Paul George Among NBA Players Struggling to Adapt to New Wilson Basketball

After years of providing game balls with the NBA, Spalding went separate ways with the league after the organization switched to Wilson basketball this season.

Based on a report, Wilson said they have tried to replicate the ball used in the NBA for years as much as possible, but players were not buying it.

Wilson is The New Maker of Official NBA Basketball

According to NBC Sports, NBPA President C.J. McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers said they were all still adjusting to the new ball used in games. McCollum later added that he planned to discuss with players around the league to "get feedback" on the new ball.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George was one of the players who had more direct criticism on the Wilson ball.

Paul George said he would not use the ball as an excuse, but he pointed out that it was a different basketball. The NBA star emphasized that it did not have the same touch and softness as the Spalding ball.

"Not to make an excuse or anything, but I said that about the ball, it's just a different basketball," PG13 said after the Clippers' win Monday night.

Paul George also told the media that there would be "a lot of bad misses" this year, and many have already "seen a lot of airballs so far this season."

NBA, Spalding Decide to Separate Ways After Years of Partnership

Heading into this season, the NBA ended its decades-long relationship with American sports equipment manufacturing company Spalding to introduce Wilson as the new maker of the official NBA basketball.

Another sports equipment manufacturing company, Wilson, said they tried to make the transition of their takeover in producing the basketball for the NBA as smooth as possible.

Wilson noted that they only made little changes, and the new ball was comprised of the same materials, eight-panel configuration, and performance specifications as the league's current game balls. The company also sources the same leather used in the Spalding ball.

Wilson worked with players Trae Young, Jamal Murray, and others to test prototype balls over the past year as they worked toward the final version.

The change did not only affect the player but also the coaches. Houston Rockets coach Stephen Silas said that when they first got the ball, the whole team asked why the league changed it.

But Silas added that he was no longer hearing another complaint about the ball or anything about it as time went by.

Many around the NBA have suggested that the new Wilson ball would be a factor in terms of shooting percentages, which they projected to drop in the 2021-22 season.

Several star players have gotten off to rough starts, but none have directly blamed the ball for their early-season shooting slump.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

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