Yes, women’s basketball uses a smaller ball than men’s basketball. The women’s ball is a Size 6, measuring 28.5 to 29 inches in circumference and weighing 18 to 20 ounces. The men’s ball is a Size 7 at roughly 29.5 inches around. That one-inch difference in circumference might sound minor, but it changes how the ball feels in your hands and how players control it.
Exact Size Difference Between the Two Balls
The Size 7 men’s ball has a circumference of about 29.5 inches (75 cm). The Size 6 women’s ball comes in at 28.5 to 29 inches (72.5 cm). The women’s ball is also lighter, typically two to three ounces less than the men’s ball, which weighs 22 ounces. This sizing applies across the WNBA, NCAA women’s basketball, FIBA women’s competitions, and international play.
Why Women’s Basketball Adopted a Smaller Ball
The smaller ball wasn’t always the standard. Women played with the same Size 7 ball as men until 1984, when the NCAA women’s rules committee officially switched to the Size 6. The reasoning was straightforward: the original basketball was designed for male players, and a slightly smaller, lighter ball better fit the average female hand size. The rules committee reviewed studies and concluded the Size 6 was a better match for women’s play.
The change wasn’t universally welcomed at first. Many players and coaches at the time were unsure about its effects, having trained their entire careers with the larger ball. Over time, though, the Size 6 became the universal standard for women’s and girls’ basketball worldwide.
When Players Start Using Different Ball Sizes
Boys and girls use the same ball through age 11. According to USA Basketball’s youth guidelines, both play with a Size 5 ball (27.5 inches) at ages 7 and 8, then move up to a Size 6 (28.5 inches) at ages 9 through 11. The split happens at age 12: girls stay with the Size 6 for the rest of their playing careers, while boys move up to the full Size 7 (29.5 inches). Boys also play on a regulation 10-foot basket starting at age 12, the same time they transition to the larger ball.
Does the Smaller Ball Improve Shooting?
You might assume a smaller, lighter ball would be easier to shoot, leading to higher scoring. The actual data tells a more complicated story. A study published in the Journal of Human Kinetics analyzed European Championship games before and after the Size 6 ball was introduced for women’s international play. Two-point field goal percentages stayed essentially the same with either ball. Three-point percentages didn’t improve either, though teams did attempt more three-pointers with the smaller ball.
The most surprising finding was that free throw accuracy actually decreased with the Size 6 ball, and the drop was statistically significant across all playing positions: guards, forwards, and centers. Researchers expected the opposite. One possible explanation is that the lighter ball changes the feel of a player’s release in subtle ways, and free throws, being the most mechanically precise shot in basketball, expose those differences more than contested shots do.
Separate research on children found that ball size doesn’t meaningfully change shooting coordination or technique. Players adapt their mechanics to whatever ball they’re using, which suggests the smaller ball is more about comfort and grip than about giving shooters an advantage.
How the Size Difference Feels in Practice
One inch of circumference translates to roughly a third of an inch in diameter. That’s enough to notice when you pick the ball up, especially if you’re used to one size. Players with smaller hands find the Size 6 easier to palm, which affects ball handling, passing accuracy, and the ability to fake effectively with one hand. The lighter weight also means slightly less force is needed on longer passes and shots, which can reduce fatigue over the course of a game.
If you’re buying a basketball for recreational play, the size you choose matters less than you might think. The Size 6 is a comfortable option for most people regardless of gender. But for anyone practicing to play in an organized league, matching the correct ball size to your level of play is worth the effort, since the feel of the ball during a shot becomes deeply ingrained through repetition.