When Dr James Naismith created basketball in 1891, the game was played using a soccer ball (as well as two peach baskets as hoops, but more on that in a moment). Over time, purpose-built basketballs evolved to offer better grip, control, and consistency.
The balls used in today's NBA, for example, are a far cry from the brown leather versions with external laces used in the league's early decades. Those early balls were less uniform, absorbed moisture easily and could feel inconsistent from possession to possession.