Many times, the characteristics of an object are not put there by chance. For example, golf balls have dimples for a specific reason (which is none other than the fact that they thus “travel” further when they are hit) and in the same way basketball balls also have a series of colored lines black for a particularity, then let’s find out what they are for and why basketballs have those black lines.
Why do basketballs have black lines?
We all know that basketballs stand out for being a characteristic orange color, but also a series of black lines stands out in them that actually have a more than justified purpose: to make the sport easier to play.
Yes, because in addition to those small peaks or granules that are present throughout the ball, the black lines make the ball much more manageable, especially when we bounce it against the ground.
In this game, ball control is very important, so the lines allow players to better grasp the ball and direct it in a different direction the moment it comes into contact with their hands. In addition, they allow the ball to be more aerodynamic, thus increasing the fact that it is much easier to control it with each pass but also while we have it in possession and we want, for example, to pass it from one hand to the other or to bounce it.
Ball control, in fact, would be much more problematic if it were completely fluid. You can feel the difference playing basketball with a ball with worn lines ; in this case, the ball will be much less easy to control during sports activity than a new one. In fact, we will immediately notice how it is more difficult to dribble the ball without it escaping from our hands. Something that you can also check if you take any other ball that is not basketball and try to use it as if it were. Neither control when bouncing and much less, when passing or receiving it will be the same.
Interestingly though, the black lines on the basketball were not at the beginning of this sport. At the dawn of basketball history, the sport was played with soft soccer balls on an oil-polished wooden court. As you can imagine, controlling the sphere at that time was much more difficult than now but fortunately, the appropriate precautions were subsequently implemented.
