Basketball is one of the cheapest youth sports to outfit. The shoes are the only piece of gear that really matters. Everything else is a t-shirt and a pair of shorts.
That said, the shoes matter a lot. Bad shoes lead to ankle sprains, which lead to a kid who doesn’t want to play.
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Ages 5–7 (Bitty / mini league)
This age plays on lowered hoops with a smaller ball. The gear list is tiny.
Basketball shoes (NOT regular sneakers)
Real basketball shoes have ankle support and grippy rubber soles designed for indoor courts. Running shoes don’t. A 6-year-old playing on a slick gym floor in running shoes is going to slip.
How to choose: ankle should sit just below the ankle bone. Heel should not slip when they push off. Indoor-specific outsoles are smoother than outdoor.
Youth basketball shoes
Low or mid-cut court shoe with a flat rubber outsole for indoor gym floors. Any major brand works. The fit matters more than the name.
Our take: Try them on before you buy. Kids' feet vary wildly by brand. The shoe should hug the heel with a thumb-width at the toe.
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A size-4 (junior) basketball
Bitty leagues use a size-4 or size-5 ball. The size-7 official ball is too big for hands this small.
How to choose: any major brand. Indoor-only balls have a softer cover; outdoor balls have a tougher rubber. Buy indoor for indoor leagues.
KUYOTQ rubber basketball (sizes 3–7)
Grippy rubber ball in every junior size, indoor or driveway. Ships deflated with a pump in the box.
Our take: Buy the size your league plays, not the size the hoop suggests. At this age that's usually a 4.
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Athletic shorts and a t-shirt
The team usually provides a jersey. Practice gear is a basic athletic t-shirt and basketball-style shorts (not running shorts).
Water bottle
Yes, every sport. Yes, with their name on it.
32 oz sport water bottle
Standard wide-mouth water bottle in the 32 oz range. Goes to every practice, every game, every conditioning session.
Our take: Put their name on it in permanent marker before day one. The one without a name ends up in the lost-and-found by week two.
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Ages 8–10
The hoop comes up to regulation height (8.5 or 9 feet at this age in many leagues, 10 feet in some). The ball moves up. Real practice begins.
Basketball shoes (a real pair)
Mid-cut shoes are the standard at this age. The ankle support matters more as kids get faster and more aggressive.
How to choose: replace the original insoles with sport-specific insoles for better arch support. The original insoles in most basketball shoes are flat foam.
Youth basketball shoes
Mid-cut court shoe with ankle support and a grippy indoor-floor outsole. Replace the insole with a sport-specific one for better arch support.
Our take: The shoe that fits your kid's foot is better than the shoe with the best reviews. Try three brands if you can. The right one is obvious.
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A size-5 (intermediate) basketball
Most 8-to-10-year-old leagues use a size-5 or size-6 ball. Check league rules.
Size-5 intermediate basketball
The step up from the junior size. Most 8-to-10 leagues use size 5 or 6. Check your league rules before buying.
Our take: Buy the size your league plays. A size-7 ball in a size-5 league is a fumble waiting to happen.
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Athletic socks (cushioned)
Basketball socks have extra cushioning at the heel and ball of the foot. Worth it. Crew length is standard.
Nike Everyday Cushioned crew socks (3 pack)
The standard cushioned crew sock. Padded heel and forefoot, holds shape through a season of washes, sized from big-kid feet up.
Our take: Same sock works for every sport in the house, so buy two packs and stop sorting singles.
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A practice ball at home
Optional but useful. Kids who shoot 50 shots a day in their driveway get better. Kids who don’t, don’t.
Wilson NBA Forge indoor/outdoor basketball
Wilson's composite-cover driveway ball. Tough enough for concrete, soft enough that gym coaches don't wince.
Our take: The driveway ball gets more touches than the practice ball ever will. This is the one purchase in basketball that buys reps.
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Ages 11–12
This is when basketball gets fast. The shoes become more important. Some kids start AAU here.
Basketball shoes (mid to high-cut)
High-tops or mid-cuts are common at this age. The ankle support reduces sprains. Some kids prefer low-cuts for speed; that’s a trade-off.
How to choose: have your kid do a one-leg balance drill in the shoes (stand on one foot for 10 seconds, eyes closed). If they wobble dramatically, the shoe doesn’t fit right.
Mid or high-cut basketball shoes
Mid or high-top court shoes with real ankle support. At this speed of play, the ankle collar is the difference between a rolled ankle and a clean plant.
Our take: Name brand matters less than fit. Have your kid do the one-leg balance test in the store before deciding.
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A size-6 (youth) or size-7 (full-size) basketball
Most youth leagues at age 12 and under use a size-6 ball. Older players and most boys’ leagues use size-7. Check your league rules.
Wilson NBA Authentic indoor/outdoor basketball
The step up from the rubber ball, in size 6 and size 7. Composite leather feel without the indoor-only restrictions.
Our take: Match the league — size 6 for youth play, size 7 for full-size. Don't buy the official game ball for a 12-year-old; the gym supplies it.
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A compression shirt or sleeve (optional)
Some kids wear compression shirts under the jersey or compression sleeves for shooting form. Not necessary; some kids like the feel.
Ages 13–14 (Middle school and travel)
School ball begins. AAU is in full swing. The travel circuit is its own economy.
Real basketball shoes
The cheap shoes don’t last anymore. Kids practice 4–6 days a week at this age. A bargain-bin shoe will be worn through in 3 months.
How to choose: name brand basketball shoes (Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, New Balance) all work. The shoe your kid wants is the shoe they will wear with pride.
Basketball shoes
Name-brand court shoes in adult sizing. Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, New Balance — the brand matters less than the fit and the ankle support.
Our take: Buy from a store with a return policy and have them run a full practice before the first game. Online shoe purchases for kids this age are a gamble on fit.
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Two pairs of shoes (separate practice and game)
Serious players keep one pair for indoor practice and one pair for games. Doubles the lifespan of each pair.
Knee sleeves or sleeves (optional)
Some kids start to wear knee sleeves preventatively. Others wait until they get hurt. Either is fine.
Ages 15+ (High school and club)
Most high-school programs provide jerseys, shooting shirts, and warm-ups. You buy shoes and personal gear.
AAU and club basketball is a serious annual spend for a competitive team. Tournament fees, travel, hotels. The shoes are the smallest line item by a long way.
How to choose basketball shoes (the universal test)
This works at any age. Three checks:
One. The toe box. Your kid’s longest toe should have about half a thumbnail of room from the front of the shoe. Too tight, they get blisters and lose toenails. Too loose, they slide forward on dunks (or layups for shorter humans).
Two. The heel. When your kid pushes off (have them do a quick lateral step in the store), the heel should not slip up out of the shoe. Heel slip leads to blisters and bad form.
Three. The ankle. For mid and high-tops, the ankle collar should be snug but not cutting. They should be able to flex their ankle in all directions without the shoe binding.
If all three pass, the shoe fits. The brand and the price don’t matter half as much as the fit.
A few honest notes
Don’t buy basketball shoes online without trying them on. Sizing varies wildly between brands.
Don’t buy your kid a signature pro shoe at age 7. They will outgrow it in 3 months and they don’t notice the difference.
The ball your kid plays with at home matters more than the one at practice. They get more reps in the driveway than in the gym.
Sizing notes
Need to know what size? See our Basketball sizing guide.