The Official FIBA Basketballs: Molten

In the world of professional basketball, two names come to mind when it comes to basketballs – Wilson and Spalding. These companies have been making official basketballs of the NBA for many years now. However, there is another company that makes the official FIBA basketballs for international competitions – Molten. In this blog post, we will take a look at what makes Molten’s basketballs so special and why they are used in all FIBA international teams’ competitions.

What is FIBA?

FIBA stands for the International Basketball Federation. It is the world governing body for basketball. They are in charge of all international competitions, including the Olympics and the Basketball World Cup.

FIBA sets the rules and regulations for the sport of basketball. They also provide support and guidance to national federations all around the world.

One of the main responsibilities of FIBA is to ensure that the sport of basketball is played in a fair and safe environment. They do this by working with manufacturers to create approved products, like the official Molten basketballs.

The history of Molten and their involvement in basketball

Molten has been making basketballs for over 50 years now. They are a Japanese company that was founded in 1958 and started out by manufacturing handballs and volleyballs before moving into basketballs.They first entered the US market in 1983 and since then they have achieved to capture a major role in the ball making industry in the country, providing balls for various sports such as basketball, volleyball and american football.

Molten’s basketballs are used in all FIBA competitions, including the Olympics and the Basketball World Cup. They are also used in many professional leagues around the world.

Molten has been the official FIBA basketball since 1964, when they were first used in the basketball tournament of the Tokyo Olympics. Since then , they have constantly been the official maker of the basketballs for all major international FIBA events and tournaments.

What makes Molten’s basketballs so special? Molten’s basketballs are made with the highest quality materials. They use a synthetic leather that is both durable and easy to grip. The material used for Molten’s basketballs is also very consistent, which is important for players to be able to control the ball in game situations.

Why is Molten the only company to make FIBA approved basketballs?

It is part of a commercial agreement that has been signed between the two parties. The main reason for this long term relationship, is that FIBA wants to provide a consistent experience to athletes from every country of the world, that compete in international tournaments. So they are reluctant to frequently change the ball used in major international basketball events.

Is FIBA ball different than NBA ball?

No, they are of the same size and dimensions. Their only difference is the brand that makes them. The official size and weight of a basketball is regulated by FIBA and is size 7 as in the NBA. But while the NBA ball is made by Wilson, FIBA basketball is made by Molten.

In the past, some top NBA athletes that were called up to participate in a FIBA tournament and represent USA basketball, have complained that the FIBA balls feel smaller and lighter. However, this is not true as the size and weight of the balls are exactly the same.

The main difference between the two balls is that Molten’s basketballs have a different feel to them and sometimes players might need some time to adjust when playing with them for the first time.

What is the official FIBA 3×3 tournament basketball?

While the International Basketball Federation uses Molten for all it’s major events, there is one exception: 3×3 tournaments. For those, FIBA is collaborating with Wilson.

The three-by-three game is played on a half court with a smaller ball. The ball used in these tournaments is size six, however it maintains the weight of a size 7 ball. It is smaller to enable better ball handling and more spectacular games, since it allows for faster play and larger scores. The weight is the same; thus, shooting with the wind on open courts has less impact.

Other exceptions

As mentioned above, in Fiba 3×3 tournaments, Wilson provides the official game balls instead of Molten.

Another exception is the Fiba Basketball Champions League, which is a european competition for teams finishing in the top positions of their countries domestic leagues. This competition is competing with the Euroleague to attract top european basketball clubs (without much success).

Wilson is also the provider of the official Basketball Champions League ball.

FIBA approved basketballs

Apart from the official basketballs used by FIBA, there are also basketballs that are “FIBA Approved”. This doesn’t mean that these balls are used in official FIBA competitions, but it does mean that they have been tested and meet all the requirements to be used in such competitions.

Any company can produce FIBA approved basketballs, as long as they go through a strict testing and certification process.

FIBA certifies as approved, balls of size 5 – 7 (kids, women and men’s). Balls that achieve level 1 certification are made of leather (natural or synhetic) and can be used on all major FIBA recgnized competitions. Balls that achieve level 2 certification can be rubber and can be used in lower level events.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Molten is the official manufacturer of FIBA basketballs and has been for many years. Their basketballs are used in all major FIBA competitions and events. They are also used by many professional leagues around the world. The only difference between a NBA ball and a FIBA ball is the brand; however, some players might need time to adjust to the feel of a Molten basketball. For FIBA’s official three-by-three tournaments, Wilson is the manufacturer of choice.

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