Many of us are so used to wearing watches, we like to wear them everywhere, some even for sports such as basketball. But, is it a good idea? Can you wear a watch to play basketball?
You can wear a watch to play basketball. The watch should be small, thin, and light, so it does not interfere with your game. Quartz movement is best, as it handles shocks and impacts better. Wear a wrist guard over your watch to protect it and avoid injuring other players.
There are more reasons and issues to consider before you decide you want to wear a watch to play basketball or not.
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Why Should You Wear A Watch To Play Basketball
You should wear a watch to play basketball as you still need to tell time, and some watches can help you keep score. If not wearing a watch makes you feel odd, simply strap up a watch and hit the court.
You Still Need To Tell The Time
In NBA stadiums, you can see giant clocks with countdowns and time, so players do not need a watch to help them tell time.
But for amateur games, you don’t really see those. There are often no clocks – you are lucky to even have a roof for amateur games.
So yes, you will need to watch to help you tell time if you are playing basketball casually. If you wear a watch to play basketball, you just have to flick your wrist and look at your watch to do that.
If you don’t – you have to run to the side of the court and pull out your phone from your bag to know what time it is, which is a lot more hassle.
Comfort
Some people are so used to wearing watches that not wearing one just feels odd. They sometimes even describe the experience as feeling’ cold and naked’ on the wrist.
Suppose you are one of these people. Just strap up and wear a watch to play basketball. There is nothing wrong with that, although it might be better to take extra straps to protect it, something we will discuss further in this article.
Help To Keep Score
Some watches, such as the Scoreband Play, helps you to keep the score of the game and function as a watch to help you tell time.
The watch is also narrow and small, looking more like a band than a traditional watch. It also has an all-silicone construction, meaning it is sweatproof and effortless to clean.
The soft silicone also does not easily pick up scratches and nicks and does not injure other players.
Why Should You Not Wear A Watch To Play Basketball
It might not be a good idea to wear a watch to play basketball as you might injure other players, and your watch can pick up nicks and scratches and sweat and grime. You might also shock your watch movement, making it inaccurate.
You Might Injure Other Players
Watches are technically something hard on your wrist since it is a hunk of metal with a piece of hard glass on them. Almost all watch parts are hard.
When playing basketball, hands move up and down to fight for rebounds, block shots, and to other players. This means the likelihood of your hands swinging into someone’s face can be high, injuring them.
This is why in many official leagues, such as the NBA, you do not see players wear any jewelry, such as rings or watches.
If you prefer to wear one, check with the referee if it is allowed. Wear a wristband over the watch to protect from accidentally injuring and cutting other players with your watch.
Nicks and Scratches
Hands are the primary limb used in basketball, where you shoot, block, drive and pass balls to your teammates using it. It will also come into contact very frequently with other players, balls, and court surfaces.
If you wear a watch to play basketball, your watch may pick up a lot of scratches and nicks. If you are the sort that cannot stand catching a scratch on your watch, then please do not wear a watch to play basketball.
Sweat and Grime
Basketball is a cardio-intensive sport involving many sprints, jumps, and large movements. Naturally, you will sweat a lot. If you wear a watch to play basketball, your watch may pick up a lot of sweat, which may turn into grime over time.
If you are the clean type that finds cleaning your watch a chore, you should not wear a watch to play basketball.
Shock
Basketball involves a lot of movements, and at times your hands may clash and knock on another player. If you are talented enough, you might even be doing slam dunks.
These actions impact your hands, which may travel up to your wrist, and shock your watch. Not all watches are excellent at handling these shocks.
Automatic watches, for example, when repeatedly shocked, may lose accuracy. This is due to the balance wheel and spring losing their natural movement.
There you have it, some points to consider if you want to wear a watch to play basketball.
If you decide that it is still a great idea to do so, then in the other section, we talk about watches suitable for basketball. This might be something you are keen to explore.
What Makes A Good Watch For Basketball?
A good watch to wear for basketball should be small, thin, and light. It should have waterproof material such as silicone or resin. Quartz movement would be best since it handles shock much better.
Sweatproof
Since basketball players sweat heavily throughout their game, the watch should have waterproof materials. This is to prevent the watch from absorbing the sweat.
That means the watch needs to have water resistance. The strap should be of waterproof materials such as resin, polyurethane, and silicone. These rubber-based straps also last longer.
Straps made of leather or cloth will be a bad idea, as they will absorb sweat and turn smelly over time. Sweat may also discolor your strap and make them look old and tired.
Smooth Surface
The watch should also have a smooth surface on the case and strap to avoid trapping sweat and forming grime. This means the case and strap should have as few folds, crevices, or holes as possible.
Avoid metal bracelets since they have a lot of folds and holes that may trap sweat and form grime. Also, consider a watch case with a smooth and straightforward surface. You will have a better time cleaning your watch.
Small, Thin, and Light
If you wear a watch to play basketball, consider a small, thin, and light watch. This is to reduce its impact on your game. Additional weight on your wrist may affect the accuracy of your shots and passes.
This means you want to let your dive or chronograph watches stay out of the court.
Small and thin watches are also less likely to get caught on your jersey or basket netting. You also reduce the chance of injuring opposing players.
Quartz
Basketball involves a lot of hand movement and hand contact when passing balls, blocking shots or fighting for rebounds. This means a lot of shocks will be introduced to your hands.
A quartz movement will handle shocks better than automatic watches. It has moving parts and does not run on delicate parts like jewels and gears to keep time.
So if you prefer to wear a watch to play basketball, consider a quartz watch instead.
Best Affordable Watches For Basketball
If you are going to wear a watch to play basketball, we suggest the watches down here. These watches fit the descriptions of watches suitable for basketball.
Casio W-217H-1AVCF
This is a great beater watch, and it will be great for basketball as well. It is small, light, and thin, which would not affect your play from the excess size and weight.
It runs on a digital quartz movement for better shock resistance. It also has a smooth waterproof surface that makes cleaning easier.
Timex Expedition TW4B07700JV
This watch is also small, light, and thin. Its all-resin case and strap are waterproof and do not absorb sweat. It does not have a surface as smooth as the Casio FW91, but it should be cleanable with an old toothbrush.
The watch is also powered by a digital quartz movement. It would also help manage shock, and your watch will not lose accuracy over time.
Armitron 40/8447
This watch is small and light with a digital display to reduce the likelihood of affecting your game. The watch is also powered by a digital quartz movement, meaning it would handle shock better and keep time better.
The watch also has a smooth surface made from resin for waterproofing and easy cleaning. The strap is made of silicone. Since silicone is softer than resin, you should be more comfortable with this strap.
Scoreband Play
The watch is also narrow, small, and light. It also carries a look that is more like a band than a traditional watch. It also has an all-silicone construction, meaning it is sweatproof and very easy to clean.
The soft silicone also does not easily pick up scratches and nicks and does not injure other players. The watch runs a digital quartz movement for better shock protection.
Timex Ironman Essential 30
If you have a larger wrist and prefer something with a larger diameter, this would be a great substitute. The watch is also quartz-powered and should handle shocks well.
The silicone strap extends and wraps the watch, giving it an all-silicone external surface. This ensures waterproofing and easy cleaning. This surface will also ensure the watch does not pick up scratches and nicks easily.