Section 2: Equipment
The Basketball
The WNBA uses a women's official-size basketball (Size 6), which is smaller and lighter than the men's Size 7 ball used by the NBA. The official game ball is manufactured by Wilson under a multi-year league agreement and must meet the following specifications:
- Size: Size 6 (women's official) with a circumference of 28.5 inches (72.4 cm)
- Weight: Approximately 20 ounces (567 g)
- Material: Composite leather with a pebbled grip surface, designed for indoor play
- Inflation: Between 7.5 and 8.5 pounds per square inch (psi)
- Bounce: The ball must rebound to a specified height when dropped from a fixed test height onto a hardwood surface, as confirmed by the league prior to each game
- Color: Traditional orange with black seams and the WNBA logo
Home teams supply the game balls, which are inspected and approved by the game officials prior to tip-off.
Backboard and Rim
- Backboard: Rectangular, 6 feet (1.83 m) wide by 3.5 feet (1.07 m) tall, made of transparent tempered glass with a 2-inch (5.08 cm) white border
- Rim (basket): 18 inches (45.7 cm) in internal diameter, made of solid steel rod, painted orange, with a pressure-release breakaway mechanism
- Rim height: 10 feet (3.05 m) above the playing floor, measured to the top edge of the rim
- Net: White cord, 15 to 18 inches (38.1–45.7 cm) in length, designed to momentarily check the ball as it passes through the basket
Player Uniforms
- Jerseys: Numbered front and back; numbers may use single digits (0–5) or pairs of digits in any combination, consistent with NBA convention
- Shorts: Team-issued, with consistent color and trim across the roster
- Footwear: Basketball shoes meeting league safety standards
- Sponsor patches: The WNBA permits a marquee partner jersey patch and additional sponsor logos in designated locations subject to league approval
- Compression sleeves and tights: Permitted when matching the team's primary uniform color
- Mouthguards, knee braces, and protective eyewear: Permitted, provided they meet league-approved safety specifications and do not endanger other players
Scoreboard and Game Clock
- Game clock: Displays time remaining in the current period to tenths of a second under one minute
- Shot clock: 24-second shot clock displayed at each end of the court
- Scoreboard: Shows score, period, team fouls, individual player fouls, and timeouts remaining
- Public-address signage: Used for substitutions, fouls, and official announcements