Spalding will no be longer the official supplier of the NBA balls

Wednesday evening through an official note the NBA announced that starting from the 2021-22 season Wilson will produce the competition balls for the most famous championship in the world. In fact, after 37 seasons and a partnership that has become a symbol for many, the NBA will not renew in 2021 the agreement with Spalding, who has been the league's official partner since 1983 but, according to Yahoo Sports's Chris Haynes, the two sides have mutually agreed to separate.

From next season Wilson will also produce the game ball for WNBA, G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League.

"This partnership with Wilson brings us back to our roots as we plan the future," said Salvatore LaRocca, NBA president, "we have already been partners for 37 seasons dating back to when Wilson produced the first official NBA basketballs in 1946 and we don't see the time to grow the game of basketball together".

The new ball will have the same skin and specifications as the product used this year, but reportedly, the NBA will work alongside league and NBPA representatives to offer potential suggestions for changing something ''in engineering'' of the ball.

Wilson will also remain the sponsor of the official game ball of the NCAA tournament, given that high schools can play with a wide variety of brands of balls, and therefore - as regards maximum competitions - Spalding will only have to respect his contract with the Euroleague.