The Nba Wants To Keep A Closer Eye On The Ball
Like someone sitting down to eat at a Mexican restaurant, the NBA has big plans starting with chips. Commissioner Adam Silver told CNBC that the league is working to put microchip sensors into basketballs as soon as next year.
Ball don’t lie: The chips, which weigh about 1 gram each, were tested in developmental, summer, and preseason games. According to Silver, players couldn’t tell the difference.
The “smart ball” can sense movement and changes in trajectory, so it can help refs determine who touched it last. Silver thinks it could become a hit consumer product that lets aspiring hoopsters dissect their on-court habits and shooting mechanics.
Finding a baseline
During the NBA’s pandemic bubble season, the league used Oura rings to track players’ health metrics. In recent months, it’s also experimented with wrist wearables for game officials, like refs communicating with the replay center. Players, however, have expressed concerns over how their data might be used. “If you could see a player was slowing down or something…they’re worried that that could get used in bargaining,” Silver told CNBC.
Big picture: Some professional soccer leagues are also experimenting with chips in balls, and the NFL has been using RFID tags in balls to measure stats like speed and ball rotation for years.—BC
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