Alright, let’s talk about this basketball floor thing, the kind they use for that FIBA thingamajig. You know, the fancy basketball.

What kind of wood is good for basketball floors?

Well, they say maple wood is the best. Yeah, maple, like the syrup tree, but harder, I reckon. It’s tough wood, you see. They use it for them NBA fellas, so it must be good. These fellas running and jumping all over the place, need somethin’ strong under their feet, you know? If it’s good enough for them high-paid fellas, it’s good enough for anyone I guess. My grandson told me the NBA likes the maple, so it’s gotta be the good stuff.

• Strong wood
• Bouncy wood
• Not too slippery, not too sticky

It’s gotta be just right, you see. Like Goldilocks and her porridge, but for basketball. Can’t be too slippery, or them fellas gonna be falling all over themselves. Can’t be too sticky, or they can’t run fast. And that wood, it gotta have some bounce to it. Like a little spring in your step, but for the whole floor. Helps them fellas jump higher, I hear. It’s all about the bounce, the runnin’, and the not-fallin’-down part.

Why wood, though? Why not somethin’ else?

Well, they say it’s the best. They tried all sorts of things, I bet. Rubber, plastic, who knows what else. But wood, it just works. It’s got that right mix of everything. Durable, they say. That means it lasts a long time, even with all that runnin’ and jumpin’. And it’s got that give to it, you know? Not too hard, not too soft. Just right. It’s like when you’re making biscuits you just know when the dough feels right, same with the wood I think. You want somethin’ that ain’t gonna break down on ya after a few games, that’s for sure. This ain’t no cheap linoleum we’re talkin’ about. It’s gotta last.

What about them other floors? For gyms and such?

Yeah, there are other floors for other things. My grandson plays basketball sometimes at the school, I don’t think it’s the same as the one’s them pros use. You can get floors for all kinds of stuff. Gyms, dance studios, places where they do all sorts of games. But for real basketball, the serious kind, it’s gotta be wood. Especially that maple they talk about. The other stuff might be cheaper, might be easier to put down, but it ain’t the same. You want the best, you gotta go with the wood. It’s like when you want a good tomato, gotta grow it yourself, ain’t nothin’ like it in them stores.

Where do you get this wood flooring anyway?

Well, I reckon you gotta go to a special place. Not just any ol’ lumberyard. You need a place that knows about basketball floors, knows about that maple, knows how to put it all together. They gotta be experts, you see. Can’t just slap some boards down and call it a day. It’s gotta be done right, all level and smooth. Otherwise, them basketball fellas gonna be trippin’ and stumblin’. There are places that sell all kinds of sports floors too, not just for basketball, but for everything. But if you want the real deal, the good stuff, you gotta find the wood folks.

So, to sum it all up, if you want a real good basketball floor, you get that maple wood. It’s strong, it’s bouncy, and it lasts a long time. It’s the best there is, for them FIBA fellas and anyone else who wants a good floor to play on. It ain’t cheap, I reckon, but you get what you pay for. And if you’re gonna have a bunch of fellas runnin’ and jumpin’ all over the place, you want somethin’ that can take it. That’s the long and short of it. Now, where’s my tea? This talkin’ makes a body thirsty.

And let me tell ya, this wood floor stuff, it ain’t just for the big arenas. You can get it for smaller courts too. My grandson, he’s always dreamin’ of havin’ his own court someday. I told him, if he ever gets that rich, he better get that good wood. No cheap stuff for my boy. He deserves the best, just like them FIBA fellas. He practices enough, that’s for sure. Always dribbling that ball around, thump, thump, thump. Drives me crazy sometimes, but I love him. And if that wood floor helps him play better, then it’s worth every penny. It’s about more than just the game, you see. It’s about dreams and hard work and having somethin’ good and solid under your feet.