Several companies are collaborating with National Basketball Association teams to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into various aspects of team operations, enhancing both player performance and fan engagement. These collaborations underscore the NBA’s commitment to leveraging AI technologies to enhance team performance, optimize operations, and enrich the fan experience.
Perch: Teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, and Orlando Magic have adopted Perch’s AI-powered weight training platform to monitor and enhance player workouts, aiming to improve motivation, safety, and performance.Perch, an AI-powered weight training platform, is developed by Perch, a company founded by former MIT student-athletes in 2016. Perch utilizes 3D camera technology and machine learning to monitor and enhance weight room performance without the need for wearables or tethered devices. Their system provides real-time feedback on metrics such as sets, reps, velocity, and power output, assisting athletes and coaches in optimizing training programs. Perch’s technology is employed by various professional sports teams, including those in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS, as well as collegiate athletic programs.
GameOn Technology: The Milwaukee Bucks, along with the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers, have partnered with GameOn to develop AI-driven chat applications. These chatbots provide fans with real-time information and support through the teams’ websites and mobile apps. GameOn Technology, founded in 2014 by Alex Beckman and Kalin Stanojev, was a San Francisco-based company specializing in AI-powered conversational platforms for enterprises. In December 2023, the company rebranded as ON and secured $25 million in funding to expand its AI chat services across various industries. However, in July 2024, ON ceased operations following the discovery of significant financial discrepancies, leading to the resignation of CEO Alex Beckman and the layoff of all employees. Subsequently, in January 2025, Beckman and his wife, Valerie Lau Beckman, were indicted on multiple charges, including conspiracy, wire fraud, and securities fraud, for allegedly defrauding investors of over $60 million.
MeetKai: The Charlotte Hornets collaborated with MeetKai to launch the NBA’s first virtual fan store, offering an immersive shopping experience that allows fans to engage with the team and purchase merchandise in a virtual environment. MeetKai is developed by MeetKai Inc., an artificial intelligence (AI) company founded in 2018 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The company specializes in AI solutions and intelligent wearables technology for both public and private sectors. MeetKai Inc. was co-founded by Weili Dai, who serves as the Executive Chairwoman, and James Kaplan, the Chief Executive Officer. Since its inception, MeetKai has delivered AI solutions to over 75 million devices across more than 30 countries and in over a dozen languages.
SportIQ: As part of the NBA Launchpad program, SportIQ is working on integrating smart ball technology that combines AI, machine learning, and physics to transform sports performance and analytics.SportIQ is a Finnish company specializing in real-time sports tracking and analytics solutions. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, SportIQ integrates artificial intelligence, machine learning, and classical physics to enhance sports performance analysis. The company is renowned for developing the SIQ Smart Basketball, the world’s only smart basketball officially approved by FIBA.
Fastbreak.ai: The NBA has entered a long-term partnership with Fastbreak.ai to utilize its sports scheduling platform for the NBA, WNBA, G League, and NBA 2K League, aiming to optimize scheduling processes. Fastbreak.ai is developed by Fastbreak AI, a company specializing in AI-powered sports scheduling and optimization solutions. Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Fastbreak AI offers software designed to enhance scheduling, tournament management, and sponsorship activation for professional, amateur, and youth sports organizations. The company was co-founded by John Stewart, who serves as Chief Executive Officer, and Dr. Chris Groer, the Chief Product Officer. Dr. Groer brings extensive experience in sports scheduling and optimization.Fastbreak AI has secured investments from notable entities, including the NBA, NHL, and TMRW Sports. In November 2024, the company acquired SEQL, a youth sports-focused social impact company, rebranding it as Fastbreak Connect.This acquisition aims to connect brands with youth athletes and their families through scalable on-site activations and branded experiences.Fastbreak AI’s platform is utilized by various professional and collegiate sports leagues to optimize their scheduling processes.
PlaySight Interactive: Teams such as the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons, and Phoenix Suns have implemented PlaySight’s AI-driven SmartCourt technology to enhance training and performance analysis.
PlaySight is a sports technology company that specializes in AI-powered video and analytics solutions for various sports.Founded in 2010 in Kfar Saba, Israel, by Chen M. Shachar, Evgeni Khazanov, and Yoram Bentzur, PlaySight developed the SmartCourt system, which integrates high-performance cameras and artificial intelligence to provide automated video production, live streaming, and performance analytics for athletes and coaches across more than 25 sports. In October 2021, PlaySight was acquired by Slinger, a connected sports technology company known for its portable tennis ball launcher, the Slinger Bag. This acquisition aimed to enhance Slinger’s technology portfolio by incorporating PlaySight’s advanced video and analytics capabilities.
Synergy Sports Technology: Collaborating with the NBA, Synergy provides AI-based analytics for scouting and player development, offering detailed performance metrics and video analysis. Synergy Sports Technology, founded in 2004 by Garrick Barr and Nils Lahr, is an American company specializing in on-demand, data-driven video analytics for basketball. Their platform offers detailed statistical reports linked with video clips, aiding in scouting, player development, and game preparation. Synergy has collaborated with major basketball organizations, including the NBA, WNBA, NCAA Division I, and FIBA.In 2019, Synergy Sports Technology was acquired by Atrium Sports. Subsequently, in 2021, Sportradar acquired Synergy Sports, integrating its advanced video and analytics solutions into Sportradar’s comprehensive sports technology offerings.
Microsoft: As the NBA’s Official Technology Partner, Microsoft provides AI and cloud services through its Azure platform. This collaboration enhances the NBA’s security, scalability, and innovation capabilities, supporting initiatives like NBA CourtOptix, an AI-driven data analysis system that offers fans in-depth insights into game actions.
nVenue: The NBA has invested in nVenue, a predictive analytics company that utilizes machine learning and AI to analyze historical and real-time data. This technology generates real-time probabilities for game events, facilitating the creation of micro-betting markets and enriching the fan experience. nVenue is a private company founded in 2018 in Dallas, Texas, by Kelly Pracht, Bruce Sears, and Drew Williams. The company specializes in AI-powered predictive analytics and micro-betting technology for live sports. nVenue’s platform utilizes machine learning and artificial intelligence to generate real-time probabilities and micro-betting odds, enhancing fan engagement and providing new opportunities for sports betting operators and media companies. The company has developed partnerships with major sports organizations, including the NBA and NASCAR, to expand its offerings across various sports such as baseball, basketball, football, and motorsports. Notably, nVenue’s technology has been integrated into Apple TV+ broadcasts, providing on-screen predictive analytics for Friday Night Baseball.
In terms of funding, nVenue has raised $4.5 million over five rounds, with investors including KB Partners, Corazon Capital, and NBA Equity. The company has also participated in accelerator programs such as Comcast NBCUniversal Sports Tech Accelerator and NBA Launchpad, further solidifying its position in the sports technology industry.
Springbok Analytics: Participating in the NBA Launchpad program, Springbok Analytics offers AI-based technology that transforms MRI data into 3D digital twins. This innovation quantifies an athlete’s musculature, aiding in precision health assessments and performance optimization. Springbok Analytics is a muscle analytics company that drives better health outcomes across human performance and life sciences. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia, the company specializes in transforming MRI data into detailed 3D visualizations of individual muscles. This AI-powered technology provides precise assessments of muscle volume, composition, and asymmetries, aiding in injury prevention, rehabilitation, and performance optimization. The company was co-founded by CEO Scott Magargee, CSO Silvia Blemker, Ph.D., Craig Meyer, Ph.D., and Joe Hart, Ph.D., based on technology developed at the University of Virginia. In January 2025, Springbok Analytics secured a $5 million Series A funding round led by Transition Equity Partners, with participation from the National Basketball Association (NBA) and other strategic investors. The company has also received FDA 510(k) clearance for its MuscleView™ product, an AI-driven muscle health analysis derived from rapid MRI scans.
SkillCorner: Also part of the NBA Launchpad initiative, SkillCorner employs computer vision and machine learning to generate player tracking data from existing video feeds. This technology provides teams with detailed insights into player movements and game dynamics. SkillCorner is a French company specializing in AI-powered sports data analytics. Founded in Paris in 2016 by Hugo Bordigoni and Charles Montmaneix, SkillCorner develops computer vision and machine learning algorithms to automatically collect and analyze sports data from single-camera feeds. This technology enables the detection, localization, and tracking of all moving objects on the field, including players, the ball, and referees, providing performance indicators, game intelligence metrics, and visualizations.
Initially focusing on football (soccer), SkillCorner has expanded its services to include basketball and American football.The company covers over 100 competitions globally, holding more than 100 billion data points on over 100,000 professional players. More than 200 football clubs worldwide utilize SkillCorner’s data daily for recruitment, game analysis, and opponent analysis.
In 2024, SkillCorner announced a partnership with the NBA’s Orlando Magic, marking its first collaboration with an NBA team. This partnership aims to provide the Magic with comprehensive tracking data across NCAA and major international leagues to enhance their scouting and player evaluation processes.
SkillCorner has received investments from entities including Seventure Partners and has participated in the NBA Launchpad program.
Sportradar: In a 10-year global partnership with the NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League, Sportradar leverages exclusive league data to create compelling content for fans. Their AI-powered analytics offer in-depth insights, enhancing fan engagement and understanding of the game. Sportradar Group AG, founded in 2001, is a leading global sports technology company headquartered in St. Gallen, Switzerland. The company specializes in collecting and analyzing sports data, offering services to sports federations, news media, consumer platforms, and sports betting operators. Sportradar’s offerings include event creation, odds suggestions, trading tools, live betting solutions, and virtual betting solutions. The company has established partnerships with major sports organizations such as the NBA, NHL, MLB, NASCAR, UEFA, FIFA, Bundesliga, ICC, and ITF. As of 2024, Sportradar employs over 3,900 individuals across 20 countries.
StatMuse: An AI company that maintains a database of sports statistics, StatMuse allows users to query sports data using natural language. This enhances fan engagement by providing quick and accurate statistical information. StatMuse is an American artificial intelligence company founded in 2014 by lifelong friends Adam Elmore and Eli Dawson. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, StatMuse offers a platform that allows users to explore sports statistics using natural language processing (NLP). Users can ask questions in plain language and receive detailed statistical answers, making complex sports data more accessible. The company has received backing from notable investors, including The Walt Disney Company, Techstars, Allen & Company, the NFL Players Association, and NBA Commissioner Emeritus David Stern.
SportVU: Acquired by STATS LLC, SportVU is a camera system that collects data 25 times per second, tracking the ball and all players on the court. This technology provides real-time player and ball positioning, offering performance metrics for teams and enhancing analytics. SportVU is a player tracking technology originally developed in 2005 by Israeli scientists Gal Oz and Miky Tamir, who had backgrounds in missile tracking and advanced optical recognition. Their goal was to apply visual recognition technology to sports by accurately capturing movements with cameras. In December 2008, SportVU was acquired by STATS LLC, a sports data and technology company. Under STATS LLC, SportVU’s technology was expanded into basketball, leading to its adoption by several NBA teams starting with the 2010-2011 season. By the 2013-2014 season, SportVU systems were installed in all NBA arenas, providing comprehensive player tracking data.
YinzCam: Specializing in mobile app development for professional sports organizations, YinzCam offers real-time statistics, multimedia, streaming radio, and social media integration. Their applications enhance fan engagement through interactive and personalized experiences. YinzCam is an American software company specializing in developing mobile applications, IPTV platforms, and augmented reality experiences for professional sports organizations. Founded in 2009 by Priya Narasimhan, a Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, YinzCam is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company has developed official mobile apps for over 200 professional sports teams, leagues, venues, and events across the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. These applications offer features such as real-time statistics, multimedia content, streaming radio, social media integration, and in-venue live video technology providing instant replays, including NFL RedZone.
YinzCam’s technology has been downloaded over 55 million times and is utilized by major sports organizations, including NFL clubs, NBA/WNBA teams, AFL clubs (Australia), and La Liga clubs (Spain). The company has also developed official league apps for La Liga, the National Rugby League (Australia), the NBA G League, and the AFL Women’s League (Australia).
ScorePlay: An AI-powered content management system that assists sports organizations in uploading, tagging, and managing content. ScorePlay streamlines asset delivery to broadcasters and sponsors, enhancing content distribution and fan engagement. ScorePlay is an AI-powered media infrastructure platform specifically designed for sports organizations. Founded in 2021 by CEO Victorien Tixier and CTO Xavier Green, ScorePlay aims to streamline the management, organization, and distribution of media assets such as photos, videos, and live broadcasts for sports teams, leagues, and competitions.
The platform offers a suite of products tailored to various media workflows:
- Creator: A Digital Asset Manager (DAM) that automates critical workflows for photos and short video clips.
- Studio: A Media Asset Manager (MAM) that enhances media production and management across video and live content.
- Pulse: An enterprise solution providing end-to-end media and production infrastructure, custom-built to scale and future-proof sports organizations.
ScorePlay’s AI-driven technology automates the tagging and organization of content, facilitating efficient distribution to media partners, athletes, and sponsors. This approach has attracted partnerships with over 200 sports organizations, including Major League Soccer (MLS), which utilizes ScorePlay to manage and distribute high-quality digital content.
In February 2025, ScorePlay raised $13 million in a Series A funding round led by 20VC, with participation from investors such as Seven Seven Six, APEX Capital, and athlete investors including NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo and soccer player Alex Morgan.
ScorePlay is headquartered in New York, NY, and continues to innovate in the sports media landscape by providing tailored solutions that address the unique challenges faced by sports organizations in managing their media assets.