Best Basketball Gifts – The Ultimate Guide

Looking for gifts for people who like basketball?

Whether it’s a Christmas gift for a basketball player, gifts for basketball coaches, or gifts for basketball fans, in this guide we’re going to break down the best basketball-related gifts that exist on the market.

We’ve scoured the web far and wide, not to mention the two plus decades of basketball presents we’ve received ourselves, to put together this comprehensive list of gift ideas for the basketball nut in your life that you don’t want to disappoint, whether it be a boyfriend, girlfriend, male or female!

We’re going to start with the best basketball gifts overall, then go with some fun gifts which might be ideal for stocking fillers or secret santas, and then a section on gifts for basketball coaches as they have some specific needs.

Best Basketball Gifts – Overall

NBA League Pass

Price: £179.99 UK (all teams | One team pass £99.99)

For any hoop head, you will not go wrong with buying them NBA League Pass.

Though it is not what would be considered a cheap give, in the $200 USD range for a pass for all games, but will give every basketball f an all the NBA content they could need.

NBA League Pass features live games in HD, every game on-demand from 2012-present, 24/7 Studio coverage with NBA TV, Classic Games, plus home and away video and radio feeds, along with full-length game replays plus condensed game replays if you only wnt to see the best bits.

WNBA more your thing? Check out WNBA League pass.

Buy now.

NBA 2K PS4/PS5 or XBox

Price: £59.99 | $69.99

One of the most popular sports games in history, most basketball fans love transferring their real life love of basketball into the gaming world with NBA 2K.

NBA2K24 being the latest release, with the most realistic graphics to date, 2K24 leads the charge with next-gen innovations, and has ha extensive improvements upon its best-in-class graphics and gameplay, competitive and community online features, and deep, varied game modes.

Buy now.

Basketball

Price: £30.00 | $40.00
Perhaps such an obvious choice that it gets overlooked, but every basketball player won’t say no to another ball.

Any serious hooper will get through a couple of balls a year due to wear and tear so having one as a gift – even if they don’t need one right now but to be able to use later – will be very appreciated.

There are numerous choices available depending on your budget and needs – but as a quick answer – if you are getting the best outdoor ball, go with the Molten BG3000, if you are looking for a good indoor ball, check out the Wilson Evolution indoor game ball.

Buy now.

Outdoor Basketball Hoop

Price: £50.00 – £1500.00 | $50.00 – $2000.00
If you have a slightly larger budget, buying an outdoor hoop for someone to be able to work on their game without leaving the house is perfect – especially during these COVID-19 times.

Depending on the size of the space you have, you can either go for a backboard and hoop that attaches to the wall, a portable basketball hoop that you can pull out on to the drive way or into the garden, or an in-ground basketball hoop system that will be more permanent if you have a space to make your own outdoor basketball court.

Buy now.

Official NBA Merchandise

Price: £30.00-£250.00 | $50.00-$300.00

If your basketball gift receiver has a favourite NBA team, why not get them some official team gear?

There’s a whole host of different stuff available, ranging from basketball jerseys, shorts, hoodies, t-shirts and headwear.

If you want a hot-tip – the Nike City edition jerseys have recently dropped and they are going down a storm.

Buy now.

Indoor basketball hoop

Price: $56 | £37.46

Hours of fun can be had on this mini indoor hoop from Sklz.

Loved by kids and adults, this is the perfect gift to allow players and fans to brush up on their skills whilst at home, especially during the winter when they might not want to go out and play as much.

Reasonably priced at $30, this is a great gift for home or work.

Buy Now.

Jordan Basketball Slides

Price: £26.99 | $30.00

You know the dead giveaway to spot a hooper? Socks and slides!

Keeping it comfy before game time and easy to take on and off, a range of different brands do slides, but we particularly like these black Jordan ones.

Buy now.

Nike Elite Basketball Backpack

Price: $80.00
If your gift receiver is a player and needs a big bag that can fit all their gear in, plus an actual basketball, this is the one.

Be warned – it is big – if it is for a child, it might be too big, but if not, it’s perfect for practice, games, and just general hauling of your hoops gear.

If you want something smaller, or team-focused, check out official NBA team bags.

Buy now.

Stance Basketball Socks

Price: £12.99 | $15.00

The NBA agreed a multi-year licensing deal with Stance in 2015 for the sock start up to become the league’s official sock and that all players will wear the company’s product.

Since then, many consider their socks to be the most comfortable they have worn both on and off the court. Socks are a bit of a gift cliche, but for a basketball fan, these will be a hit.

Buy now: US | EU

Basketball shorts

Price: £40.00 | $50.00

Like basketballs, a hooper can never have enough pairs of basketball shorts. There is a ton of variety on the market – Foot Locker has a good selection – but we particularly like these Jordan Diamond Shorts.

Buy now.

Personalized Basketball Gifts

Why not make it a little more personal with an actual personalized basketball gift?

There are a variety of options available across the internet, ranging from a personalized basketball, personalised NBA jersey, or even get a basketball backpack and get it embroidered with the person’s name to personalize it.

The NBA store does custom personalized jerseys for every team – check them out here, whilst Spalding offers custom basketballs, as does Wilson.

Best Basketball Gifts – Fun/Budget

Looking for some ideas that are fun and won’t break the bank? Here are a few suggestions which could be basketball stocking fillers, or just a fun birthday gift.

Basketball Tea Towel

Price: £10.00 | $12.00
Got a basketball fan who likes to spend time in their kitchen? A hoop-themed tea towel could be the perfect gift.

And let’s be honest, you can never have enough tea towels, right?!

Buy now.

Basketball Planter

Price: £55.00 | $60.00

If you’ve got someone in your life who is a hybrid basketball and plant lover this could be the perfect gift!

A basketball planter, made by the guys over at ‘Lovers Only’ an independent seller based in California, there are a wide variety of ball styles available so you can ensure it fits the decor of wherever it’s going to be.

Buy now.

Basketball Mug

Price: $30.00 | £20.00
Have a basketball lover who also enjoys their hot drinks? Then this basketball mug is the perfect gift.

Strong and durable, made from high quality porcelain, and super affordable, nobody ever has enough mugs, so why not add this basketball one to their collection?!

Buy now.

Basketball Phone Case

Price: £17.00 | $20.00

Phone cases need protection, so a basketball-themed phone case is a nice gift that is also functional.

We like the selection of cases over on Red Bubble, ranging from iconic moments, photos, and illustrations of all your favorite players, along with slogans and logos.

Buy now.

Basketball Bottle Opener Set

Price: £19.99 | $25.00
You need to open a beer anyway, so why not do it with a basketball bottle opener set!

This set is easy to install, can be stuck on to a refrigerator or metal with its magnet back along with traceless tape.

And not only is it functional, but you can play a little game (perfect for house parties or gatherings), where you shoot the bottle top/cap to score. Winner takes all!

Buy now.

Bathroom mini toilet basketball set

Price: £10.00 | $15.00

Another fun gift, it’s great for the initial reaction on opening and a little bit of fun on day 1, but realistically, in most cases it ends up getting put away never to be used again.

Most people when they go to the toilet actually want to go to the toilet as opposed to shooting hoops, but incase they did – this bathroom basketball set will attach to any smooth surface with suction cups, and comes with 3 small balls, plus a mat to put around the toilet base with court markings.

Buy now.

Basketball Coach Gifts

We needed a dedicated section of gifts for basketball coaches, as we know their needs are quite specific compared a player or fan – these basketball gift ideas will only work if your loved one is a basketball coach!

Basketball coaching board

Price: $9.99
A coaching board is a piece of equipment in most coach’s toolbox – for them to be able to draw up players or explain things to players during games and practice.

There are plenty of generic ones available, or you can go a little more premium like this one from Molten which included dry wipe, marker pens, carrying bag and magnetic team pieces.

Or if you really want to push the boat out, looking at a customized option from Hoops King.

Buy now.

Spalding note book holder

Price: $19.99 – $24.99

It’s an orange NBA-ball style pad holder – complete with the same composite leather material that Spalding balls are made of!

Not only does it look cool but it’s also functional to keep a coach’s notes and papers organised with inside pockets and includes a note pad.

Buy now.

Basketball whistle

Price: £4.29
Every basketball coach needs a good whistle for running their practice and there are a bunch of different options available.

Personally, I prefer to keep it old school with stainless steel but there are plenty of options for plastic – if you are in the UK check out the Dolfin B reinforced plastic whistle with vertical reinforcing rib.

Buy now.

Which Basketball Gift Did you Get?

Did you purchase anything from this list? Or are there any must-have gifts for basketball players that we’ve missed?

Let us know in the comments below!