Basketball

What is the optimum starting age for basketball?

Children can start learning the very basics of basketball from kindergarten to third grade. However, 5-6 year old still are not ready to play on a team. During this time period parents and teachers can teach them to throw, bounce, and catch the ball. Parents can buy a kiddie hoop so that they can practice throwing the ball into the net; at this age, they are too small to actually dribble the ball and have more fun throwing it anyway. Teaching them the basics of this sport at a young age will help them to develop strong hand-eye coordination for the future, whether it is in this sport or another! Be sure to have your 5 or 6 year old use a smaller basketball, like the ones now being marketed by Spalding under its Rookie Gear label.

Children ages 7 to 9 can start learning the rules and practice dribbling the ball. At this age, children are now ready to join a youth team and start practicing more. At this young level, games are usually played without keeping score because sportsmanship and team play is the most important aspect to learn at this level.

Children that are in the 4th to 6th grades are ready to play the game more competitively and hone the skills that they have learned or are in the process of learning. If your child is serious about the game at this age, it is certainly okay to send them to a basketball clinic so that they can practice and learn new skills. Different from hockey or figure skating, basketball is a sport that kids can pick up even during their high school career as long as they are able to run, have good agility and quickness, and good hand-eye coordination.
https://www.momsteam.com/sports/basketball/safety/youth-basketball-when-to-start-what-the-rules-are-and-how-to-stay-safe

Active schools

When to start private lessons?

Sport brief (Wikipedia)

FIBA 3x3 (Wikipedia)

Training cost

Playing equipment

	Basketball! Sooner or later you will need to buy a basketball, so the below picture might help you buy the suitable one: -
 
Notable basketball manufacturers
Spalding 
 	Spalding was the first company to produce a basketball for official use. Company founder A. G. Spalding made the first dedicated basketball in the last years of the 19th century at the behest of James Naismith. It has produced basketballs since that time and has produced the NBA’s official game ball since 1983. They also produce the basketballs for the WNBA and NBA Development League. The company also produces a wide variety of balls for the consumer market. 
In 2012, it also became official provider for both the Euroleague and Eurocup competitions.[7] It also serves as provider for Liga ACB. 
Spalding became the new supplier for NBL Australia in 2010.[8]

Molten 	
 	Molten, a Japanese sporting goods manufacturer, has the current contract to provide game balls for:[citation needed] 
•	All International Basketball Federation (FIBA) world championships and continental qualifying events.
•	All FIBA Asia events.
•	The VTB United League.
•	Many domestic leagues, including NBL Australia, Argentina, Uruguay, British Basketball League, France (women), Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Lithuania, the Philippines, Poland (women's), and Portugal.[citation needed]
Until the 2006–07 season, it had provided balls for both Europe-wide competitions organized by Euroleague Basketball, the Euroleague and ULEB Cup (now the Eurocup).[citation needed] Molten's top-of-the line product is the GL7, a leather ball with a distinctive 12-panel design.[9]

Wilson 	
 	Wilson Sporting Goods is the official ball supplier of all NCAA postseason tournaments, most notably the men's and women's Division I tournaments, and is used by many NCAA teams during the season as well by many high school leagues. As of 2015, Wilson also supplies balls for all FIBA-operated 3x3 competitions.[6] Like Spalding, Wilson produces a variety of balls for the consumer market as well. It also formerly was the supplier to the NBA's game ball from 1959 to 1983. 
Rawlings 	
 	Rawlings has manufactured basketballs since 1902. The company is known for producing a 10-panel ball (known as the TEN), along with traditional 8-panel balls. The TEN basketball is the official ball of the Amateur Athletic Union and the "Gus Macker", the largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the United States.[citation needed]

Nike 	
 	Nike had the contract to produce balls for the Euroleague Basketball Company (including the Euroleague and the Eurocup) from 2007[10] until 2012,

	Basket shoes (depends on the place regulations). Typically the shoes  sole should be white or yellow