Smart technologies in professional basketball.
The NBA has started testing new technologies.
The NBA is testing a Bluetooth-enabled basketball and referee wearables during preseason games to explore potential future applications.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has begun testing two new technologies in some preseason games ahead of the new season, according to the specialized sports economics website. These technologies could help collect more accurate game data and improve referees' communication with the review center in the future.
One of these technologies is a smart ball equipped with a Bluetooth sensor by Wilson, according to a report published on October 5, 2026. The sensor can collect data that could be used in the future to support refereeing decisions in real time. However, the NBA has emphasized that the ball data at this stage is only collected for research purposes and does not play a role in refereeing decisions in the test games.
The second technology is a wearable device on referees' wrists that enables direct communication with the review center in situations such as scene review, correction of recorded scores, and timing issues. This device was previously tested in the summer basketball league, and the NBA described the results as successful. However, these technologies are not expected to be used in the upcoming regular season.
From a sports technology economics perspective, the key is not just making the ball smarter, but the ability to convert physical events in the game into more accurate and usable data for analysis. If such data is combined with video analysis systems and machine learning in the future, it could help with more accurate analysis of the ball's path, event timing, and performance evaluation. However, these applications should not yet be confused with currently proven capabilities.
This example illustrates that sports innovation typically begins at the testing stage. Before official use, the accuracy of sensors, data transmission stability, implementation costs, and the impact of technology on the flow of the game must be evaluated.
Read the full report on the smart ball testing in the NBA here: https://apnews.com/article/nba-preseason-tech-experiments-d6fa30f7f8db2abeb2e092c884c3aad2
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