Gift Ideas For Basketball Fans
With the NBA growing in popularity at a relentless pace, the numbers of global basketball fanatics is swelling right now. Even if you don't have a hoops-crazed friend or loved one in your life already, you likely will soon. They say the beauty of the sport is that all you need is a ball and a basket to play. Maybe so, but when it comes to gifts for the basketball lover in your life, there are tonnes of options. Here are some of our top picks...
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How exactly are you supposed to shoot if you don't have the right kicks? Fresh footwear is an essential part of any baller's game. Sneakertub, the world's first and only Sneaker subscription service, helps keep it very fresh. Delivering curated packages of awesome sneakers from Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Puma and others every month, the packs include some very cool sneaker accessories.
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Sure your friend or loved one could get some shooting tips from that dude who is always hanging around the neighbourhood court. Orrrrr you could have two-time MVP and the high king of splash, Steph Curry, give them the lowdown into how he does it. Steph's session includes ten different skills. Options include bonus access to the full Masterclass stable of lessons.
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A 2006 column from Sports Illustrated writer Rick Reilly about the lethal dangers still posed malaria in Africa led to the creation of Nothing But Nets, a global grassroots campaign to raise awareness, funds, and voices to fight the disease. Since then, with the help of a raft of the biggest names in basketball, the foundation has raised $70 million. As far as sporting charities go, it's among the most worthy.
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One from our own selves here at Giftology. This booster pack turns the classic board game into an NBA contest with the biggest names in the game today going head to head.
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Help get that hoops lover in your life get a better handle on things with this great training tool. The SKLZ stick helps improve hand positioning, stance, and speed with the ball. Easily adjustable arms enable a wide variety of drills for ball control, speed with the dribble, plyometrics and agility. Get ready for some hot hands!
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For the friend who considers himself your beer league Steve Kerr or the uncle who treats every Fourth Grade game like he's manning the bench in NBA Finals Game Seven, the most important coaching accessory — the clipboard. Hell, even if your loved one isn't a coaching mastermind-in-training, they'll get a kick out of just rocking around the workplace with this one.
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Sometimes it's just a good idea to swap the jumpshot for the joystick. 2K make the essential basketball game for Playstation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. The Legend edition lets players take control of over 100 of the most legendary teams in league history. Let's roll.
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There are so many page-turner classics when it comes to charting the history of the court. But it's hard to go wrong with this great dive into the mind of the man who won more NBA Championships than any other. Phil Jackson's 'Part sports memoir, part New Age spirit quest' (according to the New York Times) delivers just as impressively as his Bulls and Lakers dynasties did.
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If all the game really needs is a ball then why not go for the very best ball of all? Spalding's official ball is cut from Horween leather (the Chicago company that remains the exclusive supplier of NBA and NFL game balls). If you want to play like the pros, you may as well be dribbling with their equipment, right?
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Even the most casual hoop dreamer finds their competitive senses kicking in when standing in front of a pop-a-shot. And it's low-key a pretty good way to keep your shooting form from going totally stale while stuck indoors. Just get ready for everyone to get Jordan-style competitive.
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Think your special someone literally couldn't get enough hoops? Why not put that theory to the test. The league's official streaming platform is an all-you-can-eat basketball buffet that's tailored to whichever chosen device is being used with a tonne of special features for watching all 30 NBA teams.
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Ball never stops. Give the gift of finally being able to play with one's food. This mug brings a whole new meaning to dunking cookies in coffee. Putting the rim to good use by draining some mini marshmallows through it is sure going to make a hot chocolate more interesting.
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So, maybe your loved one's dream of actually hitting the floor in the big leagues has long since died (and they've finally come to terms with it). Doesn't mean they can't wear game-quality jerseys. Grab their favourite player's name and number (or maybe let them live their dream a little by personalizing it!).
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Keeping your head up is pretty damn important on the court. But so too is dribbling. These goggles are a great way of forcing a player to keep their handles clean while having his or her head up to survey all around them. They're also a great tool to improve reaction times. Defenders watch out.
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The most stylish pro sports league in the world, the NBA's transition into a sporting runway continues apace. These days you're likely to catch as many of the game's biggest names at Paris Fashion Week as the All-Star Game. James Harden, Dwyane Wade, Serge Ibaka, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have been at the forefront of the full couture press, with Westbrook's own Honor The Gift brand winning rave reviews.
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With all these awesome accessories, carrying everything around takes more than deep pockets. Great time to up your basketball fan's backpack game too. This Nike design, under two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant's branding, has room for everything you need to bring to the court, including a special top compartment for headphones.
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The basketball world lost one of its all time greats in early 2020 when Kobe Bryant died much, much too young. Bryant was an icon and this tribute puzzle features some of his most memorable moments in a very cool collage. Make sure to bring that Mamba mentality to the task!
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Brought to us by the master of mastication himself, Steph Curry. Has any athlete done more to mainstream those of us who have weird, kinda icky habits than the Warriors wonder? But if chewing on his drool-filled mouthguard during free-throws has helped promote better dental care for ballers, then we're all for it. A functional as well as fun gift.
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What's better than going to see the game's best in the flesh? Well, not much actually. The fun, frenzied atmosphere of a top level NBA game remains one of the best live fan experiences which is why getting your hands on some seats is a real treat. The hardest part? Deciding what game to gift your lived one
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Whether new fans or old, there's still something joyous in throwing it all back with a bit of nostalgia. The retro jerseys, the iconic old names, the, ahem, experimental colour schemes, it's always fun. Mitchell & Ness are among the best purveyors of the old school styles, including this epic Raptors throwback.
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Hollywood has hit the court with some really great results over the years. From Coach Carter and He Got Game to the devastating backcourt combo of Michael Jordan and Bigs Bunny in Space Jam, there's a glut of basketball classics to take in. And that's before you get to the terrific documentaries like The Last Dance, which brilliantly chronicles Jordan's final season as a Chicago Bull.
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The clue is in the product name with this one. A pump is a pretty essential — but so often overlooked — part of the game. Which makes it a great useful gift, saving your friend or loved one all those deflating moments when they arrive at the court only to find their ball doesn't have nearly enough bounce.
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Can't ball without a basket and if you want to really splash out on that special someone then this is a go-to. While there are numerous options for portable hoops, if the spaces allows it, this in-ground design trumps them all. Height adjustable, super durable and with a pro standard tempered glass backboard, it's a slam dunk.
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Clean kicks are important but that doesn't mean the styling stops there. In spite of the jokes about them being a grandad gift, socks are always welcome. And these vibrant designs are a great addition to any baller's wardrobe. If you're going to have your ankles broken by a quick-stepping opponent, you may as well look good.
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No sport blends beats into its business like basketball. From a solo workout to a group shootaround to a full-blooded NBA contest, a deep hip hop soundtrack just seems to help the game...flow. Jay Z, J. Cole, Drake, Kanye and Kendrick Lamar are a good foundation to build any hoops playlist.
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The official headphone supplier of the NBA, Beats By Dre have lots of great options for getting your groove and your game on at the same time. But these Powerbeats are particularly perfect for the hoops lover in your life. Completely wireless, reinforced sweat and water resistance and a battery life that can go to any number of overtimes. Swish.
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The NBA's rocketing popularity across the globe — it's growing almost four times as fast as the NFL — likely has plenty to do with the off-court action as much as exploits on the court. Basketball breeds drama. Some of the most in-depth coverage of the league's comings and goings is done by the army of reporters at The Athletic, led by Shams Charania.
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Basketball's beauty lies in how easy/rewarding/therapeutic it is to get the work in solo. But chasing all those missed shots yourself can get tiresome. This foldable net saves so much of that lost time, rebounding wayward shots back into play. Also a good option to save any landscaping/windows from particularly errant players!
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No ball games in the office? No problem. If you klnow someone who'd like to take their fadeaway jumper to work with them (and who doesn't!?) then look no further. Just make sure they're prepare for colleagues to get competitive. Watch out for the IT guy, always a dark horse red-hot shooter.
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Why oh why didn't they just call it Eau De GOAT? Anyway, if you can forgive them the branding misstep the extensive Michael Jordan aftershave range is one way to help a hoops lover to ever so briefly smell like His Airness, even if they can't float anything like him.
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Headbands are so 2018. You want to get a sweat-soaker that's in step with the modern game of basketball? Then the Karate Kid-esque head tie is the way to go. Sported by the likes of Sacramento Kings livewire point guard DeAaron Fox, it's the coolest piece of headwear in hoops.
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The bimonthly bible of basketball, SLAM has been chronicling the explosion in hoops popularity since its first issue in 1994. With a deep roster of great writers, SLAM digs into the culture of the game like few other publications and leaves readers hungry for the next issue.
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