While competitors chased highlight reels and pro contracts, we found Spalding's truth in driveways and high school gyms across America.

"For the Shots That Count" celebrates basketball's real moments—the ones that never make SportsCenter but mean everything: a parent teaching their kid to shoot, friends playing H-O-R-S-E, or that perfect swish long after the streetlights came on.

By recognizing that most basketballs will never touch NBA hardwood, we positioned Spalding as the authentic choice for basketball's everyday heroes. We didn't need celebrity endorsements or flashy dunks—just honest recognition that when you're shooting baskets with your kid before bedtime, that's the shot that actually matters.

As the #1 ball in high schools nationwide, Spalding already knew what we helped them say out loud: true basketball happens in small moments and meaningful connections, not just championship games.

In a category shouting about going pro, we whispered about going home to play.