41 Slam Dunk Gifts for the Basketball Fan in Your Life (2024)

Table of Contents
Pacsun Space Jam Vintage Dyed T-Shirt Pacsun Space Jam Vintage Dyed T-Shirt MCD The Mamba Mentality: How I Play MCD The Mamba Mentality: How I Play Under Armour Men's Curry Mesh 8" Shorts Under Armour Men's Curry Mesh 8" Shorts Lululemon T.H.E. Linerless Short 9" Lululemon T.H.E. Linerless Short 9" Spalding Spalding Back Atcha® Ball Return Training Aid Spalding Spalding Back Atcha® Ball Return Training Aid Under Armour Men's UA Armour Guard Mouthguard Under Armour Men's UA Armour Guard Mouthguard New Balance TWO WXY v3 New Balance TWO WXY v3 Society6 Balling Abraham Framed Art Print Society6 Balling Abraham Framed Art Print Yeti 26 oz Water Bottle Yeti 26 oz Water Bottle 2K NBA 2K23 - Nintendo Switch 2K NBA 2K23 - Nintendo Switch Under Armour Men's UA 3" Performance Wristband Under Armour Men's UA 3" Performance Wristband New Balance NB Hoops Essential Pant New Balance NB Hoops Essential Pant adidas Posterize Graphic Tee adidas Posterize Graphic Tee New Balance Baselayer Long Sleeve Top New Balance Baselayer Long Sleeve Top Under Armour Unisex UA Playmaker Crew Socks Under Armour Unisex UA Playmaker Crew Socks Todd Snyder Midweight Slim Jogger Sweatpant Todd Snyder Midweight Slim Jogger Sweatpant J. Crew Athletic Crew Socks in Gym Stripe J. Crew Athletic Crew Socks in Gym Stripe Franklin Sports Ball Maintenance Kit Franklin Sports Ball Maintenance Kit SKLZ SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop with Ball SKLZ SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop with Ball Champion Basic Jersey Tee Champion Basic Jersey Tee FAQs References
41 Slam Dunk Gifts for the Basketball Fan in Your Life (1)

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BASKETBALL'S CULTURE is so rich it can be hard to keep up with. What, with the gear, fashion, and propensity for flair, the sport is in a league of its own—and way more than just a leather ball and pair of glass backboards. With such a dynamic nature, hoops is a fun and relatively easy category to gift within.

Now, anybody can don a jersey of their favorite team. Real b-ball fans want something more, like a hoop attachment that will help their jump shot or a perfectly-fitting pair of shorts. Basketball enthusiasts crave the same style and eclectic taste that many of the sport’s greatest figures possess, from Russell Westbrook to Damian Lillard.

Frankly, there are a lot of popular gifts out there in basketball land that keep on giving. There are great old playoff games, dunk contest highlights, and more, all just a few Youtube clicks away. But next time you’re looking to really impress the hoops fan in your life, look to the selections below. Rookies and veterans of the sport alike will put them to serious use.

Read more: Best Gifts for Men

Best Vintage Basketball Gift

Pacsun Space Jam Vintage Dyed T-Shirt

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Best Vintage Basketball Gift

Pacsun Space Jam Vintage Dyed T-Shirt

Now 25% Off

Space Jam sums up all the glory of the 90s, involving colorful animation, Michael Jordan, and a soundtrack featuring the likes of Coolio and Seal. This is a great gift not only for the basketball fan, but the basketball culture fan.

Best Basketball Book

MCD The Mamba Mentality: How I Play

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Best Basketball Book

MCD The Mamba Mentality: How I Play

Now 59% Off

We lost NBA great Kobe Bryan way too early but his legacy lives on. This book explores just how potent the Lakers guard was on the court, bagging multiple championships en route. Per usual, Bryant is eloquent throughout, a true scholar of the game.

Best Basketball Shorts

Under Armour Men's Curry Mesh 8" Shorts

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Best Basketball Shorts

Under Armour Men's Curry Mesh 8" Shorts

Now 25% Off

The pinstripe is a vintage basketball look that’s always in style. This pair, a collaboration with the NBA’s greatest shooter Steph Curry, offers breathable fabric and a slick fit. There are even zipper hand pockets for your keys and other valuables.

Read more: Best Gym Shorts

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Lululemon T.H.E. Linerless Short 9"

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Lululemon T.H.E. Linerless Short 9"

Specifically designed for training, this is the ideal gift for that person in your life who loves to play. The tapered fit is clean and the lightweight build keep the wearer feeling as sprightly as ever. Most other shorts just feel heavy and sluggish and wearing these.

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Best Basketball Tool

Spalding Spalding Back Atcha® Ball Return Training Aid

If you're putting in the hours on your own, you can waste a lot of time shagging balls. This handy device will send the rock right back to you, allowing you to get more shots in.

Under Armour Men's UA Armour Guard Mouthguard

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Under Armour Men's UA Armour Guard Mouthguard

Protect your choppers from stray hands and elbows with a good old fashioned mouthguard. There’s nothing sexy about it, just pure protective goodness. Your smile will thank us later

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Best Basketball Shoes

New Balance TWO WXY v3

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Best Basketball Shoes

New Balance TWO WXY v3

Basketball shoes have become huge fashion statements and this pair fits the bill. Inspired by the brain's firing synapses, the shoes feature wavy patterns, the kind of neurological powers one uses when making quick decisions on the court.

Best Basketball Artwork

Society6 Balling Abraham Framed Art Print

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Best Basketball Artwork

Society6 Balling Abraham Framed Art Print

What's better than Abe Lincoln playing some hoops? Not much. This print embodies the cool factor embedded in basketball, as American as jazz or a giant slice of pizza.

Best Basketball Hydrator

Yeti 26 oz Water Bottle

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Best Basketball Hydrator

Yeti 26 oz Water Bottle

This stainless steel water bottle is a great thing to pack along to the court for staying hydrated in between pickup games. It's durable and has an extra-wide mouth for chugging H2O when you need it most.

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Best Basketball Video Game

2K NBA 2K23 - Nintendo Switch

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Best Basketball Video Game

2K NBA 2K23 - Nintendo Switch

The NBA 2K franchise has become as prominent of a dynasty as the Bulls of the 90s or the Warriors of late. While playing the real sport is still top shelf, this is a very close second, one of the most realistic and fun-to-play games out there.

Best Wrist Band

Under Armour Men's UA 3" Performance Wristband

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Best Wrist Band

Under Armour Men's UA 3" Performance Wristband

Basketball made the wrist band famous and for good reason. There’s hardly a sport that involves more sweat wiping. This pair offers a class look with fast-drying fabric.

New Balance NB Hoops Essential Pant

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New Balance NB Hoops Essential Pant

With a well-designed logo and trim fit, these are the ultimate warm-up pants for the basketball fan. Whether you’re lounging and watching a game or playing pick-up at the park, they’re just what the basketball doctor ordered.

Read more: Best Sweatpants for Men

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adidas Posterize Graphic Tee

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adidas Posterize Graphic Tee

This graphic tee is an animated take on being posterized, or, in basketball terms, being dunked on in historic fashion. It’s clever, a little silly, and shows off the sport’s entertainment side. It’s a calling card that you can wear that says you speak the great language of hoops.

Read more: Best T-Shirts for Men

New Balance Baselayer Long Sleeve Top

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New Balance Baselayer Long Sleeve Top

Now 20% Off

Basketball is cold season sport and it pays to layer up. Weather aside, players want moisture-wicking and arm support and this top offers both. Wear it under your favorite tee or jersey and avoid floor burn.

Read more: Best Gifts for Sports Fans

Under Armour Unisex UA Playmaker Crew Socks

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Under Armour Unisex UA Playmaker Crew Socks

Now 19% Off

A good basketball sock is an underrated thing in hoops. You need support and comfort as all that pivoting, jabbing, and rebounding is hard on the feet. These socks are up to the task, with plenty of cushion and zero slippage.

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Todd Snyder Midweight Slim Jogger Sweatpant

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Todd Snyder Midweight Slim Jogger Sweatpant

Athleisure is where it’s at, especially in basketball. These sweatpants boast a slim fit, neat cuffs, and a classic drawstring. Better, they’re a collaboration between Todd Snyder and Champion, a company that knows a thing or two about being game ready.

J. Crew Athletic Crew Socks in Gym Stripe

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J. Crew Athletic Crew Socks in Gym Stripe

Dress like the pros circa 1960 with these classic crew socks. They breathe well and look very, very good alongside a pair of Chuck Taylors.

Read more: Best Unique Gifts for Men

Franklin Sports Ball Maintenance Kit

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No air, no basketball. Every ball needs the proper amount of pressure and this easy-to-use and easy-to-pack pump is at your service. It’s universal too, meaning you can pump up just about any ball in the vast universe of sports.

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SKLZ SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop with Ball

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SKLZ SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop with Ball

True basketball loves bring the sport with them everywhere, from the playground to the water cooler. The mini hoop adds a little play to your work environment, and can clip on to the back of your office door. It’s also a great way to get the little ones started on their fade away jump shot.

Champion Basic Jersey Tee

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Champion Basic Jersey Tee

We like this collaboration so much we had to throw in a top too. This shirt is great anywhere, from the gym court to the sports bar with friends. It’s familiar yet elevated.

Read more: Best Basketball Movies

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Mark Stock

Mark Stock is a food, drink, and outdoors writer from Portland, Oregon. He spent years making, selling, and sipping Pinot Noir in the Dundee Hills before a full return to his journalistic roots in 2016. In addition to Men's Health, he writes for SevenFifty Daily, Sip Northwest, The Somm Journal, The Drake, Willamette Week, Travel Oregon, and more.

41 Slam Dunk Gifts for the Basketball Fan in Your Life (2024)

FAQs

How much are slam dunks worth? ›

It is considered a type of field goal; if successful, it is worth two points. Such a shot was known as a "dunk shot" until the term "slam dunk" was coined by former Los Angeles Lakers announcer Chick Hern.

How do you slam dunk in real life? ›

Dribble toward the basket.

Take the allowed two steps while palming the ball in your dunking hand and controlling your approach. Jump from about 1 meter out from the rim. Leap from your plant foot, opposite your shooting hand, extend your arm to the rim, and drive the ball through the net. You can build up to it.

Why was the slam dunk banned? ›

While the rulemakers who outlawed the shot said they did so because it caused injuries and did not “display basketball skill – only height advantage,” Alcindor thought otherwise. Back then, he told the Chicago Defender, “To me the new 'no-dunk' rule smacks a little of discrimination.

Can a 5 foot 11 person dunk? ›

So at 5′11″ it's definitely possible. However, keep in mind that all of our bodies and genetics are different and having a vertical that allows you to dunk at 5′6″ is on the extraordinary side.

Can 5.6 feet dunk? ›

Is it possible for you to dunk at 5 feet six inches? Your vertical leap would have to be either 40 inches or 42 inches. I have definitely seen this at age 18 to 25 years of age. I have to jump 28 or 30 inches to dunk.

What is the prize money for NBA slam dunk? ›

The NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) calls for $105,000 to be awarded to the Slam Dunk Contest winner.

Is a slam dunk worth points? ›

A slam dunk is worth two points.

How much should Dunks cost? ›

At the retail level, Nike Dunks cost between $100 and $110 depending on which model you buy, with some collaborations demanding a fair bit more.

How many copies of slam dunk were sold? ›

Approximate Sales: 170 Million

Slam Dunk has long been a staple of the sports genre, and with approximately 170 million copies sold worldwide, Slam Dunk stands out as the seventh best-selling manga of all time.

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