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Wilson's 3D-Printed Basketball of the Future Is Full of Holes But
Never Goes Flat

The ball was revealed to the world during the NBA's Slam Dunk Contest
this past weekend.

By
Andrew Liszewski
Published7 hours ago
Comments (38)
We may earn a commission from links on this page.
Gif: YouTube - Wilson Basketball

How many times has a game of basketball been thwarted by a ball that
was too flat to bounce? An air pump with a properly sized needle
isn't something most people carry around with them all the time, so
Wilson has been working to redesign the basketball with a prototype
that's covered in an intricate pattern of holes but never goes flat.

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Although calling the basketball "airless" is a bit of a misnomer
given air is still able to pass right through it, it's the most
common term that's been used to describe this technology that
replaces the need for pressurized bladders in objects designed to
bounce or absorb impacts.

Before Wilson brought the technology to the court, companies like
Bridgestone have been working to create airless tires for vehicles,
which first debuted 12 years ago at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show on a
tiny single-seater vehicle. Instead of needing to be constantly
pumped full of air to provide a comfortable ride for passengers,
Bridgestone's airless tires use a series of plastic resin spokes that
can deform to absorb impacts but still allow a wheel to maintain its
shape so it can roll.

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It's been a slow rollout for Bridgestone's airless tires, however,
which have mostly been used on ATVs, some military vehicles, and
bikes, so far. Although the technology is promising, making airless
tires that are safe and suitable for all kinds of terrain and
weather--including snow--has been challenging. Basketballs, by
comparison, don't need to support a sedan full of people cruising
down the road at 80MPH, and balling in the snow is never a necessity.

The Making of the Wilson Airless Prototype Basketball

Wilson partnered with a company called EOS which specializes in the
use of 3D printing for industrial uses including medical and
aerospace applications, to manufacture the unorthodox basketball
design that's covered in a pattern of open hexagons instead of sealed
leather panels.

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Wilson's 3D-printed airless basketball prototype photographed
bouncing in white powder against a black background.
Image: Wilson

EOS relied on additive 3D printing technology which, instead of
building up layers of extruded melted plastic, uses a powdered resin
that's hardened by a laser to create ultra-thin stacked layers with
even more detail. The result is a completely hollow basketball that
nearly matches the "performance specifications of a regulation
basketball, including its weight, size and rebound (bounce)." The
3D-printed ball can even be dyed in various colors, with the
prototype being made all-black for its debut during the 2023 NBA
All-Star Game festivities this past weekend.

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The NBA currently doesn't have any plans to switch to Wilson's
3D-printed airless basketball design, but that doesn't mean it's a
failure. Wilson plans to continue to develop and improve its design.
And even if it never finds its way into the NBA, it could still help
make the game more accessible on playground courts across the country
where pick-up games will never have to be canceled because no one can
find a pump to fix a flat ball.

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