High-Tech Hoops

Stephen Curry of California’s Golden State Warriors dribbles the basketball down the court. At the three-point line, he stops. In one motion, he jumps and shoots. The ball rolls off his fingers and arcs through the air. SWOOSH! 

Last season, Curry made 402 three-point shots. That’s more in a season than any player in NBA history. He also led the league in points per game. 

Basketball teams have long kept track of statistics like these to measure a player’s performance. But now, teams can track much more about athletes like Curry. High-tech tools measure everything from a player’s heart rate to the angle of a shot. Coaches use this information to fine-tune their players’ technique and monitor their health. It might even help a team win.

Stephen Curry plays basketball for the Golden State Warriors in California. He’s about to make a three-point shot. In one motion, he jumps and shoots. The ball rolls off his fingers. It flies through the air. SWOOSH! It’s in.

Curry made 402 three-point shots last season. That’s an NBA record. He also scored the most points per game that year. 

Basketball teams count players’ points to see how well they’re playing. Coaches have kept track of this data for a long time. But now they can track more about players like Curry.

Many teams are using new high-tech tracking tools. These tools measure things like a player’s heartbeat or the angle of a shot. Coaches collect this information. They can use it to help players improve. It might even help a team win.

Basketball moves like sprinting, jumping, and shooting require all the parts of the body to work together. If a single muscle or joint is out of sync, it can strain other parts of the body and throw off a player’s game.

Jack Ransone is a sports scientist who uses technology to study how basketball players move. For years, he worked with players in the NBA. Today he trains college players at the University of Nebraska’s Athletic Performance Lab. 

One way Ransone measures a player’s movements is with force plates. These devices are installed in the floor. They measure how hard and at what angle players’ feet press down on them. Ransone compares the forces on a player’s right and left sides. This tells him if the two sides are balanced. If they aren’t, the player can work to strengthen the weaker side.

Ransone also uses motion capture to study players’ form. He first attaches dozens of reflective dots to an athlete’s body. As the player moves, high-speed cameras record the position of the dots 300 times a second. All these measurements combine to create a 3-D image on Ransone’s computer.

The images can reveal problems with a player’s form. For instance, Ransone can see if a player’s knee rotates too much or if the ball leaves a player’s hand too quickly. These issues can be fixed with training, but coaches have to spot them first. “You could never see these problems with your eye alone,” says Ransone.

Basketball players run, jump, and shoot. Many body parts have to work together for these movements. If one part is off, the player might get hurt or make mistakes.

Jack Ransone is a sports scientist. He studies how basketball players move. He used to work with NBA players. Today he trains college players at the University of Nebraska. 

Ransone measures players’ movements. Force plates are one of his tools. These devices are built into the floor. They measure how hard a player’s feet press down on them. They can also tell which direction the push is coming from.

Ransone tests the forces on a player’s right side. Then he tests the left. He sees if the two sides are balanced. If they aren’t, the player could get hurt. Ransone tells the player to exercise to strengthen the weaker side.

Ransone also uses motion capture. This technology helps him study players’ form. He sticks shiny dots all over an athlete’s body. Then the player starts moving. Special cameras record where the dots go. They take measurements 300 times a second. Ransone’s computer combines the measurements into 3-D pictures of the athlete.

These pictures can reveal problems. Ransone may see a player’s knee rotating too far. Or the ball may leave a player’s hand too soon. Training can fix these problems. But the motions are so fast that coaches need technology to spot them. “You could never see these problems with your eye alone,” says Ransone.

Technique isn’t all coaches worry about. They also want players to stay in top physical shape. That’s why many teams use wearable sensors to monitor players’ health. Some sensors measure things like heart rate. Others track how players move around the court. 

One popular sensor system is made by the Australian company Catapult. The sensor fits in the back of a special jersey. It tracks a player’s position by sending signals to 15 devices installed around a gym. It also measures the player’s acceleration, movement direction, and body rotation.

This data can help teams design better practices. For instance, when NBA teams began using Catapult sensors in 2006, they learned something surprising: About 80 percent of a player’s moves during games are side-to-side and backward. Many NBA coaches had been training players with forward sprints. Now they practice more of these other movements.

The sensors also help protect athletes from injury. Basketball players at Marquette University in Wisconsin wear sensors during every game and practice. Sports scientists like Dan Kant-Hull monitor the data in real time. If they see signs of fatigue, like a rapid heart rate, they’ll let the player rest. “Tired players are more likely to get hurt,” says Kant-Hull. 

Coaches want players to stay in good physical shape. That’s why many teams wear sensors on their bodies. These devices help monitor players’ health. 

Some sensors measure how fast a player’s heart beats. Others track how players move around the court. 

One system is especially popular. It’s made by a company called Catapult. The sensor fits in the back of a special shirt. Other devices are placed around the gym. The sensor sends signals to these devices to track a player’s position. It also measures acceleration when a player changes speed or direction.

This data helps teams design better practices. NBA teams began using Catapult sensors in 2006. They learned that most of a player’s moves in a game are side-to-side and backward. Coaches were shocked. Players had only been practicing running forward! Now they practice these other moves too.

Sensors also keep athletes from getting hurt. Basketball players at Marquette University in Wisconsin use them this way. They wear sensors during every game and practice. Sports scientists watch the data. They look for signs like a fast heartbeat. That means a player is getting tired. 

“Tired players are more likely to get hurt,” says sports scientist Dan Kant-Hull. Sensors can tell him when to let players rest.

NBA players aren’t allowed to wear sensors during games. But a growing number of pro teams use them during practice. The Warriors were one of the first NBA teams to embrace the technology. Today, about half the league uses sensors. 

Player-tracking tools will continue to improve, says Ryan Warkins of Catapult. “Someday, players may not even need to wear a sensor,” he says. “The technology will be contained within the fibers of a shirt.” 

As technology becomes more affordable, experts also expect youth teams to start using it. That could help college and pro teams scout for new talent, says Ransone—and maybe even find the next Stephen Curry!

NBA players aren’t allowed to wear sensors during games. But many use them during practice. The Warriors were one of the first. Now about half of NBA teams use sensors. 

These tools will get even better over time, says Ryan Warkins. He works for Catapult. “Someday, players may not even need to wear a sensor,” he says. “The technology will be contained within the fibers of a shirt.” 

High-tech tools are costly. But the price will go down over time. When it does, more youth teams will probably start using sensors. That could help pro teams scout for new talent, says Ransone. Maybe they’ll find the next Stephen Curry!