The NBA is creating wearable sensors to prevent injuries, Dejounte Murray and Paolo Banchero feud over Pro-Am game, and the two-year anniversary of the NBA Foundation.

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NBA INNOVATION

The NBA is Creating Wearable Sensors to Prevent Injuries

It is obvious that in the sports space, technology is the future and is necessary for the continuous progression in all facets of sports. Technology is an important factor for players' health as well and creating longevity for careers. Within last month's Launchpad technology event, NBA commissioner Adam Silver vocalized and reemphasized just how important this basketball based technology is for player availability and health. It’s obvious the NBA has a focal point of maintaining players' health going forward. So how can technology implement a healthy progression for players in the NBA? There have been ideas of utilizing heavy sensors or better known as force plates to track certain imbalances between muscles throughout the body. This has been a tough sell for the NBA due to the bulky build and inconvenience this technology brings regarding travel for teams. 

Nextiles seems like the future for technology within the NBA for player development. Nextiles is a technology that coats with various materials and sews them into standard garments. This technology brings convenience because users can put them anywhere on a player's body and can measure everything from jump height, to cut angles, and will relay real time analytics to the nearby CPU. This technology has a proactive approach to injuries and revolves around injury cues. Injury cues such as “is this player landing correctly? Are there muscles in the fatigue zone because they're not jumping as high as before?” This isn't the only technology revolving around player health and development within sports. Strive is another technology that can communicate vital muscle data from a variety of areas on a player’s body. Developed in 2016, Strive presented a pair of compression shorts in the Vegas Summer League that look perfectly normal but have EMG sensors sewn into the material. This sector of metrics used in Strive can track and aid in fatigue and recovery. Strive has also partnered with Kinexon where they were able to install their separate technology of sensors within the waistband of these compression shorts. The technology being implemented by Strive and Kinexon can truly be a major difference maker in allowing stars of the NBA to be on the court as often as physically feasible.

DEJOUNTE MURRAY & PAOLO BANCHERO

Dejounte Murray & Paolo Banchero Feud Over Pro-Am Game

There was some beef over the weekend in Isaiah Thomas’ annual summer basketball tournament. This beef revolved around the number one pick in this year's NBA Draft Paolo Banchero and Atlanta Hawks standout guard Dejounte Murray. Murray made Banchero look foolish during the game and tossed a dunk to himself off the backboard then stared down the number one pick. The feud didn't just start and end there though. There seems to be more beef between the two than originally anticipated. Both took to Instagram to exchange a few words to each other. Banchero posted the video of the dunk on his story and claimed Murray had a personal problem with him. Murray then posted on his story claiming the number one pick “changed” since getting drafted and he lost “all respect” for Banchero. This isn't the first time Murray trended during the Pro-Am games. There was a video that went viral of Murray essentially tapping the basketball on the head of a defender then slashing to the rim. But regarding the Banchero and Murray beef, there seems to be more context to the story than anyone originally let on. We will get the popcorn ready as the situation unfolds.

NBA FOUNDATION

The Two-Year Anniversary of The NBA Foundation

The NBA Foundation was established in August 2020 and has been an incredible success since its establishment. The foundation has had a progressive mindset to make a difference in the lives of youth as well as minority communities. The Center for Teen Empowerment has been a major benefactor of the foundation and Abrigal Forrester, the Executive Director for the Center had this to say, “It’s exciting to know that the NBA is committed to serving not only young people but the issues and challenges that are prevalent in communities of color. We look forward to continuing to grow in what is a movement in how black and brown people are treated. I want to thank the leadership of the foundation.” The Foundation started with a 10 year $300 million commitment from individuals of each and every one of the 30 NBA teams. Since its beginning, the foundation was able to develop and obtain 125 grantees and over $53 million invested. On its two year mark, this month, the foundation was awarded 40 new and renewed grants totaling up to $20 million in grants. The goal of these grants is to provide resources and funding to a variety of organizations to create economic opportunities in communities by focusing on programs revolving around African American youth aging up to 24 years old. The concept of the foundation and these organizations focusing and working towards one goal creates fluidity within their relationships and allows them to be successful in their approach of making a difference within these demographics and their communities.

THE RUMOR MILL

Kevin Durant Gives Ultimatum to Nets Owner Joe Tsai, per Report

On This Day In NBA History: August 8 - The "Dream Team" Wins Olympic Gold

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