sports
Wilson basketballs prepared by all 30 NBA teams ahead of 2026 Finals
Each January the league distributes four Finals-branded balls to every team so they can be broken in before redistribution. Officials collect the used balls and send them to the venues hosting the series between the Knicks and Spurs.
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The basketballs used in the 2026 NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs began their journey in January when the league sent four Finals-branded balls to each of the 30 teams. Teams used the balls during regular-season and playoff games to break them in. Officials later collected the balls and redistributed them for the championship series.
Preparation process Christopher Arena, the NBA's head of on-court and brand partnerships, said the league wants the balls to be game-ready rather than out-of-the-box. The balls are supplied by Wilson and use leather from Chicago's Horween Leather Company.
Wilson began providing the official game ball in the 2021-22 season. Under the previous supplier, used balls were returned for engraving; Wilson's balls are pre-produced and sent to teams months ahead of the Finals. The same process applies to the balls now in use at Frost Bank Center and Madison Square Garden.
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