The opinions of seven teenage basketball players with ties to the western communities were featured in the current issue of Team Insight Magazine (www.teaminsightmag.com), a national bimonthly sports business publication. Those seven individuals are Brielle George, Gabby Fulton, Derek Vasquez, Alyk Smith, Holden Axtell, L.T. Noegel and Michael Paul.
George plays for the 11th-grade girls travel team with the Wellington Wolves. This fall, she will be a senior at the King’s Academy.
Fulton is a member of the eighth-grade girls travel team with the Wellington Wolves. This fall, she will be a freshman at Saint Andrew’s School in Boca Raton.
Vasquez is currently a junior at Berean Christian School. He’s a member of Berean’s varsity boys basketball team and also plays for the school’s summer/travel team. Smith and Holden, both seniors, also attend Berean, where they are members of Berean’s varsity boys basketball team and play for the school’s summer/travel team.
Noegel plays basketball for the Wellington Wolves. This fall, he will be a senior at Cardinal Newman High School, where he will play for the school’s varsity boys basketball team.
Paul is a seventh grader at Polo Park Middle School in Wellington. He’s a member of Polo Park’s boys basketball team and also plays for the Wellington Wolves travel team.
In the current issue of Team Insight, the results of a question-and-answer poll were published, based on the feedback from each of those seven athletes. The goal was to collect their opinions on the quality, consistency and reliability of basketball shoes, gear, equipment and accessories. Each athlete was asked for their main thoughts on what they need and look for in their basketball gear — basketballs, shoes, uniforms, socks, practice gear and slides. As a result, the magazine was able to provide its readership — specifically sporting goods manufacturers, marketers, retailers and team dealers — with what today’s young basketball-playing consumers like and don’t like.
Basketball is the most popular team sport in the United States, from the perspective of overall participation, based on the latest research conducted by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). Right now, there are roughly 28.1 million basketball players in the U.S. The SFIA research reveals that 73 percent of all basketball players are male; 56 percent of all basketball players are between the ages of 13 and 34; 33 percent of all basketball players come from families with annual household incomes of at least $100,000; and 58 percent of all basketball players are White, while 20 percent are Black.
At the high school level in the U.S., basketball is very popular. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), basketball is the No. 1 high school sport in terms of it being offered by the most high schools, as more than 17,000 high schools in the U.S. have basketball teams for boys and girls. Currently, just more than 910,000 teenagers (boys and girls) play high school basketball. For boys, basketball is the third most popular high school sport, in terms of participants, behind track & field and football. Overall, for girls, basketball is the fourth most popular high school sport, in terms of participants, behind track & field, indoor volleyball and soccer.
Brielle George has specific needs in a basketball shoe.
“One of the most debated topics on my high school team this year was the team shoes,” George said. “We all look for different things in shoes. While color is an important factor for me, I also prioritize shoes with good ankle support, wider toe space and great grip. I don’t want to be caught slipping on the court! It’s crucial to find shoes that offer excellent quality and can last through a tough season.”
Gabby Fulton revealed her favorite brand of basketballs.
“I specifically love using Wilson Evo basketballs because of their lightweight feel and excellent grip,” Fulton said. “It’s an easier basketball to handle. They make dribbling and shooting so smooth, giving me complete control over the ball. Plus, they’re super durable, which is perfect for our intense games. It feels like I’m playing with the best equipment out there!”
Derek Vasquez gave his opinion on the “cool” brands in shoes, slides and apparel.
“In shoes, I like Nike and Adidas,” Vasquez said. “In socks, I buy from Dick’s Sporting Goods, and I like socks from Nike. In slides, I have no major brand preference, though I do like the Shark Slides.”
Alyk Smith addressed what he needs and wants in a basketball shoe. “I own 18 pairs of basketball shoes at home in my closet,” Smith said. “I want my basketball shoes to be comfortable and have ankle support/protection, since I am always moving and jumping. In shoes, colors matter because I want all the eyes on me when I’m on the basketball court. I like vibrant colors, and I want to feel fast while wearing a basketball shoe.”
Holden Axtell revealed his favorite players and team.
“My favorite NBA team is the Golden State Warriors,” Axtell said. “I like watching the Warriors play basketball. My favorite players are Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat), Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers) and Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks).”
L.T. Noegel shared what he thinks are currently the “cool” brands in shoes, slides and apparel.
“To me, the two top brands are still Nike and Adidas,” Noegel said. “For basketball shoes, there are many popular names right now: Nike KD (Kevin Durant), LeBron, JT, Adidas Hardens and AEs (Anthony Edwards), which didn’t work for me. For slides, I wear Birkenstocks.”
Michael Paul gave his opinion on the popular brands in basketball shoes, slides and apparel.
“For basketball shoes, I like shoes from Nike, Adidas and Jordan,” Paul said. “For slides, I like Crocs, Yeezy, Kappa and Uggs. For apparel, I prefer Fear of God Essentials, Denim Tears, Eric Emanuel and Sp5der.”
