and must make a basketball purchase, which brand do you choose? Both have a wide range of balls to choose from, and both have been trusted by the highest league in the sport, the NBA, to provide the official game ball.
With some research, we have helped compare the brands based on their price, popularity, durability, material, and grip. Understanding where the two basketball makers stand can help you make an informed decision when shopping.
Are Spalding Basketballs More Popular Than Wilson?
Popularity can be measured in several ways. In basketball, it can be seen as a company’s sales numbers, partnerships with players, teams, and leagues, etc. To get the complete perspective, all angles must be taken into consideration.
Regarding partnerships, both brands have several teams and leagues that they are official game ball providers for. In fact, both brands have competed against one another in providing the NBA with their game ball (Wilson: 1946 – 1982, 2021 – Present; Spalding: 1983 – 2020).
| Partnership Type | Spalding | Wilson |
| Leagues & Associations | 16 | 9 |
| National Teams | 15 | 0 |
| Club Teams | 29 | 2 |
| Total | 60 | 11 |
Notable Spalding League & Team Sponsorships
- Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL)
- Liga Nacional de Basketball (LNB)
- Greek Basket League (GBL)
- Italian National Team
- Mexican National Team
Notable Wilson League & Team Sponsorships
- National Basketball Association (NBA)
- Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA)
- Basketball Champions League (BCL)
- Basketball Africa League (BAL)
Spalding takes a clear lead in this category; the disparity in partnerships could be due to the fact that Spalding, until recently, was the game ball provider for the most prestigious basketball league in the world. Many other leagues and teams could have followed suit for the brand association. It will be interesting to see if these numbers start to swing in Wilson’s direction over time.
Another point of consideration is revenue and sales. According to Zoominfo, Spalding’s estimated quarterly revenue for Q1 2021 and Q2 2021 were around $19 million a piece. If we extend this for an additional two quarters, we can estimate Spalding’s total annual revenue to be about $76 million. Wilson is estimated to generate at least $482.1M per year. It is difficult to compare these numbers, because they don’t solely focus on basketball sales; Wilson has a larger sports presence, especially within tennis and baseball.
Because revenue isn’t a clear indicator, we’ve taken a look at three of the biggest e-commerce stores in the US and looked at which basketballs were their top sellers. This gives us a better indication of which brand sells better. Details are below:
| E-Commerce Platform | # Spalding Best Sellers (%) | # WilsonBest Sellers (%) |
| Amazon | 9/50 (18%) | 6/50 (12%) |
| Dick’s Sporting Goods | 8/48 (17%) | 17/48 (35%) |
| Walmart | 20/77 (26%) | 18/77 (23%) |
| Total Weighted Average | 37/175 (21%) | 41/175 (23%) |
In a tight race, Wilson just takes the edge on Spalding to be the more popular brand on these platforms. It’s tough to try and infer any correlation since the difference is marginal; in a few months, these numbers could be totally flopped.
Are Spalding Basketballs More Expensive Than Wilson?
Price is normally the biggest factor when choosing which basketball to get, especially for players just starting to get into the game. Because both brands are top competitors within the basketball industry, you’ll get a wide range of balls to choose from.
Below, we’ve boiled down the basketball prices from each company’s website to give a better understanding as to what is available.
SpaldingCost Metrics
- Price Range: $17 – $150
- Median Price: $35
- Mode Price: $40; $30; $20
Wilson Cost Metrics
- Price Range: $11 – $200
- Median Price: $45
- Mode Price: $40; $45
Although Wilson has a few cheaper options available than Spalding, Spalding has more balls priced cheaper ($35) than its competitor ($45). Depending on what you’re looking for, you might have better luck buying from Spalding if you want to ensure you can get a good ball at a lower price.
Spalding vs. Wilson: Average Basketball Price Comparison
Another important metric to consider is the average price of a ball from each company. Based on the best sellers from their respective websites, we’ve taken the top five and average them out to see which is the cheaper option (Disclaimer: prices are subject to change).
| Spalding Basketball Name | Price | Wilson Basketball Name | Price |
| Spalding Street Outdoor | $20 | Wilson Luminous Performance | $20 |
| Spalding React TF-250 Indoor-Outdoor | $30 | Wilson NBA 75th Indoor Outdoor | $30 |
| Spalding Neverflat Pro Indoor-Outdoor | $40 | Wilson NCAA Limited | $50 |
| Spalding Botanics Indoor-Outdoor | $40 | Wilson Evolution | $50 |
| Spalding Precision TF-1000 Indoor | $65 | Wilson NCAA Evo NXT Official | $70 |
| Spalding Total Avg. Price | $39 | Wilson Total Avg. Price | $44 |
As we say with the previous price metrics, Spalding seems to be the cheaper option, even when comparing the most popular balls. If you’re ballin’ on a budget, then Spalding would probably be a better choice, but both brands have many options all along the price spectrum.
Are Spalding Basketballs Better Than Wilson?
Below, we’ve broken down each one and what its advantages are when used for basketball.
- Rubber – not only is it the most budget-friendly material, rubber is also the most durable out of all three materials when being used on an outdoor court. Unfortunately, these balls tend to lose their shape the quickest and lose their grip (compared to the other materials when used on their intended court), which can be rough on a player’s hands.
- Composite Leather – this material is a mix of leather and normally some kind of rubber or polyurethane. Balls made from composite leather are usually made to withstand both indoor and outdoor courts. Their grip tends to last longer than just pure rubber, but they fall short of genuine leather when comparing grip and softness.
- Genuine Leather – even though leather is the most costly, it is the most preferred material amongst the professional players for good reason. The benefits of having a leather basketball are that it is super soft on the hands and is the easy to grip. Unfortunately, their weakness comes on the outdoor court, where they weather extremely fast. If you’re going to spend money on a pure leather basketball, make sure to use it only on indoor courts!
When comparing quality, it’s a pretty tight race. Both companies’ most expensive balls are made of genuine leather, and most of the less expensive indoor and indoor/outdoor options are of composite leather. But Wilson’s official NBA game ball, the one made of pure leather, is listed at $200, whereas the pure leather option for Spalding is $150.
If we leave price out of the equation, both brands provide high quality balls, and the difference is marginal. Most of their composite leather / microfiber composite balls are evenly priced as well as their rubber balls. You can’t go wrong with either.
In Conclusion: Spalding vs. Wilson Basketball
It’s not easy to decide when it comes to Spalding vs. Wilson basketballs; however, Spalding comes out on top if we want a ball at good price. While Wilson’s prices are still comparable, their higher cost could be associated to their new partnership with the NBA. Additionally, Spalding is way more prevalent in the professional space, having partnerships with almost six times as many leagues, clubs, and teams than Wilson; this is a testament to the quality and reputation of the brand.