The NBA is testing a new smart basketball made by SportIQ that has a small sensor inside the valve stem. The league is considering using this smart ball in games during the 2025-26 season. The technology was tried out successfully during the NBA Summer League in July 2025.
The ball, called the Spalding TF DNA, can track important data like shot arc, spin rate, release time, and whether shots go in or miss. The sensor weighs less than one gram and does not change how the ball feels or plays, according to SportIQ CEO Erik Anderson. This is a big improvement over earlier tests in 2019, where sensors affected how the ball bounced.
The smart ball can tell when players touch it and can collect advanced shooting details. It was shown at the NBA’s Launchpad event in Las Vegas on July 14, 2025. The NBA is running more tests to make sure players like the ball. Player Duncan Robinson praised the smart ball for tracking shot release speed.
If approved, the smart basketball could give teams, broadcasters, and fans real-time information on player performance. It may work alongside other tracking systems like Hawk-Eye, which uses 3D tracking. Some issues still need to be solved, such as how players adjust to the ball and concerns over data privacy. The NBA will also need to work with the players’ union before using the smart ball in regular games.
