The future of basketball... Watch to learn about these revolutionary 3D-printed NBA basketball… Crafted using the latest 3D printing technology, this basketball is a marvel of engineering. Its unique construction ensures exceptional durability and a consistent shape, with lots of… holes?
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00:00 is the NBA's new futuristic airless ball,
00:02 a Hooper's worst nightmare.
00:04 It's definitely the weirdest game ball of all time,
00:06 and it has holes all over it.
00:08 The new ball features insane,
00:09 never seen before cutting edge technology,
00:12 but there are some cons about the ball
00:13 that will change the league forever.
00:15 The strangest basketball ever made
00:17 was first seen by the masses
00:18 during this year's NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
00:21 Kenyon Martin Jr. threw down one of his dunks
00:23 during the competition with this ball,
00:25 and since everyone's been curious
00:26 about when they can expect to see it
00:28 become the NBA game ball,
00:29 and all the pros and cons of this ball.
00:31 First, let's reveal all the unique details
00:33 about how this basketball was invented.
00:35 Like the current NBA game ball,
00:37 this basketball was designed and produced by Wilson.
00:40 The way Wilson makes this basketball
00:42 is through 3D printing,
00:43 but it took a lot of trial and error
00:45 and experimenting with every 3D printing method
00:48 for Wilson to discover the only method
00:50 that would work for creating their airless basketball.
00:52 SLS, or selective laser sintering,
00:55 was the only 3D printing method
00:56 that was able to create a basketball
00:58 that Wilson engineering and design teams
01:00 believed made a basketball
01:01 that felt and balanced like a traditional basketball.
01:04 The way the printer creates this basketball is very bizarre.
01:07 There's a laser that sketches the basketball's design
01:10 into a powdered bed to model the basketball.
01:12 They then grab the newly forged basketball
01:14 out of the bed of powder
01:15 and shake off all the dust and debris.
01:17 And voila, you have Wilson's viral 3D printed
01:20 airless basketball covered in holes
01:21 that have NBA fans in awe.
01:23 One of these SLS printers used to make the 3D ball
01:26 cost up to $20,000.
01:28 So for those of you that are already getting ideas,
01:30 you might wanna know the price tag for just one printer.
01:33 Wilson then makes sure they seal the powder
01:35 with a smoothing technique and get the basketball dyed.
01:37 Currently, most of the basketballs are dyed black,
01:40 but the rumor is that the game ball will be dyed orange
01:42 to keep the tradition alive.
01:44 Once each 3D printed basketball
01:45 has gone through the entire creation process,
01:48 it's then shipped from Chicago
01:49 to the NBA testing facility in Ohio.
01:51 According to Wilson,
01:52 each ball goes through rigorous quality assurance testing.
01:55 Once each ball passes through testing,
01:57 they're ready for the courts.
01:59 However, although these 3D printed basketballs
02:01 are being produced by the NBA game ball designers
02:04 and manufacturers, there are several serious concerns.
02:07 First, let's start with the most obvious concern, the holes.
02:10 Fans have been on Wilson about how the hundreds
02:12 of tiny holes on this ball boast a ton of issues,
02:15 including inevitable indoor and outdoor challenges.
02:18 One of the main issues with the holes
02:20 is all the particles, dust, and debris
02:22 that will be picked up by the holes in the ball.
02:24 Hooping with this basketball outside
02:26 might get really old after one full court game
02:28 if the ball is coated in dirt and rubble inside and out.
02:32 Not only would the grip be worse, of course,
02:34 and the weight of the basketball
02:35 could even potentially change
02:37 depending on how much the holes pick up.
02:39 While this is primarily a concern for outdoor hoopers
02:41 because there's way more debris on outdoor courts
02:44 than on indoor ones,
02:45 indoor hoopers, aka NBA players,
02:47 will still experience this issue
02:49 with any dust or dirt that exists on the court.
02:51 Another element that would affect
02:53 both indoor and outdoor hoopers
02:55 is sweat seeping into the ball.
02:56 This would potentially track onto the court,
02:58 but would also ruin the grip
03:00 since you can't just wipe away the sweat
03:01 if it keeps seeping from the inside out.
03:03 But a bigger problem with the holes
03:05 is how they impact shooting.
03:06 This is by far the biggest worry
03:08 that fans and players both have with the ball.
03:11 All the potential problems I just mentioned, by the way,
03:13 can definitely make shooting miserable.
03:15 But the ones critics are talking about the most
03:18 are the airflow concerns.
03:19 The holes on the ball will have an effect on the airflow,
03:22 but how bad will it get?
03:23 Experts wonder how this airflow
03:25 will impact the Magnus effect,
03:26 which is how a basketball will curve in the air
03:28 once it's been given backspin.
03:30 This is a common practice
03:31 by your favorite NBA shooters today.
03:33 Changing shooting styles to adjust to this basketball
03:36 would be an absolute nightmare for shooters and all players.
03:39 This is the main reason athletes and fans
03:41 are protesting this potential future game ball.
03:44 People have been comparing this basketball to a wiffle ball,
03:46 which is the last thing NBA players and coaches wanna hear.
03:49 If you're not familiar with what a wiffle ball can do,
03:52 these things can dance, curve, and spin all over the place.
03:55 Will this basketball be able to be manipulated
03:57 in some capacity like a wiffle ball?
03:59 The good news is that the 3D printed ball
04:02 weighs the exact same amount as a normal basketball,
04:04 unlike the wiffle ball baseball comparison.
04:07 Because the 3D ball weighs the same amount
04:09 as the current game ball,
04:10 experts would find it hard to believe
04:12 that the ball would be whipped around like a wiffle ball.
04:14 Where the airflow dynamics could actually be a positive
04:17 is for outdoor hoopers.
04:18 During a windy day,
04:20 the ball might be a better choice for shooters.
04:22 Every hooper knows the struggle of shooting threes
04:24 when the gust is coming in hot.
04:25 But with a basketball that allows the wind
04:27 to pass through the ball instead of pushing the ball,
04:29 this would be a huge win for outdoor hoopers.
04:32 Another concern everyone has had
04:33 with this 3D basketball is the bounce.
04:36 Will the NBA's handle gods despise this ball
04:38 because the change in bounce?
04:40 Fortunately, Wilson confirmed that the 3D ball's bounce
04:42 is indeed the same as the current Wilson game ball's bounce.
04:45 Nevertheless, what remains unknown
04:47 is if the ball will remain the same over time.
04:50 And if it diminishes,
04:51 then how much life does this ball have
04:53 before the bounce is lost?
04:54 The fact of the matter is we won't know
04:56 all those exact details until the basketball is released.
04:59 However, what we do know is roughly
05:01 when this ball will be released for sale,
05:03 how much it will be,
05:04 and will the NBA adopt this basketball
05:06 as the official game ball anytime soon,
05:08 and what other sports will be next in line
05:10 for a 3D printed ball?
05:12 Some of these answers are shocking.
05:14 Wilson's 3D printed basketball creator, Dr. Lippa,
05:16 said there's definitely a possibility
05:18 we see 3D printed balls created by Wilson
05:21 for other sports.
05:22 It all just depends how the technology develops.
05:24 And my guess is that the feedback they will get
05:26 for the basketball will be a deciding factor.
05:29 We know these printed basketballs aren't cheap to produce,
05:31 therefore they aren't cheap to buy.
05:33 The 3D printed basketball costs about $65 to make.
05:37 It's going to then be sold for about $200 to $270.
05:41 The current Wilson game ball is about $200 to buy.
05:44 Because it seems like this 3D printed ball
05:46 is better suited for outdoor hoops,
05:48 they might just need to adjust their prices to fit the role.
05:51 However, Wilson has other plans for their precious creation.
05:54 The NBA official game ball has changed dramatically
05:56 over the years.
05:57 Why would the trend stop now?
05:59 Wilson's goal for the 3D printed basketball
06:01 is to see it used competitively.
06:03 Nevertheless, they currently don't have any plans
06:05 to change today's NBA official game ball.
06:07 For now, we get to keep the NBA game ball
06:09 we all know and love.
06:10 But sooner or later, the future will be here to stay.
06:13 I'm James, and I hope you enjoyed this breakdown
06:15 of the new 3D printed basketball.
06:17 I'm going to be revealing a new NBA invention very soon,
06:20 so make sure you subscribe and hit that bell
06:22 so you don't miss this upcoming story.