FIBA spotlights ball innovation with approval of smart basketball from SportIQ

MIES (Switzerland) - Aligning with one of FIBA's current strategic priorities to Enlarge the FIBA Family, FIBA has approved a smart basketball from SportIQ, that aims to increase the usage and access to advanced shooting analytics to all, especially to youth and amateur basketball levels.

The SIQ Basketball is designed to track each shot taken through a smartphone app to allow players to improve their shooting skills. The ball contains internal sensors but has the same bounce, weight, and size as any conventional game-quality basketball and has been tested in accordance with the FIBA Approval requirements for basketballs.

SportIQ, founded by former Finnish professional basketball player Harri Hoheri, smart basketball is connected to the app via Bluetooth and tracks 192 data points per shot and provides users with real-time make/miss shot tracking, release angle, release speed and distance.

By using the basketball and app, players can better understand their release time, consistency, swish percentage and more as it happens during practice. And users can leverage the technology anywhere as long as they have the ball and their smartphone. 

The SIQ Basketball has already been endorsed by shooting guards Duncan Robinson of the Miami Heat and Kayla McBride of the Minnesota Lynx, but the company aims to connect with amateurs and youth players - some of whom are already tracking their makes and misses via pen and paper. With this technology, those young players have a better chance of reaching their maximum potential.

SportIQ also understands the importance of connectivity to a wider basketball community, and they provide users with a live leaderboard as well as monthly competitions to help inspire and connect players.

"FIBA approval is critical to our business, as it further demonstrates that our smart basketball cannot only make a difference in training for the sport but also that it can be used in gameplay scenarios," said Erik Anderson, CEO at SportIQ.

 
Bart Prinssen, Head of FIBA's Equipment & Venue Centre said: "I'm glad to see such innovative technology built around one of our traditional equipment categories: the basketball, approved for FIBA Level 1 competitions. As the modern game of basketball evolves, the analytics of shooting becomes one of the most important data to drive basketball performance and this approval opens doors for more applications centered around in-ball tracking technology." 

The ball has been tested in accordance with the FIBA Approval requirements for basketballs to ensure the highest level of quality and consistency for the players. Amongst a variety of measurements, the ball's ability to hold pressure and maintain shape after extensive use and storage in different conditions is assessed. Each test is designed to ensure that FIBA Approved basketballs are of the utmost quality. 

For more information about FIBA's approval program, click here. 

FIBA