Every Question.
Answered Honestly.

The Solar System Collection is a series of 9 premium basketballs, each designed around a different celestial body: Earth, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Neptune, Uranus, and a collector’s Solar System ball.

Every design is drawn from real astronomical imagery — not invented colorways or random graphics. Earth’s oceans and continents. Mars’s rust-red craters. Jupiter’s storm bands. Saturn’s ring system. Each ball has its own visual identity, its own personality, and its own story.

These are full-size, court-ready basketballs. Not toys. Not display-only props. Balls you can actually play with — or display, or both.

Yes. Every ball in the Solar System Collection is Size 7 — the standard regulation size used at every level from pickup to professional. Weight, circumference and bounce are all consistent with what you’d expect from a quality performance ball.

You will not need to adjust your game. It feels like a basketball because it is one.

Neither. The design is not a sticker, a decal, or a surface print that sits on top of the PU leather and peels over time. The planetary design is engineered into the ball itself — built into the material during the manufacturing process so it holds its visual identity through real play.

Yes. The Solar System balls are made with indoor/outdoor grade PU leather, which means they perform on hardwood, asphalt, and concrete. Most serious players keep a dedicated outdoor ball to protect premium indoor balls from abrasive surfaces. The choice is yours — this ball can handle either.

This is the question we hear most often — and it’s the right one to ask. The internet has burned everyone at least once with a product that arrived looking nothing like its photos.

The customers who have held a CNTRL HOOPS ball consistently say the same thing: it looks better in person than it does online. The color depth, the texture detail, the way it catches light in a room — none of that comes through fully on a screen.

We shoot our product photography in natural light with no retouching of the ball itself. What you see is what you get.

There are 9 designs in the Solar System Collection: Earth, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Neptune, Uranus, and the Solar System collector’s ball. Each planet has a distinct palette, texture, and character — they are not variations of the same design.

Many customers start with one ball and come back for the full set.

The Solar System Collection is produced in limited batches. When a design sells out, it is gone until the next production run — and we cannot guarantee when that will happen, or that the pricing will be the same.

This is not manufactured urgency. It is the practical reality of small-batch production. We would rather be honest about it than use fake countdown timers.

Yes. The pebbled PU leather surface provides real grip for dribbling, passing, and shooting. This was a non-negotiable requirement during product development — a ball that looks extraordinary but slips in your hands is not a product we would sell.

As with any PU leather ball, grip is best maintained when the ball is clean and dry. We recommend wiping it down after outdoor use to preserve both the surface texture and the design.

Because the design is built into the ball rather than applied on top, it does not peel, crack, or flake the way surface-printed designs do. Normal play will not degrade the visual.

That said, any ball used heavily on abrasive outdoor courts will show wear over time — this is true of every basketball ever made. If you are buying primarily as a display piece or for occasional play, the design will look pristine for years. If you are running it on concrete five times a week, treat it the way you would any premium ball.

The Evolution and TF1000 are strong indoor composite leather balls built for high-frequency competitive play — they are excellent at what they do. The CNTRL HOOPS Solar System balls are PU leather, which makes them more versatile (indoor and outdoor) with a premium feel compared to standard composite leather.

These are two different products for two different things. CNTRL HOOPS does not pretend otherwise.

Standard NBA regulation pressure is 7.5 to 8.5 PSI. We recommend inflating to 8 PSI for the best feel and bounce. If the ball arrives slightly deflated from shipping, a standard needle pump brings it back up in seconds.

You can display it without a stand, but a clear acrylic ball stand makes a significant difference — it holds the ball at the right angle to show the design and keeps it from rolling. Standard basketball display stands (available on Amazon for under €10) fit perfectly.

Many customers also use shadow boxes, custom shelving, or glass display cases. A well-lit shelf with the right planet facing outward stops people in their tracks.

Yes — and this is actually one of the strongest use cases for the collection. Most basketball players already own a standard ball. Buying them another standard ball is forgettable. Buying them a ball that looks like nothing they have ever seen, plays properly, and earns a permanent spot on their shelf is a completely different experience.

The reaction from recipients who love the game is consistently the same: they cannot believe someone finally made this.

We offer returns on unused balls in original condition. If you order the wrong planet, the wrong size, or the recipient genuinely isn’t feeling it, we will make it right. See our full returns policy in the Returns section below.

Here is a simple guide based on personality:

Earth — For the player who loves the game and the planet equally. Grounded, beautiful, universally loved. The safest choice for someone whose taste you are unsure of.

Mars — For the competitive one. The grinder. The person who plays like there is something to prove. The rust-red and crater detail is striking and aggressive.

Jupiter — For the person who commands the room. Bold, large in personality, impossible to ignore.

Saturn — For the one with genuine style. Elegant, detailed, the designer’s choice. Collectors tend to gravitate here.

Neptune — For the quiet one with depth. Deep magnetic blue, calm but striking. Often chosen by people who think differently.

If you are genuinely unsure, Earth is almost always the right call.

Yes. Every CNTRL HOOPS ball ships in packaging designed to feel premium from the moment it arrives. The unboxing experience is part of what makes it work as a gift — the presentation reinforces that this is not a standard sports purchase.

Yes. At checkout, simply enter the recipient’s address as the shipping address. If you would like to include a personal message, add it in the order notes field and we will include it with the package.

Yes. Bundle pricing is available when you purchase 2 or more balls together. The discount increases with the size of the bundle, with the full Solar System set of 9 offering the best per-ball price.

If you are planning to collect the full set eventually, buying together now saves money and guarantees you get all 9 designs from the same production run — important for consistency of finish across your collection.

We cannot promise financial returns and we will not try. What we can say is that limited-batch design objects in emerging collector categories tend to become harder to find and more sought after over time — especially when they are the first of their kind in a category.

The Solar System Collection is the first premium basketball line of its kind. Whether that translates to resale value is something time will tell. What we are confident about is that it will hold its visual and emotional value. Objects that make people feel something do not lose that quality.

Display: Use a clear acrylic ball stand to hold the ball at the ideal angle. Keep out of direct sunlight for long periods, as UV exposure can fade any pigmented surface over time. A shaded shelf or display case is ideal.

Storage: If storing rather than displaying, keep in the original box in a cool, dry environment. Avoid surfaces that press against the ball for extended periods, as this can cause pressure marks in the PU leather.

Cleaning: Wipe down with a slightly damp cloth. Avoid harsh chemical cleaners or abrasive materials.

Yes. The Solar System Collection is the foundation, not the ceiling. Future collections are in development. The best way to hear about new drops first is to join the mailing list — we do not announce new releases to the general public until existing customers have had first access.

We process all orders within 24–48 hours. Delivery usually takes 2–5 business days depending on your location. Fast, reliable, and no unnecessary waiting.

You will receive a tracking number by email once your order has been dispatched, so you can follow it the whole way.

Free shipping is available on orders above a certain threshold — the exact amount is shown at checkout based on your delivery region. For orders below that threshold, standard shipping rates apply and are calculated at checkout.

Yes. We ship to Western Europe, North America, Australia, and a growing list of additional regions. If your country is not listed at checkout, contact us directly and we will do our best to find a shipping solution for you.

If your ball arrives damaged in transit, contact us within 48 hours of delivery with a photo of the damage and your order number. We will arrange a replacement or a full refund — no arguments, no complicated process.

We package every order carefully to prevent this, but transit is transit. We take responsibility for getting a perfect product to your door.

It’s a fair question to ask of any brand you haven’t bought from before. Here is what we can offer: verified customer reviews, unboxing content on social media, and a straightforward returns policy that means you are not risking anything if you’re unsatisfied.

We are a small brand building something new in a category that did not exist before we entered it. We would rather earn your trust with the product than ask you to take our word for it.

We accept returns on unused balls in their original condition and packaging within 30 days of delivery. If you have changed your mind, ordered the wrong design, or the ball simply isn’t right for any reason, contact us and we will walk you through the process.

Return shipping costs are the responsibility of the buyer unless the item arrived damaged or incorrect, in which case we cover everything.

Contact us immediately with your order number and a photo of what you received. Incorrect orders are our error and we will send the correct item at no additional cost, with return shipping for the incorrect item covered by us.

Manufacturing defects — issues with the ball’s structure, seams, or air retention that are not the result of normal use — are covered within 90 days of purchase. Contact us with your order number and a description of the issue.

Normal wear from regular play is not covered under warranty, as this is expected use. We are transparent about this because we respect your intelligence.

Email us directly at support@cntrlhoops.com with your order number and a description of the issue. We respond to all inquiries within 24–48 business hours.

You can also reach us via the contact form on our website or through direct message on Instagram. We are a small team and we read everything.