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The Gear We Actually Use in Training (and What You Can Skip)

By Coach Imran Nanlawala · Productive Athletes · Updated 20 October 2026

You don't need a garage full of equipment to get better at basketball. Almost everything my athletes use fits in one gym bag: a ball, a foam roller, a lacrosse ball, mini bands, a jump rope and a water jug.

Parents ask me every week what to buy. So here is the honest list: what we use in our sessions in Coppell, what each piece is for, and what you can leave in the store.

Disclosure: some links on our gear page are affiliate links. I earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I only list what I use or would hand to my own athletes.

The short list

If you only buy three things, buy these:

1. A real game ball. Practice with the ball you play with. Most high school gyms use an indoor composite ball like the Wilson Evolution. Size 7 for men and boys, size 6 for women and girls.
2. Mini bands. A set of five loop bands covers your warm up, lateral walks and knee control work. Cheap, light, and they go everywhere.
3. A jump rope. Five minutes of rope is footwork, rhythm and conditioning in one. Get a tangle free one you can adjust.

Everything else on this page is helpful, not required.

Warm up gear

Mini bands

Before every defensive slide drill, my athletes do lateral walks and monster walks with a band around the knees or ankles. It wakes up the hips and teaches the knee to stay over the foot when you push off. That is exactly the position you want when you slide and close out.

How we use them: two rounds of ten steps each way, then straight into the drill. Start light. If your knees cave in, the band is too heavy.

Long resistance bands

Long bands are for the upper body: band pull aparts for posture, assisted pull ups for players who can't do one yet, and stretching after practice. If you train at home or travel for tournaments, a set of long bands is a whole gym in a backpack.

Speed and footwork gear

Jump rope

Rope work is the most underrated footwork tool in basketball. Quick, light contacts off the ground are the same rhythm you need for a first step and a closeout. We use it as part of the warm up or as a short finisher.

Agility ladder and cones

A ladder and a few cones let you practice foot patterns and change of direction anywhere. I'll be honest: the ladder is a warm up and coordination tool, not magic. The real speed work is short sprints and hard cuts, and cones are all you need for those. If you buy one, buy the cones.

Recovery gear

A firm foam roller

This is the one recovery tool I'd buy first. Roll your calves, quads, hips and upper back for five minutes before you lift or practice. We use a firm, hollow core roller about 13 inches long (the TriggerPoint GRID 1.0). Soft rollers squash flat and don't do much.

A simple five minute routine:

• Calves, 30 seconds each side
• Quads, 30 seconds each side
• Outside of the hip, 30 seconds each side
• Upper back, 60 seconds, arms crossed over the chest

Keep it slow. Rolling should feel like work, not pain.

Lacrosse balls

The cheapest recovery tool there is. A lacrosse ball gets the spots a roller can't: the bottom of the foot, the hips and between the shoulder blades. Two of them in a sock make a great upper back tool.

Massage gun (optional)

A massage gun is nice to have, not need to have. If an adult wants one, a budget model does the job. Go light, keep it on the big muscles, and keep it off the spine and joints. For teenagers, a roller and a lacrosse ball are enough.

Hydration

A half gallon water jug with time markers is the simplest habit tool I know. If it's lunch time and the jug is still full, you know you're behind. A shaker bottle is handy for adults who use protein or electrolytes.

For young athletes, water is the main drink. Electrolyte mixes are for long, hot, sweaty days like summer camps and tournament weekends.

Game day gear

• Ankle brace. A lace up brace like the ASO is what you'll see in high school and college programs. If a doctor or trainer has told your player to wear one, this is the common choice. Size it by shoe size.
• Shooting sleeve. Comfort, nothing more. A sleeve does not fix your form. Reps do.

What you can skip

This is the part most gear lists leave out.

• The most expensive version of anything. A budget roller, budget bands and a budget rope do the same job as the premium ones.
• Ankle weights while you shoot or dribble. They change your mechanics. If you want to get stronger, lift with a coach.
• Weighted vests for kids. Young athletes get faster by learning to sprint well, not by adding load to every rep.
• Gadgets that promise a higher vertical in 30 days. Jumping higher comes from strength, good technique and sleep, built over months.
• Most supplements for anyone under 18. My rule for every athlete I train under 18: no creatine, no pre workout, no caffeine or energy drinks, no melatonin or sleep products. Food, water and sleep first. Electrolytes for long, hot days are fine, and protein powder or vitamin D only with a parent's and a doctor's OK. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against performance enhancing substances for children and teens. Our supplements and gear page has a short section for parents of 13 to 17 year olds, and the rest of the supplements there are for adults 18 and over.

For adult players

If you're 18 or older, or you play in an over 40 league like a lot of my adult athletes, recovery matters more every year. The gear above is the same. If you also want supplements, every product I list is checked for halal concerns, the Designs for Sport ones are NSF Certified for Sport, and my code gives you 15% off there. Talk to your doctor first, especially if you take any medication. Everything is on the supplements and gear page.

Gear doesn't replace coaching

The best piece of equipment is still a coach watching your reps. If you're lifting at home and want to know your squat, hinge or landing is right, send me a video for a Strength Form Check. If it's your basketball you want help with, start with a $25 Clip Breakdown.

See every item, with links, on our gear list.

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