NBA is experimenting with smart basketballs and official wrist wearables in select preseason games

NEW YORK (AP) – The NBA is experimenting with two pieces of technology in the leadup to the season, the league confirmed Monday.

Key points

• Select exhibition games will include a smart basketball that has a Bluetooth sensor in it and can collect data for future employ in real-time officiating decisions.
• Authorities in select games will additionally employ wrist wearables to communicate with the replay center in designated situations, including replay reviews, scoring changes and clock malfunctions.
• The wearables went through what the NBA called a successful pilot program during the summer league.

What happened

Select exhibition games will include a smart basketball that has a Bluetooth sensor in it and can collect data for future employ in real-time officiating decisions. The league remarked the information from the Wilson-developed connected balls will be for research only and not affect calls produced during those games.

Meanwhile, the wearables went through what the NBA called a successful pilot program during the summer league. The technology will not extend into the regular season. See AP's full NBA coverage here.

The bottom line

Taken together, the developments around NBA is experimenting with smart basketballs and official wrist wearables in select point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.