What's up with the NCAA Tournament ball? Here's why 'bouncier' March Madness ball again under scrutiny

If the verve of those bright orange bouncing balls you see at the 2025 NCAA Tournament seem unusual to the naked eye from your television set, then you aren't alone. The balls, Wilson's Evo NXT, are a staple of the men's and women's NCAA Tournaments since 2022, and they are once again drawing fresh criticism this postseason.

It's not so much the color but rather the pop of the ball that is under scrutiny once more. Anecdotally, they seem to be more bouncy than balls most teams use during the regular season, which is forcing some to recalibrate their shot as they chase championships this postseason.

"As long as it's round, like I could put it in the rim," Kentucky guard Koby Brea said this week. "I don't really dwell on it too much. I will say these are a little bit more bouncy, so you just got to change the way you shoot a little bit. But I like adjusting to it, and yeah, it doesn't really matter to me."

Three-point shooting numbers in the NCAA Tournament thus far are at 32.3% entering Sunday – down from the regular-season average of 34% accounting for every team in Division I. That's especially stunning considering it factors not just the shooting of the 68 teams who made the field during the regular season but also the nearly 300 who did not.

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Cameron Salerno

The benefit of playing with the Evo NXT balls – a better grip – may be an unfortunate and unintended consequence that has played a role in the ball not finding its hole as frequently as the regular season. The NXT has a "Micro-Touch cover that proves a extra layer of grip and moisture management, and a super soft core providing exceptional control and a softer fell," according to the NCAA's release in 2022 announcing the partnership.

But the soft grip and squishy feel may be the sticking point. Because it is squishier it may present that the ball is not inflated enough, thus prompting a potential over-inflation. 

How many normal balls do you see ricochet this far from a dunk, for instance?

It's not a new observation, either. Former Villanova guard Collin Gillespie in 2023 tweeted: "Bring back the other basketballs."

That same year, Gonzaga coach Mark Few described the balls as "slick" and said the ball needed to be deflated to see better shooting and less fumbling with the ball.

Turnovers this postseason are slightly down from the regular season.

The agreement with Wilson and the production of the Evo NXT runs through 2028 so the problem – if there is one – won't be gone any time soon. As Wilson told ESPN in 2023, though: if unfamiliarity is the issue, that's not on Wilson.

"The Evo NXT basketballs are available year-round for players to utilize throughout the regular season," Wilson told ESPN in 2023. "Most teams and players do use the ball year-round, so this is nothing new when it's March Madness time; players are very familiar with the Evo NXT across conferences."

The final issue may be the way the ball is inflated and the consistency — or lack thereof — in which that is applied. Former Wofford player Bobby Perez said in an interview on Kentucky Sports Radio this week that there are only ranges of PSI recommended on the balls but ultimately the final test is done by feel and by bounce.

"On every ball, it says to inflate to between 7 to 9 pounds," he said. "But that's a big range. ... The range is too big. We need to narrow it down."