My spalding one took years lol. Wilson seems much faster. You can use leather lotion and conditioner to speed it up. I did that with my first ball and it turned dark brown very quickly.
Since this became a topic in here, I've gotten like, without exaggeration, 6 "good" balls the past 10 years. Spalding, Wilson, a college ball. All well reviewed. And what happens is, I can't get out to play a ton and they slowly turn into marbles. Hard, slick, trash. Just from sitting in my gym bag or from sitting in the closet (I didn't have an indoor spot to play in during covid), or places like that. All indoors places though, it's not like I'm leaving the basketballs in the elements or in a cold or hot place.
I got a ball around the same time as a buddy of mine I play with, and we got the same ball. His broke in, we were playing with it outdoors alot. I tried to use mine outdoors more and that didn't help, it's a marble now. All my basketballs either end up being really heavy or turning into marbles, or both. I hate it. Game ball is never my ball.
I'd love to be able to use my ball 2 hours a day every other day but I'm also like, an adult and a professional, so that's impossible.
Any tips? I've seen guys with indoor balls that you're not supposed to use outdoors, and they use them outdoors and they are great balls for a few months. Doesn't work for me. I've also seen guys have indoor balls and use them indoors and they're great balls for a whole season or longer. Doesn't work for me.
Am I keeping it too inflated? Underinflated? Should I take the air out all the way if not in use? Tired of buying pretty expensive basketballs only to have them turn into slippery marbles you can't grip at all.
Thanks for any advice anybody wants to give.