Supreme x Spalding Official Size Basketball
The original behind the Supreme x Spalding Official Size Basketball is the Spalding Official Size Basketball — $30 retail vs Supreme's $108.
Supreme vs. Original
Supreme version
About the original
Spalding's Official Size Basketball is a regulation 29.5-inch indoor/outdoor ball built on the brand's standard rubber composite construction with a deep-channel pebbled cover for grip. Spalding was founded by pitcher Albert Spalding in 1876 in Chicago and supplied the official NBA game ball continuously from 1983 until Wilson took over the contract in 2021. The standard outdoor ball retails for $30 through Spalding and general sporting-goods channels. Supreme's FW20 collab prints a wraparound George Washington dollar-bill artwork across the entire surface of a regulation Spalding ball, replacing the brand's standard graphics with a full photographic print, and retailed at $108 against the standard $30.
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.
Price comparison
| Supreme retail | $108 |
|---|---|
| Spalding retail | $30 |
| Hype tax | +260% |
Questions
Is the Supreme x Spalding Official Size Basketball just the regular Official Size Basketball?
The Supreme x Spalding Official Size Basketball, released in Fall/Winter 2020, is based on the Spalding Official Size Basketball. Supreme collabs sometimes change the colorway or materials; the description on this page covers the original's specs and any notable differences in the Supreme version. If you want the product without the box logo, the Spalding Official Size Basketball is the one to buy.
How much cheaper is the Spalding Official Size Basketball than the Supreme version?
Supreme charged $108 for the Supreme x Spalding Official Size Basketball; the Spalding Official Size Basketball retails for $30. That's a 260% markup — buying the original saves you $78, or 72% off the Supreme price. Buy the original at retail and you skip the hype tax entirely.
Where can I buy the Spalding Official Size Basketball?
You can buy the Spalding Official Size Basketball direct from Spalding. Retail price is $30. The buy links on this page go straight to the product listing at each retailer.
