The sports universe has not been untouched by the digital revolution. All aspects of our lives are advancing into a new age of technology, and the NBA has joined in on the inevitable journey that will carry us into the future. The industry of major sports has led the way by incorporating modernized innovations into the game of basketball, and these technologies have created a reality beyond compare.
We are a league driven by data, and our expanded partnership with STATS provides our teams and fans with access to uncover groundbreaking statistics. In this new era of statistical information, SportVU will be an invaluable resource for basketball executives and our passionate fans.
– Steve Hellmuth, Executive Vice President of NBA Operations & Technology
Technology is not the only way that STEM has altered the game of basketball, as the existence of the entire sport relies heavily on physics and math.
If you’re a fan of the Toronto Raptors or even an NBA fan in general, you’ve probably heard the following words that sent a flood of euphoria throughout an entire nation: “Kawhi up top, looks at the clock, turns the corner, for the win… GOT IT… KAWHI LEONARD… WITH THE GAME-WINNER!”
However, only one person knew what was going on in Kawhi Leonard’s mind, and that is Kawhi Leonard himself (a 2x NBA Champion and Finals MVP). Here is what he had said:
A couple possessions before that I had the same kind of shot from three and I just knew I had to put it up even higher than that. Embiid was guarding me, you know he’s taller, longer than me. So I end up finding a spot that I like, that I work on, I end up getting to a spot and I just knew I had to shoot it high.
– Kawhi Leonard on his game-winning buzzer beater in game 7 of the second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs
But why was it so important that Kawhi shot it so high? Well, if he didn’t, the Toronto Raptors might not have been NBA Champions.
Again, this answer relies heavily on Math and Physics. If the arc of a basketball shot is higher, then the shot has a higher probability of going through the rim. Many top shooters utilize this steeper launch angle in the NBA such as Steph Curry, who recently passed Reggie Miller for second on the all-time three-pointers made list in NBA history. This is due to the fact that a steeper angle opens up the rim and increases the area of the rim that the ball can potentially fall through.
Steph Curry puts his elite shooting abilities on display against the New York Knicks.
STEM is imperative in many more aspects of major sports. For instance, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are pivotal in sports broadcasting, manufacturing equipment, recording stats, analyzing plays, and making predictions and projections. In addition, with tracking devices such as the “Oura Smart Ring” and the “Disney Magic Band” that were used in the NBA’s bubble, technology is enabling the continuation of major sports on a global scale.
In conclusion, STEM is a crucial part of the NBA. However, it goes far beyond the world of sports. Through STEM, youth also have the opportunity and the potential to become the future of music, entertainment, business, politics, architecture, and more. With science, technology, engineering, and math, we have the world at our fingertips. The possibilities are endless, and the future is now.