If you’re looking to shoot hoops as a fine-tuned athlete or as a hobbyist, the best recipe for success is to have the right basketball! Both Wilson and Rawlings are renowned for making great basketballs, but which basketball is better: Wilson basketballs or Rawlings basketballs?
The best basketball is determined by price, durability, material quality, and the air retention of the ball. Though both Rawlings and Wilson brand basketballs have these strengths, the Wilson basketball has been claimed as the better basketball by popular choice and the NBA.
The Wilson basketball is the ball of choice for most, but a good understanding of the strengths of each basketball can help you decide for yourself which is best for your game! In this article, we’ll dive into the popularity of Wilson and Rawlings, the price range of each, and conclude which basketball is better overall.
Are Wilson Basketballs More Popular Than Rawlings?
Popularity can be subjective and has many different angles to look at. Some will say that basketball sales are the most telling as to which is more popular, whereas others will point to a company’s league and team sponsorships. The reality is, both of these (and more) are important factors that should be aggregated together to determine popularity.
If we look at revenue, Wilson is estimated to generate at least $482.1M per year, while Rawlings is said to generate around $809M. It’s important to consider that Rawlings has a bigger grasp on the baseball market, where a majority of its products sit; the company hasn’t made a significant investment into the basketball space (league or team partnerships, frequent basketball releases, etc.), so the results above are actually not that surprising.
Considering this, we can assume that only a small portion of that revenue comes from basketball sales, whereas Wilson is predominantly a basketball business.
Below, we’ve taken a look at some of the biggest e-commerce websites and compared the two companies on the number of basketballs that appear on each best seller page.
| E-Commerce Platform | # WilsonBest Sellers (%) | # RawlingsBest Sellers (%) |
| Amazon | 6/50 (12%) | 0/50 (0%) |
| Dick’s Sporting Goods | 17/48 (35%) | 0/48 (0%) |
| Walmart | 18/77 (23%) | 0/77 (0%) |
| Total Weighted Average | 41/175 (23%) | 0/175 (0%) |
Nowhere on any of these websites’ top sellers pages did Rawlings have a basketball listed. It seems that, even though Rawlings does make good quality basketballs, the pages get dominated by the likes of Spalding, Wilson, Molten, Baden, and even Nike.
We’ve also compared the ratings of the companies’ basketballs (from their websites) to see what the general consensus is for each ball.
| Wilson Basketball | Avg. Rating | Rawlings Basketball | Avg. Rating |
| Wilson Official Evolution | 4.6 / 5.0 | Rawlings Crossover 28.5” | NR |
| Wilson Official Encore | 4.2 / 5.0 | Rawlings Crossover 29.5” | NR |
| Wilson Evolution 28.5” | 4.8 / 5.0 | Rawlings Contour 28.5” | NR |
| Wilson NBA DRV Plus | 4.4 / 5.0 | — | — |
| Wilson Total Avg. Rating | 4.5 / 5.0 | Rawlings Total Avg. Rating | NR |
As mentioned above, Rawlings doesn’t have a huge focus on basketball; they only have three balls listed, and none of them have been rated by customers (furthering the assumption that basketball does not make up a lot of their revenue). Wilson scores pretty highly here, showing that they have consistently made balls the players enjoy.
Lastly, we should take a look at which brand has more partnerships in the basketball industry. Wilson has provided the NBA’s official game ball for the 2021-2022 season and was actually the original ball provider to the league at its inception. Below are some of the brand’s notable partnerships:
- National Basketball Association (NBA)
- Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA)
- Jr. National Basketball Association (Jr. NBA)
- National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) March Madness
- Basketball Champions League (BCL)
- Basketball Africa League (BAL)
Rawlings has some minor partnerships, mainly with high school leagues, but nothing on the professional level as Wilson does.
Are Wilson Basketballs More Expensive Than Rawlings?
If you’re looking to buy the cheapest ball out there, then Wilson is the one for you. On average though, Rawlings does run a bit cheaper. Price metrics are broken down below.
Wilson Cost Metrics
- Price Range: $11 – $200
- Median Price: $45
- Mode Price: $40; $45
Rawlings Cost Metrics
- Price Range: $30 – $60
- Median Price: $30
- Mode Price: $30
Before we get into a quick analysis on these numbers, remember that Rawlings only has three basketballs listed on their own website, two of which are not NBA-regulation size! This is a significant factor in why their basketballs are not best sellers on the above e-commerce websites as well.
Given the lack of options from Rawlings, it makes sense that Wilson has balls priced below and above what its competitor offers.
Wilson vs. Rawlings: Average Basketball Price Comparison
Another point of comparison is the average price for the companies’ basketballs. To keep things consistent, we’ve selected the five most popular balls (as per Wilson’s and Rawlings’s websites) to get an understanding as to what you should expect if you’re buying directly from the source (Disclaimer: prices are subject to change).
| Wilson Basketball Name | Price | Rawlings Basketball Name | Price |
| Wilson Luminous Performance | $20 | Rawlings Crossover 28.5” | $30 |
| Wilson NBA 75th Indoor Outdoor | $30 | Rawlings Crossover 29.5” | $30 |
| Wilson NCAA Limited | $50 | Rawlings Contour 28.5” | $60 |
| Wilson Evolution | $50 | — | — |
| Wilson NCAA Evo NXT Official | $70 | — | — |
| Wilson Total Avg. Price | $44 | Rawlings Total Avg. Price | $40 |
While Rawlings’s most popular balls are just a little cheaper than those of Wilson, we have to keep in mind that this is just one angle of our comparison. When you’re shopping for a basketball, you likely want to have more options than less. If you’re a male looking to buy a regulation-sized basketball, you will only have one option with Rawlings, whereas you’ll have numerous with Wilson.
Something else to consider (that we discuss below) is the quality of the ball; having more options not only helps with price points, but makes it easier to determine what kind of ball you want. One option leaves you choiceless, but having a selection of balls to choose from gives you a bit more wiggle room.
It’s safe to say that, regardless of if you’re just starting out in the sport or you consider yourself a veteran, Wilson is the better choice for you when looking at price.
Are Wilson Basketballs Better Than Rawlings?
Below, we’ve broken down each one and what its advantages are when used for basketball.
- Rubber – not only is it the best and most durable material for outdoor courts, rubber also is the most inexpensive material on average. It’s drawbacks, though, are that it tends to weather the quickest (compared to the other materials when used on their intended courts) and it can be rough on players’ hands after a while.
- Composite Leather – a unique blend of leather and some alternative material (usually rubber or polyurethane), this ball offers decent durability and good grip. However, these traits pale in comparison to the next and final material.
- Genuine Leather – although the priciest material, leather is the favored material amongst the professional players. Leather basketballs are that very soft on the hands and has the best group relative to the previous two materials. Unfortunately, they should only be used on an indoor court because outdoor courts will wear them out quickly.
Down below, we’ve broken down the analysis a bit further, looking at individual categories of quality and comparing the brands.
Durability
According to the majority of Amazon.com’s customer opinion, the durability found in a Wilson basketball trumps that of a Rawlings basketball.
A basketball is made up of cover panels, which fit into the channels beneath to form a durable sphere that can take constant dribbling, whether indoor on hardwood or outdoor in a cul-de-sac game.
A Rawling ball’s channel materials are said to chip with age, while a Wilson’s channels remain intact after long periods of use. In addition, the Wilson’s cover panels are firmer than a Rawling’s, allowing them to last longer outdoors.
Material Quality
Rawlings only offers basketballs made from some composite material, whereas Wilson offers balls ranging from rubber to genuine leather.
If you’re not looking to get a professional quality basketball, then either brand should be sufficient. However, if you want to get a ball that is tailored towards your court, then Wilson’s got your back.
Air Retention
Many Wilson basketballs, such as the Wilson NBA Forge Pro, have an Inflation Retention Lining which allows the air retention in the ball to surpass that of the Rawlings basketball.
In contrast, the NCAA Crossover Full Size Basketball by Rawlings is less popular with Amazon.com customers, complaining that the quality of the ball does not allow for air retention.
In Conclusion: Wilson vs. Rawlings Basketball
In conclusion, the Wilson Basketball is better than the Rawlings basketball due to the popularity of it’s defining characteristics.
Though a Rawlings basketball can be cheaper, this is only in the case of its highest-quality product, which does not outperform the Wilson basketball’s highest-quality product.
Because the Wilson basketball achieves better air retention and durability according to popular opinion, it is no wonder Wilson is the basketball of choice for the NBA!