Z 180-600mm lens is another great choice.

Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S

Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S

Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S

These three super telephoto prime lenses are best for sports.

If you're looking for a bit more reach, consider the Nikkor Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S. It's a fantastic lens for outdoor sports where you might need that extra focal length. The autofocus is blazing fast, and it pairs beautifully with the Z9's advanced AF system. While it's not as bright as an f/2.8 lens, the Z9's excellent high ISO performance helps compensate for that.

Sports photography is a complex field with diverse equipment needs. It encompasses three zones: close, normal, and far, each traditionally requiring specific lenses. However, modern lenses like the 24-120 and 180-400 now allow coverage of all zones with just two lenses.

Different sports prioritize different zones. For instance, basketball focuses on close and normal shots, while baseball emphasizes normal to far ranges. Most photographers opt for a 70-200 lens to cover the normal zone, as longer lenses like the 400 2.8 are prohibitively expensive for non-professionals.

For high school sports photography, especially in less-equipped facilities, a fast lens (f/2.8 or wider) is crucial. A 70-200 lens with a 1.4 teleconverter is recommended for versatility and extended reach. This combination provides the flexibility needed to capture a wide range of sports action effectively.

I love my Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S lens.