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Just from watching a game of basketball you can immediately see that things can get tense out there on the court. Sometimes, the fate of the game could be in your hands. In order to perform at your best, your clothing needs to be of high quality. If it’s not, then your focus could easily be driven away from the court and the game. In today’s post, we are outlining our best tips for buying the most comfortable basketball leggings, along with a few of our top picks.
Materials
When choosing a pair of basketball leggings, we are naturally drawn to ones that fit our style. However, the ones that look cool or that have an expensive look to them aren’t always comfortable. Of course, that’s not always the case but essentially we need to have a good understanding of what makes a pair of basketball leggings comfortable. That way choosing a pair that looks good and wears well is made easy. One of the biggest factors that affect how comfortable a pair of basketball leggings are is the material in which they are made. A majority of basketball leggings are made from a mixture of elastane or spandex and polyester. The higher the percentage of elastane, the more stretch they have.
Compression Pants
Basketball leggings aren’t necessarily worn as a fashion statement or to stay warm on cold days. Though they do factor in somewhere. When looking at basketball leggings you will probably find that most of them are referred to as compression pants. Most basketball athletes wear compression pants for improved training results, additional support, and for an accelerated recovery time. Admittedly it sounds pretty crazy that a pair of basketball pants could achieve all of that but it's true. Because they are covering your muscles, they do help to keep them warm and that will benefit you in the winter months when temperatures drop. The compression of the pants improves blood circulation massively which in turn eases muscle stiffness along with preventing strains and other injuries. Jumping back to the materials that basketball leggings are made from, it isn’t a case of ‘one compression size fits all’. Instead, some leggings offer a higher compression than others due to the percentage of elastane.
Quality
Purchasing high-quality basketball leggings are a must. Just like most sports, playing basketball regularly means wearing and washing kits and clothing a lot. Low-quality clothing could mean that you spend more time shopping online or in the store for replacement items than you do actually on the court. Who’s got time for that? high-quality basketball clothing will likely mean a slightly higher price tag but, the risk of your leggings splitting at the seams are a lot lower. With quality, comes durability which is incredibly important for basketball. The best way to know just how good brands are is to check out some reviews. Always look for the reviews where people have been using them for a while. Take the really bad with the really good and you will probably find that the product comes somewhere in the middle.
Style
Ok, so aside from looking good on the court, the style of basketball leggings mostly range from ¾ pants and full-length ones. There’s obviously basketball compression shorts available, but that’s a whole other conversation. In watching any NBA basketball game you will likely see several players with ¾ basketball leggings on. They cut off at the shins just before a high pair of basketball socks. Whereas the full-length basketball leggings come right the way down to the sneaker. In all honesty, there’s not much difference between full-length leggings and ¾ length ones, it usually just depends on preference. But in saying that, players that live in colder areas generally opt for the full-length ones as they provide warmth to the ankles.
Our Top Basketball Leggings Picks
To finish off this post, we have linked a few of our favorite basketball leggings. So if you are searching the market for your net pair, take a look at these.
DRSKIN Compression Under Layer Shorts

A really good budget-friendly option is that of the DRSKIN Compression Under Layer Shorts. Available in a range of colors and patterns, these compression shorts are ideal for training on hotter days. The material is super soft on the skin so there’s no worry of chaffing. These particular compression shorts are popular among many athletes of basketball, baseball, football, soccer, and so on.
- Features bidirectional air circulation
- ODRAMP sewing method
- Non-abrasive materials
- Breathable
Under Armour HeatGear Compression ¾ Leggings

Under Armour is a big name in the sports clothing world as they are renowned for creating lasting and high-quality products. The Under Armour HeatGear Compression ¾ Leggings Under Armour HeatGear Compression ¾ Leggings[/easyazon_link] features anti-odor technology to keep them smelling fresh. Designed with a 4-way stretch construction, these leggings enable you to move freely both on the court and off. Working together, the inseam panels and the stretch-mesh gusset enable high levels of ventilation while remaining tight to the body. They are quite literally, everything you would expect from Under Armour and more.
- Lightweight
- HeatGear fabric
- High durability
- Dries fast and wicks sweat
- Anti-odor technology
- Designed to keep seams away from high abrasion areas
CompressionZ Men’s Compression Pants

A full-length contender that is also budget-friendly is the CompressionZ Men’s Compression Pants. Ranging between $$ and $$, these leggings are great for all types of sport. Having a slightly higher percentage of spandex than the other two listed above, these leggings will have a bit more stretch to them. like the others, the CompressionZ is also quick drying. Ideal for both summer and winter months.
- 15% spandex
- Firm compression
- Extremely low risk of chafing or irritation
- High performance
As well as providing the necessary benefits you will obviously want to look good in your basketball leggings. Luckily almost every brand of leggings has an in-depth sizing chart as well as a range of colors and styles. Now all that’s left to do, is grab your kit and head to the court.