Some people say that if you want to become the best player you need to use the best equipment. Is this true? Well, not necessarily. However, having a good team could absolutely help. Having said that, you need to find the right things to use. So now you are looking for a product to increase your basketball skills, how do you find it? If you search the web, there are hundreds of different options, so how do you know which one to choose? Well luckily you’ve come to the right place and you have a basketball expert who has personal knowledge and experience with the best products. Below, I review my top recommendations.
The SKLZ Official Weight Management Training Basketball is a great basic product you can get and has multiple uses. This is a regulation size basketball and costs between thirty and forty dollars. The difference between this basketball and a normal one is the weight. This basketball weighs more than a normal basketball. On the court, we just called them “heavy balls” and they really were heavy. The benefits of this product are that it increases the amount of work required to move the ball. Dribbling the ball forces the player to push harder, which increases muscle memory. It can also be used for passing drills. This will make passing with a normal ball faster. After using this ball for 30 minutes, when you grab a normal basketball, it will feel like a feather. You will find dribbling and passing extremely easy. It’s a great product for high school and older players looking for a competitive edge.
The “Shooter” ring is a great product to increase the shooting percentage of players. Most people would agree that it might be hard enough to get the ball in the hoop, as this accessory actually makes the rim smaller. This increases the accuracy needed to make a shot. This is good to use during any type of shooting drill, we usually use it for anything but layups and it was pretty awesome when people made sneakers, because it was really hard to do. Another use you can get from the “Shooter” ring is actually for rebounding exercises. Due to the small number of shots made, it creates a perfect environment to work on rebounding. The ball always bounces in a rather unpredictable manner and it makes players really work on their boxing skills if they want to get the bounce.
The SKLZ Kick-Out 360 Degree Ball Return System is another great product to help young players work on their shots. I have used several of this product but I have not used exactly this one. However, their purposes are essentially the same. This sticks to the rim and creates a conduit for the ball to roll down so it doesn’t need to get its own bounce. It’s easy to install, and they’re usually durable enough to last a few seasons. My family put ours in a basketball hoop outside and left it there for about a year and it didn’t cause any problems. So I would say these are good products that you can plan to use for a while. The most beneficial part of this product, for me, is that it makes shooting hoops so much easier. With Kick Out, you can take a lot more shots in a shorter amount of time because you’re not chasing all your shots, they just come right back at you. Also, this one is adaptable, so it can bounce you in the direction you set it to.
Shoot Sleeve: This last product recommendation is not a product that is used in practice. This is a team recommendation. The shooting sleeve has become a very common piece of equipment worn by players of all ages. I know many people who criticized the case, but once they tried it on they found they enjoyed it and no longer liked playing without it. The first benefit is that it compresses the muscles of the arms. This is good for keeping your muscles warm and ready to go. With your arms ready and warm, you might have a better time shooting, dribbling, and passing the ball. The sleeves can also come with elbow padding. This is helpful for the player so they don’t hurt that part of the body and honestly if someone accidentally hits another player with their elbow, it would be much preferable to get hit with a padded elbow (at least in my opinion). Also, I I’ve had teammates who like to wear it strictly because they think it looks cool and makes them feel good. And you know the good saying “Look good, Feel good, Play good”. As silly as it sounds, I personally think it’s a completely understandable reason. Some players wear one, some players wear two, some even wear leg sleeves. It all depends on the preference of the player. Another gear recommendation I would have is anklets. I didn’t wear them for a long time until… yes, you guessed it, I hurt my ankle. This injury really set me back and I wish I had been wearing braces because I never would have been in that situation if I had. When buying the right ones, I recommend going to a sports store and talking to someone who sells them day in and day out. They will have the most information about what’s new and what people are buying.
In general, there are a lot of great basketball products available right now. And I’m sure they will get better and more effective as time goes by. Before purchasing a product, be sure to do your research and find a product that fits your specific basketball needs. Either way, make sure you work hard and have fun while you’re at it!