You bought a basketball that seems shrinking, and you wonder why it is happening. But, like any other air-filled object, at some point, the pressure will eventually lower even if you are using it for long periods.
Basketballs lose air when used or not used for a long time because they need good air pressure to bounce correctly. Because of this, they do shrink. However, when the basketball is not in use for a long time, it loses its much-needed air pressure quicker.
A basketball is drop-tested many times before it comes in shops for sale. Drop-Test determines the air pressure required for the basketball. The perfect air pressure amount is usually placed near the hole you use to refill the ball. Here is some more information about why your basketball might be shrinking.
Reasons your basketball is shrinking
1. Not using it in the right court
If you use leather basketball for outdoor courts, the leather will slowly be worn down. The gravel-like surface can cause damage to the leather material.
Even a tiny tear in the basketball can make it lose its air pressure and damage its grip. It is better to use rubber or synthetic basketball for rough outdoor environments.
2. Too much exposure
If your basketball is exposed to outer environmental elements like rain, sun, hot or cold; it doesn’t matter which material you use; it will lose its shape. Therefore, it is better to avoid extreme conditions.
Even a wet surface on a rainy day can spoil the quality of your basketball. Intense sunlight affects both grip and color of the basketball.
It is even possible for a basketball to shrink in half of its size when it’s too cold outside. This is because the air gets dense in winters and contracts. Consequently, the elastic material of the basketball shrinks with it.
3. Low air pressure
A simple trick to know if the air pressure is correct is to hold the basketball above your head and then drop it. If it bounces back up to the height of your chest, air pressure is correct.
Don’t over-inflate the basketball because it increases the chances of tearing. An under-inflated basketball will barely allow you to play correctly.
4. Rough hard places
Basketball is not as brittle as a balloon, but its shape gets altered over time when playing and storing it. So if you are playing outdoors, try to pull up some barrier around the ground so that you can stop the ball from getting into the rough surface outside the court.
Any tiny sharp object can puncture your ball and cause its shrinking.
5. Storing for too long
People often store their basketball somewhere in the house with lots of other stuff loaded on it. Over time, the ball changes its shape due to external pressure.
Anything that’s under the sun most likely changes. Basketballs shrink due to change in air pressure, gravity, and environmental factors. While it is impossible to prevent shrinking entirely, one can always be cautious of the factors mentioned above to increase its longevity.
