WILSON INTRODUCES FIRST-EVER 3D AIRLESS PROTOTYPE BASKETBALL DURING 2023 AT&T SLAM DUNK CONTEST AT NBA ALL-STAR

KJ Martin debuts playable 3D printed basketball during State Farm All-Star Saturday Night

SALT LAKE CITY, February 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — As the official basketball player of the National Basketball Association (NBA), Wilson Sporting Goods Co. has proven once again that it is one of the most innovative brands in sport – daring to do what no brand has done before. The 3D airless prototype basketball was unveiled by Houston Rockets player KJ Martin during the first round of the AT&T slam dunk contest Saturday night.

“We are so proud to unveil Wilson’s 3D Airless Prototype Basketball as a physical manifestation of our ongoing commitment to sports innovation,” he said Kevin Murphy, General Manager, Team Sports at Wilson. “This is just one example of how our team approaches the game and why we are the number one basketball company in the world today.”

The first-of-its-kind 3D-printed ball is truly playable and closely matches the performance specifications of a regular basketball, including its weight, size and rebound. The ball does not need to be inflated, however, as it consists of a black, translucent grid with eight plate-like “lobes”.

While the 3D Airless Prototype Basketball demonstrates the shared drive for innovation between Wilson and the NBA, no changes will be made to the Wilson NBA Official Game Ball, which will continue to use the same leather materials, eight-panel configuration and material currently used performance specifications.

“This is the first time I’ve attended the NBA All-Star Celebrations, and it’s been with Wilson in such a memorable way, here on a big stage Utah is really special,” said Martin. “The game evolves with every generation of players, and it’s so important to the future of basketball to have a brand partner that continues to push the boundaries of innovation.”

The Wilson Labs team created the design for the 3D airless prototype basketball at the brand’s innovation center in Chicago before bringing the design to life with key partners. General Lattice provided computer-aided design services, DyeMansion provided coloring and finishing solutions, and EOS provided additive manufacturing from its engineering center powered by AT&T’s high-speed fiber optic network.

To learn more about Wilson’s 3D Airless Prototype Basketball used during the 2023 AT&T Slam Dunk at the State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, please visit: https://www.wilson.com/en-us/ explore/basketball/airless-prototype

Around: Based in Chicago, USAWilson Sporting Goods Co., a subsidiary of Amer Sports Corporation, is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance athletic equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories. The company brings more than a century of innovation, history and heritage to many sports including racquet sports, baseball, softball, American football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and golf.

In basketballWilson is the official game ball supplier to the National Basketball Association® (NBA), Women’s National Basketball Association® (WNBA), National Collegiate Athletic Association® (NCAA) for March Madness and the Final Four, Basketball Champions League (BCL ) , Basketball Africa League (BAL) and FIBA ​​​​3×3.

SOURCE Wilson Sporting Goods