Category AI Visibility Report
Basketballs AI Visibility Report 2026: Top Brands & Buyer Topics in AI Search
Data updated 2026-08-27 · 30-day window · ChatGPT · Google AI Mode · Google AI Overviews
≈9,343
Est. AI queries / month
14
Buyer topics monitored
10
Brands on the AI shelf
Key insights
- Over the last 30 days, GEOly monitored 14 buyer topics in Basketballs across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews — an estimated 9,343 AI queries per month.
- Wilson leads the AI shelf with 35.1% of brand mentions, followed by Spalding (20.5%) and Nike (6.6%). The top three hold 62.2% combined — a concentrated shelf where challengers need a differentiated topic wedge.
- The highest-demand topic is “leather basketballs” (top keyword “basketballs leather”, ~2,400 searches/mo).
- AI answers lean on reddit.com most (30.4% of citations) — earning presence on these sources is the shortest path to being recommended.
Brands AI recommends most
Share of brand mentions across AI answers in the last 30 days (Share of Model).
| # | Brand | AI mentions | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilson | 2,159 | 35.1% |
| 2 | Spalding | 1,262 | 20.5% |
| 3 | Nike | 407 | 6.6% |
| 4 | Molten | 377 | 6.1% |
| 5 | Baden Sports | 304 | 4.9% |
| 6 | SKLZ | 240 | 3.9% |
| 7 | Nerf | 189 | 3.1% |
| 8 | GoSports | 144 | 2.3% |
| 9 | AND1 | 97 | 1.6% |
| 10 | Cipton | 76 | 1.2% |
What shoppers ask AI
Buyer topics monitored in this category, with estimated monthly AI queries and the top Google keyword behind each topic.
| Topic | Est. AI queries / mo | Top keyword | Search volume / mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| leather basketballs | ≈2,420 | basketballs leather | 2,400 |
| pool basketballs | ≈2,383 | pool basketballs | 2,900 |
| best basketballs | ≈2,321 | basketball | 1,220,000 |
| glow in the dark basketballs | ≈2,219 | glow in the dark basketballs | 2,400 |
| cheap basketballs | — | basketballs sale | 4,400 |
| size-specific basketballs | — | size 6 basketballs | 9,900 |
| silent basketballs | — | silent basketball | 33,100 |
| youth basketballs | — | youth basketballs | 8,100 |
| indoor basketballs | — | indoor basketball | 33,100 |
| outdoor basketballs | — | basketballs for outdoor | 12,100 |
| mini basketballs | — | mini basketballs | 6,600 |
| NBA basketballs | — | nba basketballs | 135,000 |
| basketballs for arcade games | — | pop a shot basketballs | 5,400 |
| foam basketballs | — | foam basketballs | 2,900 |
Sources AI cites in this category
Root domains AI engines cited most when answering category queries in the last 30 days.
| Domain | Citations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| reddit.com | 246 | 30.4% |
| wilson.com | 118 | 14.6% |
| spalding.com | 103 | 12.7% |
| verywellfit.com | 51 | 6.3% |
| target.com | 31 | 3.8% |
| walmart.com | 28 | 3.5% |
| yourbestdigs.com | 24 | 3% |
| nba.com | 24 | 3% |
Related category reports
FAQ
Which brands do AI assistants recommend most for basketballs?
Over the last 30 days the top brands by AI mention share are: Wilson (35.1%), Spalding (20.5%), Nike (6.6%), Molten (6.1%), Baden Sports (4.9%). Data from GEOly's continuous monitoring across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews.
How many people ask AI about basketballs?
GEOly estimates ~9,343 AI queries per month in this category across 14 buyer topics, led by “leather basketballs”.
Which sources do AI engines cite for basketballs?
The most-cited domains are: reddit.com, wilson.com, spalding.com, verywellfit.com, target.com. Building brand presence on these sources is the most direct way to win AI recommendations.
Methodology
GEOly continuously runs category buyer prompts across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews and records which brands are mentioned and which sources are cited. Figures aggregate a 30-day window; AI query volumes are modeled estimates from keyword demand and AI-adoption share. Data: GEOly MCP Server, updated 2026-08-27.
See your brand inside this category
GEOly tracks how ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and Google AI Overviews mention, rank and cite your brand against every competitor above — and what to fix to win the AI shelf.