The Toronto Raptors are staying ahead of the game at their OVO Athletic Centre with a new high-tech analytics board to help players with data and stats in real time.
The board is massive. It takes up the entire wall at their practice facility at nearly 37 metres long. The screen is also the first of its kind across the NBA.
“My original thought was that we could have a Jumbotron courtside so that we could be doing things in practice and want to teach immediately,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse told CBC. “So we could stop it, say ‘Rewind it. We want to look at that play again.’ And teach and coach immediately on the spot.”
With cameras installed above each rim, the board will be able to decipher the metrics surrounding each shot including the ball’s rotation, depth, trajectory, as well as the height of the shooter’s jump.
“We all want to become better shooters. You’re getting real-life analytics and stats, real-time data that’s helping you as a player get better each and every day,” said veteran forward Thaddeus Young.
Humza Teherany, chief technology and digital officer at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment believes that the board will help players grow and perform better during games.
“In our quest for championships, we want to support better, faster decision-making,” Teherany told the CBC. “And that’s really the intent of it. You’re seeing a version of it now. I think we keep on building on top of it, looking at the learnings, making it even more impactful as we go, as we get more and more experience with it.
The Toronto Raptors open their season at home on Oct. 19 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
