AI is everywhere today, but even the most tech-adept among us may not truly grasp the magnitude of how it will change our world. As soon as somebody mentions AI, almost by default, people will jump to the idea of sophisticated robots, ChatGPT, and a wide range of other AI creations that have dominated headlines since the end of 2022.
Ultimately, AI has the potential to change things at almost every level of society as we know it — and sports are no different. While it won’t be robots playing in the NBA or sentient AI dishing out orders from the bleachers, AI has already started to play a pivotal role in data analytics and how coaches approach their strategy for upcoming games.
How AI Intersects with Information and Data?
We live in a complex world, and the emergence of intelligent and cutting-edge AI technology has caused wonder, bemusement, and concern in equal measure. AI is already used in sports betting to crunch numbers and find value in the market.
While there’s no accounting for the nuances that make sports so enthralling and unpredictable, it’s saving a lot of bettors and analysts time with their bets — whether they’re placing a wager on NBA prop bets today or looking at outright markets over a longer timeframe, such as the playoffs.
If we approach this from a data analytics perspective, especially in the NBA, it will undoubtedly transform coaches’ approach to upcoming games. Gone are the days of manually writing down tactics and notes; the process leveled up decades ago with live in-game headsets, internet storage, sports science, and in-depth video analysis.
However, AI is now adding another dimension to that. Instead of watching previous games or digesting statistics, it can be programmed to dissect sophisticated and niche pieces of data and suggest potential outcomes and strategies, all within a few seconds. This process previously took hours and is continuing to revolutionize the NBA.
NBA Data Samples
These data samples can have many purposes depending on the player or team. The four primary samples that teams now use to try and gain the upper hand on the opposition are Turnover Ratio (TO), Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%), Offensive Rebound Percentage (OREB%), and Free Throw Attempt Rate (FTA Rate) — all of which can provide vital insights into how a team will set up and where its weaknesses lie.
A Perfect System?
Although AI seems to be on the brink of becoming the dominant force in technology, with Nvidia sailing past Google’s market cap and closing in on Apple as America’s dominant tech giant, there are still limitations and concerns emerging about AI.
It’s far from a perfect system in NBA data analytics. Although it has proven to be useful at times, it’s still many years away from being able to capture game-specific information, such as form, player personalities, how prone they are to injury, and many other variables that often make data analytics a gut-instinct, just as much as it is a science or an art.
In a decade, this could be completely different. AI continues to generate trillions of dollars worth of profit and interest, and it is ramping up innovation and intelligence — permeating sports, healthcare, and business and technology solutions.
Like any centralized database connected to the internet or cloud software, it is susceptible to cyberattacks. As AI’s intelligence grows, cyberattacks’ intelligence will grow alongside it.
While technology has great potential, as with most things where human beings are involved, there’s also a worrying chance of significant harm, and whether legislators and bright minds can avoid this will be one of the most vital obstacles to overcome when assessing this disruptive innovation.
Final Thoughts
We’re only just starting to explore what AI can do, and while many are excited about how the endgame could look in sports science and data analytics, many are just as apprehensive, and not without good reason.
While it would be naive to suggest that AI poses some sort of existential threat in the world of NBA data analysis, it could reach a ceiling where sports analysts and coaches need to deal with the nuances and the gut instinct that comes with reading and playing the game at the highest level.
AI will not be able to account for this, no matter how much quicker or sophisticated it gets — at least not for the foreseeable future. One thing is for sure, though — it will be a game-changer.
