So you’re looking for an easy way to get your ball, kicks, gear, and more to games? We’ve got you covered. Today we’ve pulled together some of the best basketball backpacks. Included are bags as low as $19, as well as NBA and WNBA backpacks. Plus a special customizable pick for kids. Let’s get after it!
We’ll guide you through some standard heavy-duty basketball bags, before looking at bags for the NBA, WNBA, and kids. We’ll reveal bags rocked by pro players, including a bag co-designed by a G League hooper. If you’re not sure how to evaluate your options, be sure to check out how to chose the right basketball backpack to discover the five major key features that matter most (besides price).
This is our go-to basketball bag. It’s big enough to hold everything we need for hooping in separate pockets – including a basketball; it has really convenient external side pockets for a water bottle and slides; and it has enough compartments to keep everything separate with easy access. We recommend getting it in a darker color to not show dirt as much: the black with gold metallic version can also help your bag stand out a bit from other bags, so no one else accidentally walks off with it.
Best for: Hoopers that want lots of compartments with easy access, and a bag that will last a few years.
Price: $65 upon publishing, check current price
This is a similar bag by Nike, if that’s more your brand preference. It’s been rated a 4.7 by over 4,000 people. It’s large and durable while being lightweight; it has nice outside pockets for your water bottle, and there are two large, very deep, roomy zippered compartments – the back one even includes a laptop protector sleeve. This bag is also water resistant. There’s also a slightly larger version, which if it’s still in stock (it was almost sold out at the time of publishing), might be the better buy.
Best for: Hoopers that want a bag that will last a few years in a wide range of colors.
Price: $59 upon publishing, check current price
This is a nice holder backpack with a ball holder and a separate compartment for your shoes. It carries up to two basketballs, shoes, 2 large water bottles, 15″ laptop / tablet, and still leaves space for binders, folders, books, etc. With a 4.7 rating from more than 2,500 people, it’s made with 600 Denier polyester, designed to withstand dirt, rain, and mud. However it’s said to last for about a season, so slightly shorter than the others. But it comes with a full satisfaction guarantee so you can ship it back for a full refund, no questions asked.
Best for: Hoopers that want an affordable bag specifically designed to carry a ball.
Price: $45 upon publishing, check current price
A couple NBA players have rocked this bag. This sleek designed bag is handcrafted from the best materials. It features mesh external pockets for your water bottle, and discreet internal pockets including a slide-in pocket suitable for a 15” laptop. They also have a Drew League collaboration you can shop (learn all about the Women’s Drew League here).
Best for: Hoopers that want to spend a little more for a premium look.
Price: $90 upon publishing, check current price
Sprayground collabed on a book bag with NBA G League Ignite hooper, Shareef O’Neal earlier this year. Most of their bags are composed of 100% water-resistant faux leather, and can carry all your hooping gear in their 18″ x 6″ x 11.5″ frame. You’ll particularly enjoy the attention to detail including a separate velour sunglass compartment, and a slide through back sleeve that connects to carry-on luggage to free your hands.
Best for: Hoopers that want to spend a little more for a premium look.
Price: $80 upon publishing, check current price
If you want a backpack that features an NBA team specifically, here are a few more picks you might enjoy.
This bag has the official NBA logo on it, and it comes in a dark colorway that hides any dust and dirt. It easily fits a basketball and shoes, but doesn’t have separate compartments. There are waterbottle pockets on the outside though. It retails for $59.
If supporting a specific NBA team is more your thing, check out this series of book bags from FOCO. This bag is a little smaller and is likely to only hold your ball and a little bit of gear. There are water bottle pockets on the outside though. It retails for just $38. There are also a few designs to pick from which you can explore here: More FOCO backpacks.
Fanatics has a ton of different NBA team bags to chose from. A few of our favorites include this Bulls Backpack and this Golden State Warriors Backpack. These bags tend to be water-resistant, have multiple compartments and a laptop sleeve, and exterior pockets for your drinks. Prices start as low as $19.99. You can explore all your options here: All NBA Team Backpacks.
For those wanting to rock the W, unfortunately there just aren’t as many options. In fact, there are no team options. The WNBA store has lots of team hats, tees, hoodies and things, but no bags.
This is the best option in terms of a bag displaying the WNBA logo. This bag easily holds your basketball, and comes in a dark colorway that hides any dust and dirt. It doesn’t have separate compartments, except for waterbottle pockets on the outside. It retails for $59.
If you want a bag geared towards younger hoopers, and want to spend a bit less, here’s a recommendation.
This bag can be customized with your hooper’s name in a color of your choice and a bag color of your pick from nine options, all for $41. The bag has received a 5 star rating on over 4,000 reviews. It’s made of water resistant heavy duty 600-Denier Polyester, has a mesh paneled zippered interior ball compartment, and has mesh side pockets for your drinks.
You might also like this different more complex customizable design at a higher price point.
Some of these bags are sure to sell out quickly, so shop while you can. We hope you find the perfect bag to make traveling to games and the court super simple. Up next, explore the best indoor basketballs, or put in your daily deposit with shooting drills to build confidence.