Why Ultra-Wide Band Technology Has Been Scoring Points in Basketball for Years
One of the world’s largest tech companies is relying on Ultra Wide Band and obviously has big plans with the technology. In the US, the NBA has been flying high for years with UWB and the college teams are following suit — for good reason.
Ever since Apple introduced its new iPhones with built-in UWB chips this autumn, ultra-wideband technology (UWB) has been on everyone’s lips. On the product side, Apple hints at UWB’s greatest strengths: Movements and positions can be tracked within centimeter precision. And the product presentation ends with the words: “And this is just the beginning.”
The truth is: This isn’t the beginning as UWB has been utilized in sports for few years now, most notably in Professional Basketball. It was 4 years ago when the first NBA club, the Philadelphia 76ers, purchased an UWB-based live tracking system from KINEXON Sports and started to analyze their training sessions utilizing Kinexon’s precise position data.
70% of all NBA teams and a rapidly growing number college teams are utilizing UWB-based tracking systems
From that moment on, coaches were able to follow every movement their players made on court — in real time, from clear angles and with processed performance data visualized within a software platform. A big plus: In contrast to other tracking technologies, UWB records movements in all directions, including height.
4 years later, more than 70 % of NBA teams like the Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets and others track their training sessions with KINEXON Sports and rely on the accuracy UWB provides. And the technology has arrived in college basketball, too! In the 2019/2020 season alone, 15 NCAA teams (these include University of Tennessee, Stanford University, University of Iowa, West Virginia University and others) have come onboard and are using the system of the multiple award-winning full-stack provider from Germany.
For Mehdi Bentanfous (Managing Director, KINEXON Inc.), the demand for UWB-based performance tracking in college basketball is remarkable:
“We are excited about the increasing demand for our product at the collegiate level. One reason for this development is for sure that NCAA teams train more and more similar to NBA conditions. Nevertheless, they have a much smaller budget and staff. We are therefore particularly proud that they are also convinced of the value proposition our product delivers.”
NBA and college teams primarily pursue four objectives
UWB tracking data gives coaches access to more than 180 metrics that document performance and load seamlessly. And with these, four goals are being strategically pursued:
- Measure, control and increase the physical performance of players
- Prevent injuries that are caused by overloading
- Ensure comebacks and prevent too early return-to-play of injured players
- Monitoring and forecasting development curves of younger players
In a sport that thrives on numerous jumps and fast changes of direction on a small court, the accuracy, speed and validity of the data are of extreme importance. The UWB sensor technology has been unrivalled here for years. It records movements in all directions and also includes information about the number of jumps, jump height or short/fast changes of direction.
Independent research institution commissioned with validation study
The rise of UWB technology by KINEXON Sports even prompted the NBA to commission a validation study from an independent research institution. The result was positive. Both the reliability and the validity of the data were convincing.
Coaches across collegiate and professional basketball keep on integrating live tracking data into their daily training routine and are very quickly developing their own strategies:
“KINEXON performance insights give us the opportunity to adjust and improve our practice program for the whole season. We simply have a better understanding of intensity and performance levels for all players. Therefore, we can compete playing physical, tough, and smart basketball.”
“The demand has been rising for two to three years now“
Mehdi Bentanfous, who is in charge of the US market for KINEXON Sports, does not believe that UWB technology is experiencing an upswing in sports only due to its use in modern smartphones: “It’s not only US professional basketball where UWB tracking is already accepted and established. In European top sports and other US pro leagues such as NHL, NFL and NCAA, the demand has been rising rapidly for two to three years now.”
Nevertheless, Bentanfous expects a boost: “The interest in the mobile system from KINEXON Sports, which runs without permanently installed anchors and can be used everywhere, is enormous. It opens opportunities for us across all levels of collegiate sports, not just in Power 5 conferences. While the mobile system does not provide the same depth of data as our wired solution yet, our technological progress is currently being driven very quickly by the great demand. There is definitely still a lot of growth potential!”
UWB-based live tracking – a technology without limits?
The development of UWB tracking technology remains exciting because localization and processing motion data does not stop at translating numbers into performance metrics. New features emerge almost monthly and collaboration is key in this business. KINEXON Sports relies on an open interface and 360-degree connectivity right from the start. This builds the basis for collaborations with other sports technology providers and integrating new functions into the running system.
For example, information such as performance data or distances between players can be displayed live on video views as an augmented reality feature, live data can be synchronized directly with other analysis systems, performance tracking can be enhanced by shot tracking or load data such as heart rate or heart rate variability can be integrated. At the moment there do not seem to be any limits on how far the technology can go.
So, yes: This is (probably still) just the beginning.
More stories
Study Reveals: Olympic-Based Strength Training Enhances Handball Skills!
Imagine the power and agility of an Olympic athlete combined with the strength and endurance of a handball player. That’s exactly what a recent study set out to explore. The goal? To unlock new levels of performance for women handball players.
What's Still Missing on The Journey to Equality for Women Athletes?
Researchers from the Bundesliga club, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, are conducting a study on the influence of the menstrual cycle on the performance of women athletes. Dr. Sascha Härtel and Dr. Ludwig Ruf shared insights into the research, and talked about what is still needed.
Study Reveals the Most Popular Shot EuroLeague Basketball Players Take
Sports analytics and data-driven forecasting play crucial roles in European basketball. Researchers are trying to identify essential performance metrics and effective coaching strategies. What they’re finding is that one type of shot is more popular than the rest.
Why Underloaded EuroLeague Basketball Players Still Need Data
As Head of Performance at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, Kostas Chatzichristos knows basketball analytics. He explains why coaches need to collect data on all players — even the ones who aren’t getting minutes.
What a UL Experiment Revealed About Merging Live GPS Data and Recovery Tech
In football, recovery is as important as training. Recently, the sports medicine staff from the University of Louisiana conducted an experiment to gauge the impact Firefly Recovery Devices may have on a player’s recovery with the help of live data from KINEXON Sports.
How Basketball Coaches Can Use Sports Video Analysis Software
Basketball coaches and players strive to understand the intricacies of each shot. But using a video analysis software, that doubles as basketball shot tracking app, promises to be the Holy Grail for those seeking comprehensive insights.
What Are The Volleyball Metrics That Matter Most to Coaches?
Volleyball positions require speed, agility, power, and precision. But how do you know if your team is performing at its best? How do you measure your progress and identify your strengths and weaknesses? This is where player metrics and analytics come in.
Why Evansville University’s Sports Performance Coach Dislikes Backpedaling
How can players optimize their performance and avoid wasting steps on the court? That’s the question Jeremy Portillo, the sports performance coach for Evansville University men’s basketball team, was asked on a recent episode of “The Extra Edge” podcast. He gave a jaw-dropping answer.
Athletic Performance: Why is it Important to Understand and Track Acceleration?
Athletic ability is often associated with an athlete’s explosive speed and acceleration. That’s why acceleration is often called one of the cornerstones of excellence in athletic performance. But did you know that it can be improved with the right tools and training methods?
How UAB's Strength Coach Sold Football Analytics to His Head Coach
Author: Dave Grendzynski
Lyle Henley, the Director of Sport Performance for the University of Alabama Birmingham. football team. He’s a strong advocate for sports data. He shares his story of how he sold his old school head coach, Trent Dilfer, on the idea of using data.
What Kind of Live Data Can an LPS System Provide Fans During an American Football Game?
Coaches, players, media, and fans crave real-time insights to enhance performance, strategy, and engagement in American Football. Now, LPS technology is providing just that. Giving everyone in the stands, and watching at home, a view of the game they have never seen before.
What Stanford's Volleyball Strength Coach Avoids Every Season to Stay on Top
Author: Dave Grendzynski
Tyler Friedrich is the sports performance coach for the women’s volleyball team at Stanford University. He’s been helping them improve their strength, speed, agility, endurance, and jump height for more than 8 years. He says to stay on top, there’s one thing coaches should avoid.
Why Integrating Football Match Data with Sports Performance Training is So Important
In football (or soccer, as it’s known in some parts of the world), coaches are constantly seeking innovative ways to enhance player performance. One powerful approach that’s gaining traction is the integration of match data with sports performance training metrics that are GPS-based.
What Strategies Can Coaches Use To Find Top-Tier Sports Data Analysts?
Author: Dave Grendzynski
As the Director of Sports Performance at the University of Colorado, Steve Englehart realized he needed someone who could make sense of the data he was collecting. He explains how he found his analyst and how other coaches can find one too.
How Football Analytics Put a Walk-On on a Path to the NFL
Author: Dave Grendzynski
The insights we’re getting from our guests on The Xtra Edge podcast are even better than we imagined. Take University of Louisiana Coach Connor Neighbors, for instance. When he was asked, “How did you discover sports analytics?” The answer even shocked us.