Ayrton Oneill
The orange basketball made its debut during the 1958 NCAA Finals in Louisville, Kentucky, and has been used ever since. The main reason for the colour choice is visibility. Before the 1950s, basketballs were dark brown, which was hard for players, fans, coaches, and referees to see. Therefore, a brighter, more visible colour was chosen—orange!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for the color orange | Better visibility for players, fans, coaches, and refs |
| Year of debut | 1958 |
| Event of debut | NCAA Finals in Louisville, Kentucky |
| Number of colors tested | 12 |
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What You'll Learn
The 1950s rule change
In the 1950s, a significant rule change took place that forever altered the look of basketball and the game itself. The basketball itself became the focus of this change, specifically the colour. Up until this point, basketballs had been a variety of colours, including brown and white, but this decade saw the introduction of the now-iconic orange ball.
The reason for this change was primarily to improve visibility during games. The brown balls, which were commonly used at the time, tended to blend into the background, especially in dimly lit gymnasiums and outdoor environments. This made it difficult for players, officials, and spectators to track the ball, leading to confusion and disputes over calls. The brown balls were also hard to see on black-and-white television screens, which were becoming an increasingly popular way for people to watch basketball games at home.
To address these issues, Tony Hinkle, a legendary basketball coach and innovator, proposed the idea of using a bright, vibrant colour for the balls. He suggested orange, a colour that would stand out against most backgrounds and be easily distinguishable. Hinkle is often credited with the creation of the orange basketball, and his influence on the sport extended beyond just the colour of the ball. He also invented the orange-coloured basketball key, or free-throw lane, which is still used today and commonly referred to as the "key" or "the lane".
The introduction of the orange basketball was a significant change, and it did not go without some debate and resistance. Some traditionalists preferred the classic brown balls, and there were concerns that the new colour would be too jarring and distracting. However, the benefits of improved visibility soon became apparent, and the orange ball quickly gained acceptance and popularity. Over time, it became the standard colour for basketballs, used in leagues and competitions worldwide.
This rule change in the 1950s not only improved the viewing experience for fans and the performance of players, but it also had a lasting impact on the sport's aesthetics and culture. The vibrant orange ball became an iconic symbol of basketball, recognized and beloved by fans around the world. Today, the orange basketball remains a testament to the power of innovation and the evolution of sports, all while honouring the game's rich history.
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Visibility
The orange colour of basketballs is primarily for visibility purposes. Before the 1950s, basketballs were dark brown, which was hard for players, fans, coaches, and referees to see. This led to Butler University's head basketball coach, Tony Hinkle, opting for a brighter colour, orange, which has been the standard colour since.
The NBA tested 12 different colours before settling on orange and oatmeal, including black-and-orange and light blue. The former NBA creative director, Tom O'Grady, commented that they "picked the oatmeal and orange one because you could see the rotation of the shot".
The orange basketball made its debut during the 1958 NCAA Finals in Louisville, Kentucky, and has since become easily recognisable to viewers of the sport, even on television.
Despite the widespread association of NBA basketball with the colour orange, New York Knicks centre Mitchell Robinson has described the colour as brown due to dirt and bacteria from players not washing their hands.
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Brown vs orange
The orange colour of basketballs has been a topic of discussion among fans and players of the sport. While most people easily recognize an orange basketball, there are some who have pointed out that the colour can appear lighter or darker, and even brown, depending on the lighting and the condition of the ball.
The story of how basketballs became orange dates back to the 1950s. Before this time, basketballs were dark brown, but this colour was hard to see for players, fans, coaches, and refs, leading to widespread complaints. In response to these concerns, Butler University's head basketball coach, Tony Hinkle, decided to introduce a brighter, more visible colour. Orange was chosen, and it has been the standard colour for basketballs ever since.
However, not everyone is convinced that orange is the best colour for basketballs. Some have suggested that other colours, like blue or red, could be used. The late NBA commissioner, David Stern, famously quipped, "The last thing the world needed was another orange basketball." League executives did, in fact, test out 12 different colours before settling on orange and oatmeal, including black-and-orange and light blue. The decision to go with orange was made because it allowed viewers to see the rotation of the shot, an important factor in understanding the game.
Despite the consensus on orange being the best colour for visibility, New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson has a unique perspective on the colour of basketballs. He believes that the colour of an NBA basketball is not just orange but also influenced by hygiene, or a lack thereof. Robinson attributes the colour to dirt and bacteria, claiming that many players in the league do not wash their hands. While his viewpoint may be controversial, it does highlight an often-overlooked factor that can affect the appearance of the basketballs over time.
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Testing other colours
The colour of basketballs has been a topic of discussion among fans and players alike. The choice of orange for basketballs can be traced back to a rule change in the 1950s, specifically during the 1958 NCAA Finals in Louisville, Kentucky, when orange basketballs were introduced. This change was made to address the issue of poor visibility associated with the previous dark brown colour of basketballs.
Before settling on orange, league executives tested 12 different colours, including black-and-orange, light blue, and oatmeal. The final decision was made by the former NBA creative director, Tom O’Grady, who stated, "We picked the oatmeal and orange one because you could see the rotation of the shot."
The visibility of the basketball is crucial, especially for viewers watching the game on television, which is the medium used by the majority of sports viewers. The orange colour provides a stark contrast against the brown or wooden colour of the court and the hoop's background, making it easier to track the ball's movement and rotation during play.
While orange has been the standard colour for basketballs for several decades, there have been variations and special editions. For example, the ABA (American Basketball Association) used red, white, and blue basketballs before merging with the NBA in 1976. These tri-colour balls are still used during special events in the NBA, such as the Three-Point Contest during All-Star Weekends.
The WNBA, which launched in 1996, also has a slightly different regulation for basketball colour, using a combination of orange and oatmeal paint. Despite the variations and special editions, the standard orange colour remains the most recognisable and widely used in the sport of basketball.
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The late commissioner's view
The late commissioner David Stern was famously not a fan of the orange basketball design. In an interview with the Sports Business Journal, he commented: "The last thing the world needed was another orange basketball".
Stern's view on the colour of basketballs may be rooted in the fact that the choice of colour was not a decision made by the NBA, but rather by college basketball teams in the 1950s. Before the 1950s, basketballs were dark brown, but Butler University’s head basketball coach Tony Hinkle decided the brown colour was hard for everyone to see. So, he decided to switch to a much brighter, more visible colour—orange. This design choice was then cemented when orange basketballs were used in the 1958 NCAA Finals in Louisville, Kentucky.
The NBA only adopted the orange basketball in 1976, when the ABA (American Basketball Association) merged with the NBA. The ABA had previously used red-white-and-blue basketballs, which the NBA still uses for special events like the Three-Point Contest during All-Star Weekends as their money ball.
Despite Stern's dislike of the orange basketball, the colour was chosen for a practical reason—to improve visibility for players, fans, coaches, and refs. In fact, the WNBA, which launched in 1996, also recognised the benefits of the orange colour and used orange and oatmeal paint on their basketballs.
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Frequently asked questions
The main reason basketballs are orange is visibility. Before the 1950s, basketballs were dark brown, but Butler University’s head basketball coach Tony Hinkle decided the brown colour was hard for players, fans, coaches, and refs to see. So, he chose a brighter, more visible colour—orange!
Orange basketballs first appeared during the 1958 NCAA Finals in Louisville, Kentucky.
League executives tested 12 different colours before settling on orange and oatmeal, including black and orange, and light blue.
Before the 1950s, basketballs were dark brown. The ABA (American Basketball Association) used red, white, and blue basketballs until they merged with the NBA in 1976.
