Kudos for wanting to find out all this in advance!
Overall, Ball pythons are more secretive and agoraphobic than most other snakes. This being the case, they like a smaller, darker enclosure. Tubs usually do this quite well... but you must always be prepared to give the snake whatever it will do best in as well as what you can best keep up.
Personally, as many here know, I prefer tanks and display cages because they keep temperatures and humidity much more stable than tubs...for me. I have both, and most of my BPs are currently in a tub rack for space reasons...but I can't wait to be able to build display cages for them since those tubs are a nightmare!
About half my BPs, when given the choice between a tub and tank (both with correct setup and temps), choose the tank for the head room and extra floor space. I do have some (three come to mind) that prefer the shorter, tighter space of the tubs and those are the ones that will remain in tubs.
Each individual snake has their own preferences for living quarters. It's our job as their keepers to give them whatever they do best and thrive in.
