NBA Unveils New Streaming Experience Superimposing Fan’s Bodies Onto Players In Live Action

 

NBA commissioner Adam Silver unveiled a new streaming service for the league’s app that can superimpose a fan’s body onto a player’s body in a live game.

On Friday afternoon, Silver had a press conference ahead of the NBA’s All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah, and he announced that the NBA App will get a crazy upgrade. Basketball fans will be able to scan their body on their phone, and the technology will then place the image of their real-life body onto an NBA player while a game is being played live.

Silver showcased how the technology will work, with the help of former NFL player and current NBA broadcaster Ahmad Rashad.

Silver walked around Rashad scanning his body into the app, and they pulled up a video from a game between the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers for the demo. They selected Horton Tucker for the player that they would digitally replace.

“You will be inserted into the game. You will be making all the same movements he was, but it’ll look like it’s your body,’ explained Silver like it was normal.

“Does he have my skills?” Rashad asked, which got a big laugh from the crowd.

Silver asked the technicians to run the video, and lo and behold, Rashad’s purple shirt he had on appeared on Horton’s 6’4″ frame.

Rashad (Tucker) took the ball up the court and laid down a violent dunk.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Rashad said.

The crowd continued to laugh at the replays of Rashad’s animated body going through the same motions that Tucker’s actually did in a game.

“Where’d you get the idea to stick your tongue like that? Looks like you’ve been lifting!” Silver said. “That was incredible.”

He also joked to Rashad, “looks like you’ve been lifting,” which got a pretty good laugh.

According to the NBA, the app will offer a variety of selections for different languages, celebrity and influencer commentary, improved camera angles, and the ability to move the game into a virtual location.

Watch above via the NBA.

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Luke Kane is a former Sports Reporter for Mediaite. You can follow him on Twitter @LukeKane