The NBA has been one of the most progressive leagues in sports in more ways than one. Recently, that has meant the adoption of technology that has improved the game as well as the health and longevity of its players.
The beginning of the 2017 NBA All-Star Weekend also marks the 18th annual NBA Tech Summit. This time in New Orleans, the summit involved Pelicans’ guard Langston Galloway modeling the latest wearable technology.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver introduced Galloway, a Baton Rouge native, to demonstrate the new technology. After some playful banter and getting some jokes off, the device interface was shown.
The features introduced in the video include analyzing the player’s body conditions (including food intake, sleep quality, time of day, etc…) to make inferences about his performance on the court.
The jokes make one cringe a little bit, but this is a super cool innovation. Ideally, this technology could lead to more understanding of players’ bodies. That can only lead to better things including preventative care when an injury seems probable.
There have been some concerns about the use of this technology and how it may impact players in free agency. But as of right now, it appears as though both the league and the players union are comfortable moving forward with the plan.
