To start the season, a lot of players have struggled with their shooting percentages. Scoring is down across the league. The league’s average 44.6 FG% is the lowest since 2004, while the 34.2% 3PT percentage is the lowest it’s been since 1999.
Superstar Paul George had an explanation for the shooting struggles around the league. After the Clippers-Thunder game, Paul George expressed that the cause of poor performances could be the new Wilson basketball that the NBA started using this season.
Paul George on players struggling shooting with the new Wilson basketball:
"Not to make an excuse or anything, it's just a different basketball. It doesn't have the same touch or softness as the Spalding ball had. You'll see this year, there's going to be a lot of bad misses."
— Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) November 2, 2021
Paul George on Wilson ball: "It doesn't have the same touch & softness that the Spalding ball had. You'll see this year. A lot of bad misses. You've seen a lot of airballs."
League Averages
.446 FG% (lowest since 2004)
.342 3PT% (lowest since 1999) pic.twitter.com/j2L8G9n82R
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 2, 2021
Not to make an excuse or anything about the ball, but I said that it’s just a different basketball. It doesn’t have the same touch or softness as the Spalding ball had. You’ll see this year, there’s going to be a lot of bad misses… I think you’ve seen a lot of airballs so far this season… It is different, there’s no secret. It’s just a different basketball.
Paul George himself hasn’t been affected by the new ball much at all, as he’s been averaging 28.3 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 4.2 APG this season while shooting a scorching 41.1% from beyond the arc. However, it makes sense that some people would struggle with a basketball that feels different, and it may take some time for others to adjust.
CJ McCollum is the president of the NBPA, and he expressed similar sentiments to Paul George about the Wilson basketball. He stated that he will “get feedback” from players in the upcoming week.
CJ McCollum, the president of the NBPA, suggested players are still adjusting to the new Wilson basketball. Says he will discuss it with players this week to “get feedback.”
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) November 2, 2021
It is quite likely that players will figure it out sometime soon, and that there’s little concern over the long term. There are still players who are succeeding despite the change.
At the end of the day, NBA players are the best of the best at the sport of basketball, and a change from a Spalding ball to a Wilson ball won’t get rid of their shooting abilities.
