NBA developing a smart ball to assist referees

The NBA is working on a smart ball, Adam Silver revealed on Sunday during a preseason game, speaking to NBC. The technology, which would be built into each ball, is intended to help referees make certain decisions more quickly and accurately, including calls on out-of-bounds plays and goaltending when a shot is coming down or the ball is above the rim.

Trials have already taken place in the G League, the summer league and preseason games. Silver said no players, including veterans, had complained about the ball’s weight during those tests. He also acknowledged that the technology could be introduced as soon as this season, without confirming that it would be.

“We believe this is an opportunity to tell, from a change in the ball’s spin, whether a finger touched it, for example, before it went out of bounds,” Silver explained. Tracking the ball’s trajectory could also help assess interference with a shot. The project is intended to give referees additional evidence on plays that can be difficult to judge with the naked eye.