Final answer:
The Sun appears bigger and brighter from Earth because it is the only star in our solar system and is significantly closer than any other stars, making its size more apparent and its light more intense to our eyes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Sun looks bigger and brighter from Earth than the other stars because it is the only star in our solar system and is much closer to us compared to other stars. The vast distance that separates us from other stars makes them appear as mere pinpoints of light. For example, Proxima Centauri, which is the closest star beyond our own, is situated 4.3 light-years away, an equivalent of nearly 7000 kilometers away in the given basketball analogy, highlighting the immense distances involved. The fact that the Sun is the most massive member of the solar system and has a surface temperature of millions of degrees contributes to its brightness and apparent size from our perspective on Earth.