Skip to main content

The NBA has an AR app that lets you test your jump shot anywhere

nba augmented reality iphone news ar 2
Keith Nelson Jr/Digital Trends
You are not Steph Curry, but now you can shoot like him with your iPhone. On October 16, the NBA augmented reality (AR) app, NBA AR, was released, and it allows you to test your jump shot on a backboard and basketball court no matter where you are.

In NBA AR, once you load the app, you get to choose your the team whose logo you wish to have emblazoned on your augmented court. Then you will be prompted to move your iPhone left and right around the spot you wish to place your court and backboard so the camera can scan your surroundings before plopping some AR hardwood before you. The app suggests playing in a large space with good lighting, including outdoors, but I was able to get some AR court time inside the Digital Trends offices in New York City.

Recommended Videos

Once the game starts, you have 30 seconds to drain as many jump shots as you can by tapping the screen to have a ball materialize in front of you. You can shoot the ball by simply flicking your phone forward to shoot. Only two-point and three-point shots are counted in the game, but you are free to move around the court, depending on how much space you have in real life. After each game, you are given your score, and prompted with the next game on the schedule of the team you selected.

Augmented reality has started to heat up around the league this year with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings releasing their own AR apps. “We’ve always said that basketball can be played virtually anywhere – and today that takes on an expanded meaning,” said Melissa Rosenthal Brenner, NBA senior vice president of digital media, in a press release.  “Augmented reality presents a variety of fascinating engagement opportunities, so we hope our fans download the app and try out their skills wherever they might be.”

This news comes less than a week before the NBA starts its second season in virtual reality. Starting October 21, the NBA will live-stream 27 regular season games in virtual reality via the NextVR app.

NBA AR is currently exclusive to the iPhone and utilizes the new ARKit technology that Apple debuted earlier this year. The app is available for free on the App Store, and is compatible on iPhone models 6s and later running iOS 11. The NBA has plans to add more experiences to NBA AR later this season, so you might be dunking in augmented reality before Isaiah Thomas plays a single game for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Keith Nelson Jr.
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Keith Nelson Jr is a music/tech journalist making big pictures by connecting dots. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY he…
The Google app on your iPhone just got a hidden new feature
iPhone display showing Google image in black on white

Here's some exciting news for users of the Google Search app on iPhone and iPad. According to 9to5Google, you can now personalize the home screen icon of the Google Search app to reflect your mood better.

The traditional Google app icon features red, yellow, blue, and green on a white background. However, you can now customize it to have a dark background or opt for a black icon on a white background or a white icon on a black background.

Read more
iOS 18 has a hidden feature you’ll only see when your iPhone battery dies
Close-up view of remaining battery life on an iPhone 14 Pro Max.

It's been just a few days since Apple released the first developer preview of iOS 18. Since then, developers and everyday users have discovered features in the first iOS 18 beta that Apple didn't mention in its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2024) keynote. The most recent discovery concerns what happens when your iPhone's battery becomes exhausted.

Apple iPhones have a power reserve feature that conserves a small amount of battery life to support essential functions like Find My and NFC unlocking when the battery is nearly depleted. In iOS 18, the feature appears to be extended.

Read more
Here’s how iOS 18 is going to overhaul your iPhone’s email app
An iPhone showing the home screen in someone's hand.

We're just days away from Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2024), which means we're about to get our first look at iOS 18. The new iPhone operating system is expected to get RCS texting in the iMessage app, more customization options for the home screen, and maybe a significant design change overall. Now comes word that changes will be made to the native Mail app.

According to AppleInsider, the Mail app is about to undergo a significant transformation. It's getting a powerful new search tool, Smart Replies, automatic sorting for different email types, and more. But the real excitement lies in the app's expected integration of AI functionality, a feature becoming a hallmark of iOS 18.

Read more