K.J Martin, a professional basketball player, unveiled a new 3D-printed airless basketball during the NBA’s slam dunk contest. The ball was designed by Wilson to bounce and act as a traditional basketball as well as feel the same. Nadine Lippa, innovation manager, says that the ball is still a prototype and will be a while before it can hit the courts.
The basketball is 3D printed with a pattern consisting of eight-panel lobes that eliminate the need for inflating it. The outside is a cluster of hexagonal holes that allows air to flow through. Compared to a regular basketball, the size, shape, feel, and weight of the new prototype are the same. All of the traditional balls are in danger of deflating or getting popped, but the new airless ball can be left outside in all conditions without fear of damage. On top of the ball being airless, the prototype takes less waste during manufacturing. The Wilson team has been working on a prototype for several years.
Lippa said, “The adequate method-mechanical-material combination that bounced like a basketball was elusive to the team and there were so many additive technologies to sift through and understand. It took us several years to find the right combination.”
It was shared that the most challenging part of reinventing the basketball was giving it the ability to bounce. Most of the prototypes would either break or not be able to bounce at all. Eventually, the Wilson team found the correct formula for elastomeric material to create a working prototype.
During the reveal on February 18, K.J Martin commented, “When I first heard it, I didn’t know what to expect. Once I actually saw the ball in person, it was crazy. I didn’t expect a basketball with holes to bounce and feel like a normal leather basketball.”
While new versions of the 3D basketball are being tested, Wilson introduced their newest successful version to the public. The Wilson team hopes to have their newly invented basketball on the court soon.