The NBA first started way back in 1946. Since then, it’s come a long way. As common folklore says, it’s a long way to the top – but the NBA finally made it there.
During this journey, the NBA has been assisted by technology. Technology has transformed all aspects of the NBA, from betting to on-court action. Even if you take a look at the past ten years, so much has changed.
In total, this guide will take a quick look at the four most advanced technologies that have changed the NBA for the better.
- Artificial Intelligence and Betting
If you’ve ever bet on an NBA game before, you’ll know that the ‘odds’ are the most important factor at play. Odds are what attract people to make bets in the first place and ultimately influence their gambling decisions.
Back in the old days, NBA odds were specifically chosen by human analysts. They would select the odds based on a range of variants, from team records to current streaks in the NBA league. Now, though, this has all changed – and it’s thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Through the power of AI, companies can now produce faster and more accurate odds, both before and during the game. When a player scores a three-point goal, the NBA odds for the game will automatically change to reflect the new score line. Make sense? Awesome.
- Player-Location Tracking Cameras
Technology provides rosters, managers, and fans with expert insight into player analytics. This is all thanks to player-location tracking technology, which is conducted via multiple cameras located on the catwalks of all 29 NBA arenas!
These cameras review data at lightning-fast speed, enabling the commentators in the studio to gain access to information as quickly as possible, such as much ground a particular player has covered in the first quarter of the game.
Managers also use this information when it comes to drafting and transfers, as it helps them to gain a greater insight into the potential of different players.
- Instant Replays
Now, NBA matches allow referees to watch instant replays to gain a concrete understanding of what happened during the action. For example, if a player makes a successful shot when the buzzer sounds, the referee needs to know whether the shot was done in time or not. If it was made after the buzzer, then, of course, it will get disallowed.
Thanks to instant replays, it means there’s much less controversy involved in the NBA, as in the past, there have been plenty of referring decisions that caused an uproar.
- Worldwide Broadcasting
Not too long ago, if fans wanted to watch an NBA game, they would have to do it using their TV and a reliable network. Now, this has all been transformed thanks to technology.
NBA fans, young and old, can stream matches on their smartphones, tablets, computers, and more – all because of the power of the internet and different streaming services. In the past, this simply wasn’t possible!
