There’s nothing better than giving (and receiving) basketball gifts.
Whether you’re a parent on the search for a gift for your son’s birthday…
Or a player searching for a present to get your coach after a stressful season…
I guarantee you’ll find something in this post.
I’ve compiled 28 of the best basketball gifts that any player, coach, or fan of the game would love to receive and listed them all below.
Let’s get started...
Basketball Gifts for Players and Coaches
1. An Elite Clipboard
Gift to: Coaches
Price: $12.99
Purchase from: Amazon
Elite Clipboards is a professional looking clipboard any coach will love.
It has a double-sided design, with a full-court on one side and a half-court on the other side. They also include a small "notes" section below the half-court diagram.
This beautifully designed clipboard is made of high-quality materials and comes with a marker.
If you ask any player what they want for Christmas or their birthday, I promise you that NBA 2K20 will be one of the first items that spring to their mind (if they don’t have it already).
This new edition contains gameplay and graphics that are better than ever before.
Many parents and coaches are opposed to buying products that encourage their children to sit in front of the TV for hours at a time, but I don’t have a problem with video games in moderation.
Rest is a very important part of being an athlete and video games can be a great way for players to relax and unwind.
3. Fast Draw Play Diagramming Software
Gift to: Coaches
Price: $149.99
Purchase from: FastModelSports.com
FastDraw is the #1 software on the market for coaches to diagram plays and drills.
Not only will you be able to create your own, when you purchase the software you’re able to access over 5,000 other drills and plays from their playbank.
It’s used by all professional basketball teams, 85% of D1 college teams, and over 8,000 high school teams.
Here’s a review from a former NBA head coach…
“FastDraw is a must-have for coaches at every level. It’s easy to use, saves my staff countless hours of prep work, and keeps us organized” – George Karl
Everyone that’s serious about coaching needs this.
One of the key problems youth players make is looking down at the ball when dribbling.
This stops them from seeing open teammates on the floor and being able to make the right basketball play.
A cheap training aid that will assist players to keep their heads up are ‘dribbling glasses’.
The glasses do this by blocking out the lower field of vision while not inhibiting shooting or any other part of working out.
Each year I recommend several new basketball shoes.
For 2020, one of the pairs I’m going with the LeBron 17's.
Not only do I love the look of them (as most players will too), they’re ultra-flexible, responsive, and supportive.
These were created to suit LeBron’s elite athleticism and quick changes of direction.
Need socks for the new pair of basketball shoes?
Give the ‘Nike Dri-FIT Plus Crew Socks (6-pack)’ a try.
Their "dri-fit" technology helps the feet stay dry and comfortable, while the breathable mesh at the top enhances ventilation.
What more could you want in a sock?
Wondering how you’re going to carry your coaching clipboard, basketball shoes, and socks?
The ‘Nike Hoops Elite Pro Backpack’ to the rescue!
This bag has a large compartment for all your athletic gear, a small pocket for valuables, two side pockets, a laptop (clipboard) compartment, and can even hold size 15 shoes!
I still remember the first time I hooked up a chain net to the rim in my backyard as a kid…
There’s nothing like the sound of a swished three-pointer on a chain net!
This one has a rust-proof design, it’s easy to attach, will fit all basketball hoops, and can be used on either an indoor or outdoor basketball court.
9. Backyard Basketball Hoop
Gift to: Players
Price: Varies
If you have the space for it, a basketball hoop at home is a fantastic way to keep your kids active outside while improving their basketball skills.
I was lucky enough to have one all throughout my childhood and remember thousands of happy hours spent dribbling around and shooting in the driveway as a kid!
Here are 3 different options depending on your budget:
Premium – $915.99 - Silverback NXT Portable Basketball Hoop
Middle – $499.99 - Lifetime 1529 Courtside Portable Basketball System
Budget – $173.00 - Lifetime Height Adjustable Portable Basketball System
No basketball gift guide would be complete without recommendations for the most important piece of equipment in the game of basketball:
A basketball.
The Wilson Evolution is my favorite indoor basketball that comes at a good price.
It’s difficult finding a basketball that combines soft feel, great bounce, and great grip, but the Evolution ticks all these boxes.
If you’re looking for an outdoor basketball, I’d recommend this one from Wilson.
This ball is perfect for practicing dribbling drills in the driveway at home or shooting with friends at the local outdoor basketball court.
A brand new book by Ethan Sherwood Strauss on the Golden State Warriors dynasty.
While the Warriors have dominated the NBA for the last several years, there was a lot happening behind-the-scenes that was unknown to the public.
This book dives deep into their recent decline, culminating in Durant's departure from the team.
A fantastic read.
Want to dunk the basketball?
The Vert Shock jumping program claims to add 9 - 15 inches to your vertical leap.
I’ve never tried it myself (too old and fragile), but I’ve heard fantastic reviews from many players who have signed up and made it the entire way through the course.
The entire program can be done at home, too. No gym required.
A new jersey is one of the best basketball gifts a player can receive!
After all, no player’s wardrobe is complete without an NBA jersey hanging up.
And with arguably the best basketball player on the planet signing up with the Los Angeles Lakers, there’s no better jersey to have right now.
Made with double-mesh knit, it’s strong but comfortable while the Dri-FIT Technology keeps you cool when working out.
The Dr. Dish is the top-of-the-line basketball shooting machine on the market.
And they recently released a new machine called "Dr. Dish Home".
As the name suggests, it's a shooting machine designed for players who have a hoop at their house and are sick of chasing after their missed shots every time.
The purpose of their shooting machines is to catch the basketball after a shot (rebound) and then pass the ball out to specific locations on the court.
Along with a bunch more features, the Dr. Dish tracks made and attempted shots.
Hoosiers is one of my favorite movies of all time.
It tells the story of an underdog basketball team from a tiny Indiana high school and their run all the way to the state championship tournament.
Fantastic acting by Gene Hackman, Dennis Hopper, and Barbara Hershey has made Hoosiers a top movie for many basketball fans across the country.
You’ll love it.
The SKLZ Shot Spotz are flat markers that provide reference points on the floor for players during practice.
For example, where you want players to shoot from in drills and where players should be positioned when learning offenses or defenses.
These can be a fantastic alternative to cones in many situations and can be used for all levels of basketball.
They even come with a digital timer and basketball drills!
Dave Love is an NBA Shooting Coach for the Orlando Magic, and he offers personalized video shot analysis for players looking to improve their shooting.
Players send in video of themselves shooting, and then Coach Love will record his voice over the video of your shot, slowing it down, pausing when needed, and even drawing on the screen.
The end result is a 12 - 15 minute video of exactly what you need to change to improve.
The Pop-A-Shot claims to be the funnest basketball arcade game on the market…
And I doubt there’s many players who would disagree with that.
This system includes 10 different games, 7 balls, and an accurate scoring system which keeps track of every high score depending on which game kids are playing.
Great fun for the whole family.
You won’t always have a live opponent to compete against…
For example, when training individually.
In those cases, The D-Man from SKLZ can be great for a reference point during dribbling drills, or as an opponent to shoot over when performing shooting drills.
Kids not putting away their dirty clothes?
Don’t worry, I have the solution…
Turn the chore of putting clothes away into a fun game for your kids by making the laundry hamper a basketball hoop!
Once you’ve got this hanging over a door, there won’t be clothes left on the floor anymore.
If you’re looking for an indoor basketball hoop to mess around on, the SKLZ mini hoop is a high-quality, durable hoop that can hang over any door.
The shatterproof backboard means kids can dunk without fear of snapping it in half.
Awesome fun.
As of the time I'm publishing this post, the NBA is still suspended.
But assuming the 2020 - 2021 season goes ahead as normal, NBA tickets make for a fantastic basketball gift for any player or coach who loves the game.
What’s more exciting than watching the best players in the world compete against each other?
Probably nothing.
Personally, experiencing my first NBA game (Clippers vs Pacers) was an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. I loved it.
If you’re lucky enough to have a local team, any basketball fan would love to receive tickets.
24. Championship Coaching Course
Gift to: Coaches
Price: Varies
Purchase from: ChampionshipCoachingCourse.com
A shameless plug…
If there’s a coach in your life looking to improve their team, one of the best things they can do is invest in the Championship Coaching Course.
It contains 250+ basketball drills, 50+ basketball plays, 50+ practice plans, and much more!
To be a great basketball player, you need to be strong.
And when it comes to attempting to rip the basketball away from an opponent, rebounding, dribbling, shooting, and every other skill…
Having strong hands, forearms, wrists, and fingers is important.
Squeezing the Ball Hog Gloves Hand Grip Strengthener will give players that advantage.
The Ball-Hog Gloves were created by Coach Koran Godwin.
Their purpose is to improve your ball-handling by removing the natural feel for the basketball and forcing your fingers and hands to work harder to control the basketball.
As you can imagine, when players remove the gloves they feel like they’re in complete control!
The gloves can be purchased with or without added weight.
The purpose of the added weight is to improve hand speed by forcing players to work harder to perform quick movements.
If you’re looking for basketball gifts for your dad, a new tie should be on the list.
It’s simple, fun, and useful.
Your dad will love wearing this to the office, a basketball game, or any time he has a professional event (especially if it’s basketball related).
Basketball is an intense sport.
Players are constantly jumping, landing, sprinting, stopping, changing direction, etc. And all of this happens while making heavy contact with other players on the court.
Which is why rest and recovery is incredibly important.
The foam roller will relieve muscle tension, increase range of motion, decrease recovery time, and increase blood flow to your muscles.