NBA Game Balls Will Look A Little Different In 2021
BOSTON (CBS) -- When the NBA tips off its 2021-22 season, the ball they use will look a little different.
It will still be its usual spherical shape and players will still have to dribble it up and down the court -- unless some really radical changes come over the next year. But instead of having "Spalding" scribbled across the front, NBA game balls will soon read "Wilson."
The league's contract with Spalding is expiring and Wilson will take over as the new partner producing the NBA's official game balls starting in 2021-22, according to Chris Hayes of Yahoo Sports. Wilson was the NBA's partner for 37 years before Spalding took over in 1983. Wilson will also produce the official games balls for the WNBA, NBA G League and NBA 2k League.
The split between the NBA and Spalding was mutual, according to Yahoo's sources.