The Best Basketball Gift Ideas for Guys, Gals, and Coaches

Jump shots! Lay-ups! 3-point shots! Free throws! Hand checks! Charging fouls! 3-second violations! Water bottles! Good grief, what isnāt there to love about the game of basketball? If thereās a man or woman in your vicinity who loves the game, you know how single-mindedly passionate they can be about it. But it isnāt always easy to come up with unique basketball gift ideas for guys or girls with NBA dreams.
This guide helps you find the best gifts for a basketball player, coach, trainer, or garden-variety fanatic. Whether theyāre improving their game, building a team, or just trying to watch the Finals without knocking over a table lamp, these gifts play above the rim. (Thatās a basketball clichĆ©. Weāre not entirely sure what it means, so we need to look it up.)
Related: Gifts for Men
Anti-Grip Weighted Basketball Training Gloves
Weighted resistance is the secret to productive physical workouts. It builds strength, power, and stamina. Without it, you’re just flapping flyswatters. These gloves were specially designed for basketball training. The added weight builds arm muscle mass and hand dexterity, which help ballers with dribbling and passing. The anti-grip surface is intended to make handling the basketball more difficult. But you know what they say: If a basketball slips away, set it free. (They say that, right?)
Custom Basketball Caricature Portrait
Just because you only like watching basketball, doesn’t mean you can’t have an action shot of yourself playing the sport. If you are looking for funny basketball gift ideas for guys or gals, this is a great bet. You send in a picture and they create a picture and send you the file that you can have printed on canvas, a poster, T-shirt, mug, or anything else you want.

Related: Gifts for Sports and Outdoors
LED Rebound Sensing Super Hoop
The Super Hoop takes LED-lit backboards and nets to the next level. Anytime it senses contact, it lights up like a ā70s game show. If you make a shot, the whole contraption turns green. If you miss, it turns red. If green and red arenāt your things, you can set them to one of five other colors. Comes with a remote control, an AC adapter, and attitude. Great for coaches to assist with training or for any basketball player who just wants to improve their game.
Related: Gifts for Guys in Their 20s
MagnaCoach Dry Erase Coach Clipboard
Pace the sidelines and fume at the refs just like the pros with this dry-erase play clipboard. Itās got a representation of a full basketball court for outlining the next play to the players in your huddle. A great choice when you want to design plays like the Pick-and-Roll, the X-Cross, the Baseline Swing, the Box Gate, the Sensible Handbag, the Furious Vicar, the Toenail Clipper, or the Reno Mistake.
Related: Gifts for Guys in Their 50s
Basketball Jump Trainer Resistance Band System
In basketball, jumping is a necessary skill to have if you want to score or block shots. Weāve tried diplomacy and coaxing; they just donāt work. To become a better jumper, youāre well advised to use these resistance bands. They hook onto your shoes and an external waistband to build strength in your legs, giving you more power when it comes to all things vertical.
LED Light Up Basketball
Just because your gym’s operating hours are over and the janitor has turned out the lights doesnāt mean you have to stop playing. Granted, thatās probably a good idea, but technically, you donāt. Give the phrase ānight courtā a whole new meaning with this glow-in-the-dark basketball. Itās got two LEDs that make it burn up the sky as itās being tossed for an airball.
Hoops Box Subscription for Kids and Teens by Sports Box Co.
Why give your future basketball star and energy drink spokesman just one or two basketball gifts at once? Keep the dream going month after month with this subscription box, full of age-appropriate basketball gifts. A typical box may have training tools, toys, books, clothes, equipment, elastics, and other basketball gear that remind them of the game that will ultimately pay for your retirement.

Training Basketball
This basketball simulation device is smaller than regulation basketballs. This apparently makes it easier to learn how to control and dribble, because its smaller size requires the player to focus more closely. That makes sense. We wonder if thatās why we have bumper cars and go-karts, or those old toy ovens or BB guns. But with thousands of 5-star reviews, you know it will make you a pro in no time.
Basketball Planter
So, itās come to this. A hanging planter made from a cut-off basketball. This is what civilization has evolved to. Frankly, weāre fine with that because this is awesome. This hanging planter answers the question, āHow can I honor the adrenaline rush and competitive nature of basketball and plant my ferns with the same product?ā Well, youād do it with a planter made with an actual basketball. Fortunately, one has been made, and this is it.

New York Times Basketball Book
Honor your favorite NBA team with this beautiful, customized book. Each volume features reproductions of actual sports pages from the New York Times that cover milestone moments of the franchise of your choice. Each book is promised to be at least 70 pages and has the recipientās name embossed on the cover. Perfect for celebrating the legacy of whatever team you follow ā or, in case youāre a Knicks fan, reminding you of your boundless sorrow.

Personalized Photo Basketball Gift for the Coach
If you play on any kind of organized basketball team, you have a coach. Otherwise, the whole team would just be hurling balls into the stands and relying on their math tutors for positive reinforcement. Let your coach know you appreciate their devotion, attention, strategizing, and snappy dress slacks with this personalized basketball gift with the message of your choice: āBest Coach Ever!ā āCoach of Champions!ā āWe Did It!ā āA 2-18 Seasonās Better Than Nothing!ā Go team.

Dribble Stick Adjustable Basketball Trainer
The Dribble Stick looks a little docile and unimposing from a distance. But get closer and youāll realize itās no ordinary stick. Itās a tool for perfecting your dribble, developing intra-dribble mobility, maintaining your dribble in the face of defenders, and generally assisting with any and all dribble-related issues you may be having. In a pinch, it can also be used to stir a cauldron.
Ultimate Basketball Trivia Book
What year was the 24-second clock introduced? Who invented the jump shot? Who holds the all-time NCAA single-season record for blocks? If you click your sneaker heels together will Larry Bird magically appear? Most of these questions ā 600 to be exact ā are answered in this trivia book by Sam Amico. It covers the NBA, the WNBA, the NCAA, and the ABA, but not ABBA. Youāll want a Swedish pop trivia book for them.
Basketball Class by Stephen Curry
MasterClass is a truly wonderful online forum for learning all sorts of things from famous practitioners. This module is a basketball clinic from Stephen Curry, one of the best pure shooters of the 21st century. If you get a full year of MasterClass, heāll teach you everything you need to know about shooting, handling, defense, and strategy. And then you can go to Apollonia PoilĆ¢neās channel and learn how to bake bread.

Basketball Grip Strengthener Set
Basketball is all about ball control. You canāt let it slip from your grasp. You risk turning the ball over or losing it out of bounds. And when that happens, the basketball might think it can get away with anything and start drawing up Ponzi schemes. This grip strengthener set includes several items that give your hands total grip mastery to prevent this admittedly worst-case scenario from unfolding.
Apple Sports Watch
From the people who brought you the G4 Cube comes this sporty sports watch. It features a brand-new sensor that helps monitor your blood oxygen. Itās got an ECG app that keeps tabs on your heart. It tracks your fitness workouts and physical activity throughout the day. It streams Apple Music, it takes your calls, itās got that woman of mystery named Siri, and it even ā checking our notes here ā tells time.
Amazfit Fitness Watch
From the people who brought you the movie musical version of Les MisĆ©rables comes this sporty, slightly less expensive sports watch. It measures your heart rate. It assesses your quality of sleep. Itās got 70 ābuilt-in sports modes.ā It counts your calories, it measures your stress level, itās got that woman of confidence named Alexa, and it also ā weāve got to organize these notes better ā tells time.
Basketball Return Attachment
Every time you successfully make a basket, the ball drops to the ground. Then it blithely dribbles away as if it doesnāt care. Then you have to actually walk toward the basket to retrieve the ball. That basketballās got a lot of nerve. But this hoop attachment will take care of that insolence. It goes directly beneath the net and is curved so that it will spit the ball right back in your general area like a gumball machine.
Basketball Return Net
Driveway basketball can be a disaster waiting to happen ā well, okay, a nagging inconvenience ā when a ball from a missed shot goes tumbling onto the street. Thatās no longer an issue pertinent to your life with this net. Every time you miss a shot, which hopefully isnāt often, it bounces the ball back to your general area and keeps it from rolling into the streets, neighborsā yards, or passing milkmen.
LED Basketball Hoop Lights
Those single-color basketball hoop lights that always look the same? Toss āem. Send those useless nets straight into the trash bin. What were you thinking? These basketball hoop lights are the basketball gifts you want. They can be adjusted in 16 different colors, and let you know when youāve scored, and they come with a remote control so you donāt have to walk all the way from mid-court to flick them on.
Engraved Basketball for Your Son
This personalized basketball includes a rather lengthy but very inspirational message etched upon its surface. Itās all about taking oneās dreams seriously, believing in oneself, dismissing the limitations imposed by ignorant minds, and knowing thereās always a home to return to if everything flames out. Why this message is specifically aimed at sons and not daughters, weāre not exactly sure. Either way, itās a long read at the free-throw line.
Basketball Patents
Youāve played the game, youāve watched the game, youāve loved the game ā now see the product specs! These basketball gifts are spiffy-looking reprints of the patents for a few of the most recognizable elements of basketball. Youāll see G.L. Pierceās 1928 designs for the ball itself, some 1944 outlines of the backboard and net, 1994 patents for Nike footwear, and diagrams of the court. Wow your friends and family by instantly knowing the center court circle has a 6-foot radius.
Thanks Coach Picture Frame
You may also wish to thank your coach more traditionally, and you can do so with this autograph-enabled “Thanks Coach” picture frame. It holds a standard-sized picture, maybe a shot of actual gameplay, or a huddle, or a group portrait, or that ill-advised trip to the casino. What makes it “autograph-enabled?” The entire team can sign it with a Sharpie. That’s all it takes. What will they think of next?
Signable Basketball Coach Plaque
By now your coach is flush with gifts of gratitude in the form of a custom basketball and a picture frame. While youāre at it, why not really fill up his storage unit and throw in this customizable plaque? Say the thank-you message of your choice and pass it around for a group signature. Thatās right: This, too, is autograph-enabled.
Basketball Pillow
Now you can give your basketball dreams just a hint of literalism with this basketball-themed pillow. This cushion has a striking basketball pattern on the back and front. It’s the same pattern, so that will cut down on the confusion. It’s available in an array of options: polyester or cotton, zipper-less, or outdoors. It also comes in three different sizes, including two options for throw pillows, which you may indeed throw if you wish.

Personalized Basketball Name Sign
One of our favorite classifications of personalized gifts is the alphabetically-based patronymic adumbration employing strategically allocated hyper-riveted photostats. Otherwise known as the personalized name sign. This version uses close-up images of basketball-related items arranged to resemble letters of the alphabet. Pick a size, pick the word you want to spell (first names are popular), and soon it will adorn the wall of your favorite basketball enthusiast.

Basketball Laundry Hamper
Combining basketball with dirty laundry gathering simply makes too much sense to let the idea slip by. This over-the-door basketball-themed net laundry hamper makes tossing soiled and smudged clothing items irresistible and fun. Just stick it on top of the door, let the net dangle, and start tossing clothing in like thereās one second left on the shot clock. Youāll win the Laundry Championship. The trophy is shaped like a sock.
Insulated Basketball Lunch Cooler
Can anything stop Lunch Cooler Mania? Not anytime soon, you aficionados of portable dining. This neoprene lunch bag tote has an attractive basketball pattern on the outside. Inside, it has room for your lunch. It keeps food hot or cold for up to 4 hours. If you decide to accessorize it with an ice pack, itāll keep food cold even longer.
Basketball Wall Holder
Basketballs are great fun to hold onto. But you canāt do it all day. At some point, you’ll need to grab onto something else, and you’ll have to have a solution for holding your basketball. #LifeLessons. Fortunately for you and your basketball, this holder mounts on your wall and holds your basketball for as long as you require ā no muss, no fuss, no argument, no contractual obligations.
Autographed Basketball Memorabilia
Sports Memorabilia is the place to go for one-of-a-kind merchandise signed by your favorite basketball superstars, so if you are looking for gifts for NBA fans, look no further. Whether itās photos, posters, trading cards, or some other object with just enough surface to write on, they have the gifts hoops fans are looking for. One of their most expensive choices is an authentic game jersey worn by the Bucksā Giannis Antetokounmpo, which we assume is priced by the letter.

Basketball Furniture Knobs
These basketball-shaped knobs attach to everyday home dressers, cabinets, chests, or drawers for super-quick, reliable opening and closing action ā the first time, every time. Try doing that with a tennis racket-shaped knob. Or a baseball bat-shaped knob. Or a polo mallet-shaped knob. Hey, weāll double-down: even a hockey stick-shaped knob. Yeah, thatās right. We went there.

Basketball Cake Pops
Cake pops are freaking fantastic. All the luxurious mouthfeel of a velvety cake, with the convenience of an oral thermometer. (Or maybe a, you know, lollipop, wise guy. ā Ed.) Desserts For Days is a New Jersey enterprise that makes cake pops in the shape and appearance of sports balls. Theyāre selling these adorable confections by the dozen and they also have baseballs, footballs, and soccer balls. But theyāre not as orange.

Basketball Backpack
This backpack is being marketed as a soccer ball backpack, but thereās no reason it canāt be used as a basketball backpack. Or, for that matter, a football or volleyball backpack. Youāre only as limited as your imagination. At any rate, this is a backpack big enough to hold a basketball. Itās also got a spot for your shoes. Or your cleats, or your clogs. Again: Dream big.
Personalized Spalding NBA Replica Basketball
Take to the court with this basketball with your name on it. Will it improve your jump shot? No. Will it help you grab the rebound? No. Will it give you an edge from the 3-point line? No. But it will make everyone very much aware that itās going home with you and you alone, which we suppose means it will help you prevent steals.
Kobe Bryant Basketball Nightlight
Itās still hard to believe #24 is gone. Honor the spirit of one of the greatest to ever play the game with this luminous, 7- or 16-color nightlight. It comes with a soft-touch remote control, with laser etchings that give the picture a stunning 3D effect on an acrylic plate.
Kobe Bryant Championship Ring Replicas
Kobe won 6 NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. This stunning gift box contains replicas of each championship ring he won between 2000 and 2016. Each ring was created with precise 3D software and cubic zirconia jewels. Itās a perfect way for your favorite Laker fan to celebrate Kobeās life.
NBA 2K22
Weāre sure we donāt have to tell you how dominant EA Sports games are in the athletic simulation field. Nothing captures the competitive fire, physical precision, and arena concession stands like their NBA franchise. NBA 2K22 (just calling it 2022 would have been a cop-out) lets you play by yourself, with a friend, or online, with intensely detailed graphics, current or legendary players. Itās so lifelike you can almost feel the sweat on their headbands.
Customizable Basketball Dartboard
āHe shoots ā he scores!ā takes on a whole new meaning with this high-octane basketball game built for the pub sitter. Itās a dartboard with targets that correspond to some kind of basketball action: scoring, passing, committing a foul, dunking, shooting an airball, and more. We’d say it covers all the bases but that’s another sport. Spend hours of fun with your rivals hurling lethal projectiles into cork and collecting points. You can customize the colors to fit your favorite teams.
Basketball Trash Can
Trash can basketball. That most universal, plebeian, cost-effective of athletic pursuits. All you need is a waste receptacle, some outdated expense reports, and the will to dream. With this handmade trash can with a backboard attachment, youāll take your trash can basketball game to The Next Level. After that come the mega-contracts, the tattoos, the endorsement deals, and the multi-million-dollar mansions. Your results may vary.

GoHoops Basketball Dice Game
Love the thought of playing basketball, but have severe allergies to physical activity? Then you need this dice-powered table-top game that simulates basketball scoring. Itās got a rulebook, a score pad, a travel bag, a cup, and eight 12-sided dice on loan from your local Dungeons & Dragons group. You may not be able to do a slam dunk, but you can sure slam a dice cup.
Over the Door Mini Basketball Hoop
Door-hung basketball hoops have come a long way since the days of foam balls, tiny backboards, and annoyed moms. This NBA-approved mini-basketball hoop is the real deal. Itās got a see-through polycarbonate backboard, a steel breakaway rim, a killer net, and a certified NBA logo decal. It will turn any door in your home or office into a basketball arena with overpriced seats.
Basketball Arcade Game
Arcade basketball is one of the greatest arcade games ever. You actually have to do something besides pressing buttons or shifting joysticks. And now you donāt have to wait until your next trip to the pizza parlor for a sporting round of arcade B-ball. The Pop-A-Shot lets you recreate the thrill in the privacy of your own abode, without having to force crinkled dollar bills into token dispensers.
The Mamba Mentality: How I Play
Kobe Bryantās 2018 autobiography is a combination of memoir, philosophical treatise, and guide to his meticulous approach to the game. Written after Kobe retired from basketball, The Mamba Mentality was acclaimed for both his thoughtful, candid writing and spectacular photographs by Andrew D. Bernstein. Itās as fitting a legacy as his legendary career.
Themes for Gifts for Basketball Enthusiasts:
There are lots of different types of gifts for basketball enthusiasts that work for different situations. There are training gifts, gifts for basketball coaches, unique decor, and more. Here are a few of our favorites.
Training and Exercising Gifts for Basketball Players
Letās start out with some basketball gift ideas for guys and girls who take a more active approach to their love of hoops ā one that actually requires them to get off the couch. These are gifts for a basketball player whoās working hard to gain that physical and mental edge. If youāre looking for something your guy friend needs to help him dominate the court, basketball training gifts will give you the hot hand. (Thatās another basketball clichĆ©. We do know what it means.)
Basketball Gift Ideas for Coaches and Players
Thereās no āIā in āteamā (although thereās a āmeā if you switch a couple of letters around). These basketball gift ideas for guys are for the improvement, encouragement, and celebration of your home court heroes: the players and coaches. If youāre looking to boost team morale, say āthank youā to a coach, or just want to host a night-time pickup game, basketball coach gifts dominate the paint. (Another clichĆ©. Let no one question our Google Search ethic.)
Unique Gifts for Basketball Lovers
These are unique basketball gifts for guys who need to be surrounded by the game they love on a nearly 24-hour basis. If you canāt afford to send them to counseling, then at least consider one or more unique basketball gifts to keep them happy. Theyāll brighten up any home, office, man cave, or waiting room with a distinctive, orange-and-rubber glow. Weāre saying these gifts for basketball lovers are shots from downtown that hit nothing but net. (Two clichĆ©s in one sentence! Our editors will be overjoyed.)
Games and Books for Basketball Fans
Unique basketball gift ideas for guys and gals are for their leisure time when theyāre not watching a game. We know that time is probably more like a sliver, but man cannot live on hoops alone. These types of basketball gifts will help them pass the time with a sporting game or a good book. When itās time for your friend to kick up his feet and relax, these basketball gifts for fans are guaranteed coast-to-coast buzzer-beaters. (Bring those clichĆ©s in for a landing, team. We did it. We did it.)
For more basketball gift ideas for guys and gals, check out our Outdoor and Sports Gifts.