The game of basketball came about because a doctor and physical education teacher wanted a sport his students could play indoors during the harsh Massachusetts winter, according to Sports Rec. The doctor’s hopes were the game would help players work on hand-eye coordination, jumping, running, shooting and ball-handling, but not a lot of player contact. His hopes were fulfilled with basketball. The game has not changed much over the years, but its ball has seen quite a few developments. However, according to Mental Itch, there wasn’t actually a ball for the basketball game. Players used a soccer ball to be able to score a point. Three years after its inception, the game got its ball. Naismith (the doctor) reportedly called on A.G. Spalding & Bros. to come up with a ball specifically for the game of basketball in 1894. At the time, the company created a leather ball together with laces and weighing in at fewer than 20 oz. The first basketball had a circumference of 32 inches, which was four inches bigger than a soccer ball, according to NBA website. Basketball laces went by the wayside in 1948, with the new moulded construction and a smaller circumference of 30 inches becoming official in 1949. The design advanced again with its traditional four panels changed to eight, and the NBA adopted this as its official ball design in 1970. The NBA also adopted Spalding’s full-grain leather ball as its official ball in 1983, although other leagues and players use a variety of different brands. According to Encyclopedia, improving the basketball is a constant quest. Today, the updated design features a microfiber composite cover, rather than leather, and two interlocking panels rather than the standard eight.
