For the first time, the NBA will compete on glass.
Part of All-Star weekend in Indianapolis, including the whole All-Star Saturday Night lineup, will be played on a cutting-edge, full-video LED court to be erected at Lucas Oil Stadium, the league announced Monday.
That means the skills competition, 3-point contest, slam dunk battle, and shooting matchup between Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu, as well as the celebrity game, will take place on the glass floor on February 17 and 16, respectively. The All-Star Game, which takes place on February 18, will continue to be played on a wooden court.
“It gives us a little bit more range in what we can do as far as interactive graphics, reactionary graphics that happen on the floor, changing the floor design, changing the colors, really reacting to the play that happens on the court,” said Carlton Myers, an NBA senior vice president in charge of live production and entertainment. “So, we’re really confident in the capabilities that this provides us. And we believe it will be really impactful, both in the building and on television.”
The court, developed by the German company ASB GlassFloor, has been used in FIBA events. FIBA approved the use of LED glass floors for top-tier competitions in 2022. The league did not divulge how much the court costs, other than that it is more expensive than a wood surface.
The NBA has been pondering how to use the product for some time. Andre Iguodala of the National Basketball Players Association and Joe Dumars, the NBA’s executive vice president for basketball operations, tested it on the court last week to see how it plays and how safe it is.
According to the NBA, the court consists of two layers of laminated safety glass, each five millimeters thick. The surface is opaque, and all designs will be created by LED panels. Courts will look different according on the event, with real-time game metrics, replays, video content, and even player tracking animations presented.
In terms of bounce and feel, the surface is nearly identical to that of wood.
“How does it feel?” Does it have traction? Does it have give? “Those were the first questions that came to mind when I heard about this court,” Dumars remarked. “And they were answered to our satisfaction.”
The NBA experimented with new court designs earlier this season, using different-looking surfaces for the In-Season Tournament. Those courts were still classic wood, but with a distinct paint scheme.
