Cool Basketball Gifts for Boys Ages 5-18 You Haven't Thought Of

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Looking for the perfect boys’ basketball gift? Tickets to an NBA game are a sure win. But if you’re not close to a team or the budget is wild, we’ve got you covered. Here are some fun, proven present ideas for boys ages 5-18 to bring a smile to your hooper. We’ve included something for every budget from $10 and up, and gifts that will appeal to basketball players and fans. Let’s get after it!

Fun Basketball Gifts 5-18 Year Old Boys Will Love

From a mini-hoop that will provide hours of play, to the number one hooper magazine in the country, and tees from little-known but super cool basketball brands featuring NBA players like Ja Morant, find something your friend, child, grandchild, or teammate will love.

1. SKLZ Pro Mini Hoop

OK one thing about boys: they love to play basketball. And a mini hoop allows them to do just that, any time of the year! There are tons of options to choose from but from our experience this one is the best because it’s from a trusted brand so the quality is there, it’s easy to setup in about 5 minutes, and you can actually play pretty hard with it on your dunks. It comes with a little, grippy ball too. One thing to be cautious of is in order to close the door you put it on, there needs to be a little bit of a gap, as this hoop rests on top of the door. Price: $29.99. If you want to go way bigger, check out some of the coolest basketball arcade games. These make a wildly amazing gift, but they’re very expensive.

2. Basketball Croc Charms

Hoopers love to wear their Crocs and socks everywhere they go. Help your favorite boy dress their Crocs up with some flair with these fun charms. This 50-piece set comes with general basketball images, professional players, NBA team logos, sneakers, and more. So there’s sure to be enough in this grab bag to pair with any outfit. Price: $8.99

3. SLAM Magazine

This is a cool gift because they’ll get a new magazine every month for 6 months – so it’s the gift that keeps on giving! Reading SLAM magazine is a must because it features the biggest names in basketball and their stories. It’s a great way to help your hooper learn all about basketball history and culture. They’ll be able to read all about high school, college, and professional basketball. Get your guy a 1-year subscription to the print magazine (6 issues) and a year of their digital archive. Price: $19.94

4. New Sneakers

Basketball players are almost always in need of a new pair of court kicks, and even if they don’t need them, they definitely wish they could have the newest releases – hoopers are going to stay fresh! To make your gift even more personalized you could find an artist to customize the kicks with their favorite player, team, name, cartoon, anything you want. Here are three of the hottest shoes out right now to choose from:

  • adidas Harden volume 7: These go crazy! They’re some of the nicest looking and nicest feeling shoes in the game right now. Inspired by puffer jackets they’re super cushiony and bouncy. Price: $160
  • Jordan Tatum 1: Inspired by Boston Celtic Jason Tatum these fresh sneakers are both lightweight and bouncy. There are also a ton of color ways to chose from so you can find something that matches your boy’s team! Price: $120
  • LeBron XX1: These shoes are the king of comfort and explosiveness. They’re a great option if your hooper prefers true lows, and come in tons of colors. Price: $200

5. Funko Pop

These cute little toy figurines are all the rage right now, and would look great on their nightstand or desk. So you can get them their favorite hooper, or you can customize one to look exactly like your basketball fan. It can even hold a basketball. Price: $30

6. Basketball Tees

Basketball players go through tons of t-shirts during a week because of all the practices they go to! Get them a few new tees to bring a sense of freshness and fun to their wardrobe. Some of the coolest brands to shop right now, beyond all the basics in the NBA store, include:

  • Overtime: Overtime is a new media powerhouse and it’s probably your hooper follows them on social media. They’ve got t-shirts featuring the teams from their program, collabs with brands like And1, and all sorts of themes from outdoor basketball to cities. Price: $40
  • InWayOverYourHead: These are limited drop tees that sell out super fast because they’re so cool. Each has a hand cut and sewn tapestry which tends to feature an iconic hooper. These are great for basketball players really into fashion! Price: $74
  • SLAM: SLAM has tees in a bunch of different basketball tees, but their most famous ones are the ‘cover tees’ featuring the players from the front of their print magazines. One of our recent favorites is the Allen Iverson Heavy in the Paint shirt. Price: $35+
  • Local Hoops: Local Hoops has a NYC store and is all about fueling the basketball community. They have tons of t-shirts to pick from in pretty pastels including city tees, grow the game tees, and backboard tees. Price: $45

7. Basketball Shorts & Pants

No doubt your hooper needs some shorts and pants too. Here are some of the best bottoms to check out that you might not have heard of:

  • Overtime: These are nice because they offer true kids sizes and so many designs. They’re double-sided mesh, but it’s soft and comfortable. They also have collabs with Legends and PSD so you can get boxers and compression tights, and lighter airy shorts. Price: $60
  • Ryoko Rain: There are tons of colorful designs to pick from, and lots of NBA players sport these in the tunnel, so your guy can feel just like the pros. These aren’t great for playing in, as the material is a little hard and the embroidered logos are clunky, but they’re really nice off-the-court wear. They have a very limited selection in kid sizes, but more of a selection if your boy is bigger. Price: $45
  • Swingmanzco: For boys that run a big bigger or taller, check out the adult shorts from this lifestyle brand. They do limited edition drops inspired by NBA teams, in a nice heavy double-sided mesh – with pockets! Price: $75
  • SleeperBear: Also for boys that run bigger, get our silky soft shorts featuring bright florals and stars like LaMelo Ball. Price: $75

8. Basketball Book

Most kids end up spending some time traveling to games or lounging around at games, so books can be a nice way to help them learn about game in their down time. For ‘nerdier’ students of the game, we recommend How to Watch Basketball, a fascinating read that breaks down the history of the game and provides interesting perspectives from magicians, therapists, and more. For those looking to get motivated, we recommend Life in the G: Minor League Basketball and the Relentless Pursuit of the NBA. If your athlete is interested in developing their mental game, The Champion’s Mind can be a helpful resource. In terms of player books, Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA Champion is definitely an inspiring story. Price: $15+

9. Favorite Player Tchotchkes

If you know their favorite player, check out all the creative stuff people have made on Etsy. For example for Ja Morant you can find posters, a candle, a car freshener, tees, autographed cards, signed jerseys, and other cool stuff. Even a cute crochet doll! Price: $10+

10. New Basketball

Your boy probably has a ball already, but it’s likely scuffed up and losing grip. A ball can seem like a bit of a boring gift. But having a nice one really makes a difference to a hooper. We love the Wilson Evolution. It’s an indoor ball, but can be used outdoors too – it’ll just wear through a bit quicker. It has the most cushiony feel and is wonderfully responsive. Select size 5 to get a kids size ball, or if your guy uses a man’s ball select size 7. You can also pick from a bunch of colors – consider getting one that will help their ball stand out from the others in the gym (like yellow), so no one accidentally takes it home. Price: $79

For a ball with a little more flair than performance, check out Market’s Smiley Tennis Ball ball or OnlyNY’s basketball.

11. NBA 2K24

This is the perfect gift for a gamer who’s also a gamer. LaMelo Ball has even said he used to do moves in the game, and then go outside and try to practice them on the court! NBA 2K24 is a basketball simulation video game based on the NBA. Make sure they have the console needed to play it: Get it for Playstation here, Xbox here, and Nintendo Switch here. Price: $63+

12. Game Day Poster

Or help your hooper deck out their room with an original illustration from Drake Cereal. These are some of the coolest designs out there, which is why Drake Cereal has a huge following on Instagram. Get the Game Day poster that features their favorite NBA teams. Price: $27+

Shop Basketball Gifts for Boys

Get your hooper a thoughtful basketball gift that shows you understand their passion. Plus pair it with a fun basketball birthday card. You might also be interested in exploring trendy NBA gift ideas and basketball gifts for kids.