Supreme x Spalding Basketball
Supreme vs. Original
Supreme version
Original — Spalding
Zi/O TF Excel Indoor-Outdoor Basketball
About the original
The Spalding Zi/O TF Excel is a composite leather basketball rated for indoor and outdoor play, with deep channels and a cushioned composite cover designed for grip across wet and dry conditions. Spalding was founded in Boston in 1876 by Chicago White Stockings pitcher Albert Goodwill Spalding; in 1894 James Naismith asked Spalding to manufacture the first purpose-built basketball, replacing the soccer balls players had used since the game's 1891 invention, and Spalding served as the official ball of the NBA continuously from 1983 until 2021. The Supreme FW14 collab adds printed Supreme graphics across the panels and embossed box logos at the air valve, retailing for $68 versus the standard ball's $39.99.
About Spalding
Spalding is an American sporting goods manufacturer founded in 1876 by Albert Goodwill Spalding and his brother J. Walter Spalding in Chicago. Albert Spalding was a pitcher and co-founder of the National League, and the company supplied the league's official baseball from 1876 to 1976. Spalding also produced the official NBA game ball from 1983 to 2021 and the official WNBA ball for much of that period. Its product line includes basketballs, footballs, volleyballs, and backboards, with the pink Spaldeen rubber ball a longstanding New York street-game fixture. Supreme has collaborated with Spalding on co-branded basketballs and equipment.
