The Phoenix Suns reached the NBA finals in 2021, marking their first appearance in the championship series in 28 years. This achievement can be attributed to two key factors: the addition of star point guard Chris Paul to the team and the utilization of cutting-edge technology in their state-of-the-art training facility.
The Suns’ training facility, which opened in late 2020, is a 53,000-square-foot performance center that serves as the first-ever 5G innovation lab dedicated to athletic performance. 5G, the latest generation of cellular wireless technology, offers numerous advantages over its predecessors. It provides faster speeds, higher capacity for calls and other activities, and lower latency, which reduces the lag time between data transmission and reception. The potential applications of 5G in various industries, including sports, are currently being explored.
Verizon, the provider of the facility’s 5G connection, was confident about the technology’s potential to assist athletes even before the training center’s launch. Brian Mecum, vice president of device technology at Verizon, expressed that 5G connects and responds faster than anything else out there, making it ideal for real-time support in athletic performance.
Following a meeting with the Suns, Mecum and his team brainstormed the ways in which 5G could power technology to aid the team’s development. They created a list of potential features on the back of a napkin, many of which later became a reality. The 5G Performance Center incorporates several features that capture real-time player data during practice sessions and workouts. While other NBA teams have already used technology to gain insights, the Suns’ adoption of 5G allows them to gather and process significant amounts of data almost instantly. This immediate analysis enables coaches to address flaws or areas for improvement promptly, instead of waiting until the next practice session.
In comparison to the Suns’ previous training facility, located in the arena’s basement, the new performance center is a significant upgrade. The training facility’s walls and ceiling are equipped with over 150 cameras and sensors that track players’ movements and the ball. Various advanced systems have specific functions within the center. For instance, the Noah Shooting System employs computer vision to monitor every shot made in the gym, while ShotTracker tracks the trajectory of the ball and provides valuable performance data. Motion-capture technology installed on the court and in the weight room analyzes player movements and identifies potential injuries. Additionally, 3D force plates capture biometric data on balance, acceleration, deceleration, launch angles, and landing angles.
The high-speed, low-latency, and high-bandwidth characteristics of 5G allow the coaching staff to receive integrated data from the various systems immediately. This enables them to provide players with new insights during practice sessions, facilitating small adjustments that can make a significant impact on performance.
According to Mecum, immediate information changes the game, and the implementation of 5G technology in sports is revolutionizing the industry. The Phoenix Suns’ innovative use of 5G technology in their training facility has undoubtedly played a role in their success, propelling them to the NBA finals for the first time in nearly three decades. As technology continues to evolve and shape the world of sports, teams and athletes are finding new ways to leverage its capabilities to gain a competitive edge.
