A Closer Look: Bodega x Wilson

Inspired by the courts we grew up on and the cities, towns, and communities they were housed in.

When James Naismith invented Basketball at Springfield College in Massachusetts back in 1891 it's tough to pinpoint when it all clicked for him and the original class of ballers. But our guess is the first time he shot an old-school leather soccer ball into a peach basket was the only proof of concept he needed. Because in its purest form, sinking a shot is universal. Whether you jump for joy, can’t help but crack a smile, or play it off like it's no big deal, you’re feeling good after the ball goes through the rim. Doesn’t matter whether you’re on the hardwood at an arena or practicing free throws on the toy set in the driveway - basketball is for everyone, any age, any skill level.

So for us, when trying to capture the magic that drew us and countless others to the game, we figured we might as well ‘pick’ one of the most recognizable sporting goods companies in the world and ‘roll’ with them because of their proximity to the sport. As the Official Basketball of the NBA for the first 37 years of the league's existence- and back on the court again, Wilson has been integral to the game since the early days, with sneakers, uniforms, balls, and equipment dating back to the 1930s.

And it's with this historic significance and how Wilson has evolved with the game that we are proud to introduce the Bodega x Wilson Collab Basketball and Bodega x Wilson Collab Mini Hoop. Inspired by the courts we grew up on and the cities, towns, and communities they were housed in, they serve as interactive shrines to the game we love, ready to display or put to use.

Embedded with nostalgia, the Bodega x Wilson Collab Mini Hoop references the reflective highway signs you see all over the United States with its backboard. And though unmarked beyond a reflective 3M border and co-branding on the lower corners.

Coming with a 10 piece decal pack to help fill in the real estate, all you have to do is decide how to make the hoop your own, from repping snail mail to no-look dunks. And like a couple of defensive players of the year, these will stick to the backboard - or any flat surface you deem fit - like glue.

Closed out with a heavy-duty steel rim which may or may not be able to support a center’s hang time and silver netting for that perfect chain-link rattle, our hardware can endure everything from blocking your little brothers' shots off the glass to perfecting the wildest of off-the- bunk bed dunks.

But an MVP is nothing without their trusted wingman. Made from composite leather with a pebbled texture and reflective Wilson branding, the Mini Basketball isn’t just a scale model, instead packing everything you’d expect from a regulation ball - while being much easier to palm.

Sizing up the competition. Any time, anywhere.

Hitting the jackpot when it comes to color coordination, we developed a palette unlike any ball out there, calling underdog shades of Purple, Green, and Yellow off the bench for some serious minutes alongside the textbook orange to help round it out.

Release Info: Friday, November 17th
Available online at 12pm EST and in-store at both our Boston and Los Angeles locations on a first come, first served basis.