Becoming a professional athlete is hard.
Only 0.03 percent of high school basketball players will ever make it to the NBA, according to NCAA statistics. The reality is that most of us will never know what it’s like, but what if there was a way to experience this feeling. If you’re anything like me, you, too, have dreamed of making that game-winning shot in the pro’s in front of 20,000 screaming fans. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver believes this may soon be possible.
Last week, Commissioner Silver stopped by Stanford University to learn more about new virtual reality (VR) technology. Stanford Professor Jeremy Bailenson made a strong impression on Silver after the tour of his cutting edge virtual reality simulator. His prototype system uses special effects and 3D visuals to recreate game scenarios.
“We were told that [the lab] is a ‘can’t-miss experience,'” said Silver, shortly after giving the simulator a test run.
“Jeremy exceeded our expectations and opened our eyes to applications that we had never considered.”
The way fans watch and engage with sports teams could change forever thanks to this technology, yet this was only one application of the technology envisioned by Silver.
“Players always tell us how they get better by repeating certain situations. This could be ideal [as a practice tool],” Silver said.
Virtual reality technology may soon help NBA players improve on the court. A player looking to refine his game or recover from injury could do so in record time. The technology may still be in prototype form, but Commissioner Silver’s visit to Stanford demonstrates its validity and the NBA’s commitment to being at the forefront of technological innovation. It won’t be long until other professional sport leagues take notice as well. Every team looks at competitive advantages and ways to further engage with fans. Virtual reality technology may be the answer.