To learn how to draw a basketball, draw a big circle, a straight line from top to bottom and a straight line across the middle. Then add one curved line on each side, bending toward the center, and finish with a shine, motion lines and a shadow.
Those four lines are the seams of a real basketball, and they are what make a plain circle look like a ball. This easy basketball drawing is great for kids, sports-themed cards and team posters. The free PDF has the step sheet, a tracing page, a practice grid and a coloring page.
What’s in the free PDF
- Step-by-step sheet with 6 numbered steps; new lines are black, earlier lines are grey
- Tracing page with a large basketball in light grey to trace over
- Practice sheet with a small reference and two boxes with a light grid
- Coloring page with the finished basketball in bold outlines
How to draw a basketball step by step
- Ball. Draw a big circle. Trace around a cup or a bowl if you want a perfect one.
- Up and down line. Draw a straight line from the top of the circle to the bottom, right through the middle.
- Across line. Draw a straight line from the left side of the circle to the right side, through the middle.
- Left curve. On the left side, draw a curved line from the top edge to the bottom edge that bends in toward the middle, like a ( turned around.
- Right curve. Draw the same curve on the right side, bending toward the middle.
- Shine and motion. Draw a short curved line inside the top of the ball for shine, three short lines on the left for movement and a flat oval under the ball for a shadow.
The two side curves are the trickiest part. Draw them lightly first and make sure they bend toward the center, not away from it.
Easy basketball drawing: common mistakes and fixes
- The side curves bend the wrong way. They should curve toward the center line, like two brackets facing each other.
- The lines do not reach the edge. Every seam line starts and ends on the circle.
- The circle is lumpy. Trace a round object, or draw it lightly a few times and keep the roundest line.
- The shadow touches the ball. Leave a small gap between the ball and the shadow to make it look like it is bouncing.
Trace, practice, then color
Trace it first
If drawing freehand feels hard, start with the tracing page. Go over the grey lines with a pencil, pressing lightly, and you learn the shapes and their order without worrying about mistakes. Then try again on the practice sheet.
Practice on the grid
The practice sheet has a small finished basketball for reference and two boxes with a faint grid. Count how many squares wide and tall the reference is, then draw your basketball the same way. The grid keeps the parts the right size next to each other.
Color the finished drawing
Color the ball orange, a little darker near the edges, and go over the seam lines with a black marker. Leave the shine mark white and color the shadow light grey.
Basketball drawing tips for kids
- Draw a hoop with a net above the ball to show a shot.
- Add your favorite team colors as a stripe along the bottom of the page.
- Turn it into a character with eyes, a smile, arms and sneakers.
- Draw a soccer ball, a baseball and a football next to it for a sports page.
Download the pages one by one
Prefer a single page? Click a link to open the full-size image, then print it or save it. The PDF with all pages and a cover is in the download box.
- How to draw a basketball: step-by-step sheet (PNG)
- a Basketball tracing page (PNG)
- a Basketball practice sheet with grid (PNG)
- a Basketball coloring page (PNG)
More to draw: how to draw a star, how to draw a car, random things to draw and simple drawing ideas.
FAQ
What is the easiest way to draw a basketball?
Draw a circle, then one straight line down and one straight line across through the middle. Add a curved line on each side bending toward the center.
How many lines are on a basketball?
A simple basketball drawing has four seam lines: two straight lines through the middle and two curved lines on the sides.
How do you make a basketball drawing look 3D?
Shade the edges of the ball darker than the middle, add a white shine at the top and a flat shadow underneath.
What age is this basketball drawing for?
Kids from about age 4 can draw it with the tracing page; it is one of the easiest objects to draw.
