Wilson Creates a Futuristic Basketball That Will Never Go Flat

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Wilson’s 3D-printed, airless basketball prototype made a grand entrance at the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest. But before Houston Rockets forward KJ Martin could catch it off the backboard and slam it, the ball needed to go through a long design and development process.

Dr. Nadine Lippa, an R&D manager at Wilson, said her company charged her with “reinventing the basketball.” Not exactly a simple task but one that Wilson clearly accomplished thanks in part to additive manufacturing.

Wilson’s design team said it worked with General Lattice to finalize the design and create a digital file that could be read by a 3D printer. Next, the company sent the file to EOS, an additive manufacturing provider that typically works with aerospace, automotive, and medical device companies.

EOS then produced the polymer 3D-printed ball, sealed it using a smoothing technique, and dyed it black.

The finished prototype is referred to as “The One,” a single example of how sports equipment can evolve in the future. It features a surface dotted with hexagonal holes, allowing the air to pass through, and a lattice structure that helps the ball flex and spring back, mimicking the bounce of a traditional basketball. Though the prototype has a distinctive look, Wilson said its weight, size, and performance are close to that of an NBA regulation basketball.

For now, Wilson stressed that the prototype is only a prototype and that the NBA will continue using the company's standard leather material basketballs. But the company said the additive manufacturing process and materials used for the prototype could eventually find their way into other sports equipment while presenting more sustainable options for production.

Image Credit: Wilson