March Madness is upon us.
Which means your days will be filled with basketball games, casual gambling and more than a few missed meetings.
We can't help you with your bracket, and we have no idea if your team will be cutting down the nets when it's all over.
But we can point you to these beautiful basketballs.
Because handmade goods aren't just the dominion of tailors. Sometimes, the best sewing, leatherwork and stitching results in inflatable, bouncing objects you can dribble and shoot. These are five of the best, most luxurious basketballs around.
"Old Fashioned" Naismith Basketball
Leather Head Sports makes the kinds of sporting goods you'd have found a century ago. We're talking basketballs, footballs and rugby balls made from rugged leather and rawhide lace. These Naismith Basketballs pay homage to the era when peach baskets served as hoops and balls maybe didn't bounce so straight. In addition to these handsome options, Leather Head also makes basketballs fashioned from suede, black leather, bison leather and metallic gold, should you want to start a collection.
Jean-Michel Basquiat Lifeblood Basketball
Leave it to MOMA to put out a special edition basketball celebrating the work of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. The ball is made from premium composite leather and features details from four Basquiat artworks: A Panel of Experts (1982), Beat Bop 1 (1983), Made in Japan 1 (1982) and Untitled (Skull) (1983), as well as two panels featuring the artist’s signature. It's the official size and weight, and comes fully inflated in a limited edition display box.
Springfield Basketball, Glazed Snakeskin
Elizabeth Weinstock makes products from exotic leathers and snakeskins sourced from around the world. These conversation-piece basketballs are more artwork than sports equipment. They're made in Los Angeles from snakeskin and would look great on the shelves in your home or office. Want to put your own bespoke spin on something? Give them a call, and they will customize materials, colors and logos to create a ball just for you.
Tiffany x Spalding Basketball
Tiffany & Co. has a surprising background in sports, including as makers of many iconic trophies. But they've taken the court via this Spalding collab that resulted in a handsome basketball featuring the company's trademark robin egg blue.
Prada Basketball
If you really like Prada, here's a basketball with the Italian fashion house's logo on it. You can choose from two options—one black and one red—with both including a nylon harness carrier that buckles around the ball for easier transport.
(Maybe don't take these to your pickup game in the park.)
