That's only because humans are too good at throwing balls to each other. They just use feet to make it harder. That's the exception that proves the rule.
Is this written by someone not from the US? Basketballs aren't unwieldy, they are perfectly made for bouncing and shooting. If you have trouble with it, you just need to practice.
A US football is pretty well made for passing accurately (up to 60 yards/meters). The problem is that people are trying to push you around and tackle you.
Eh, I'm pretty American, but I think I started the post with this image of what a "soccer-like" game would look like if hands could be used and the ball size was a baseball (i.e., the size of a rock you'd throw at an animal to get it run as part of hunting), and then think of deviations/restrictions to that. Yeah, basketballs are perfect for dribbling, etc., but unwieldly for what I had in mind. As to football, you're right: it's good for passing. For some reason, my mental image had players with mitts on, which wouldn't work well with footballs.
Eh, I'm pretty American, but I think I started the post with this image of what a "soccer-like" game would look like if hands could be used and the ball size was a baseball
Speedball 2 : Brutal Deluxe came to mind immediately.