TimesofIndia.com in Singapore: Talk about NBA The 2026 Rising Stars Invitational at the OCBC Arena in Singapore is all about the players, and rightly so. Who could make the jump? Who could become the next Victor Wembanyama?However, inside the hall at the Iconic Marina Bay Sands, approximately 5km from the OCBC Arena, the conversation is different.The NBA isn’t looking for players here; not looking for founders. This is not for the next point guard. It was for the next idea. The NBA talked about the founders, artificial intelligence, sports technology and companies that could shape the way basketball is played, watched and experienced for years to come.That thinking came into focus Thursday when the league announced a dedicated ‘Future of Basketball in Asia’ track under NBA Launchpad, its innovative program that connects emerging technology companies with the NBA and WNBA.Starting this September, startups from all over Asia will have a special path into the program.Speaking during the announcement, NBA chief investment officer David Lee said the move reflects how the league’s relationship with the region has evolved.“In Asia, I think global sports teams are not just looking at it as a market they’re trying to develop. It’s becoming the creator of the innovations we want to see.“The renewed focus for Launchpad in the Asian region is not just about expanding our geographic reach, but about building a more globally focused, connected innovation ecosystem around basketball.“This is not a one-year initiative or a one-time interest. It is an investment we have decided to make for the future of basketball and innovation across Asia.”The announcement itself lasted only a few minutes before one of this year’s Launchpad companies, Singapore-based Swish Basket, demonstrated its AI-powered basketball training platform.The NBA is making it clear that it wants to be closer to where the next generation of sports technology is being built.
(Image credit: NBA Rising Stars Invitational)
More than an investment program
Launchpad was launched in 2022 with a simple goal. Find young companies building technologies that could improve basketball.Over time, the program expanded beyond on-field innovation to include media, fan engagement, artificial intelligence and business solutions.Each year, a handful of startups spend six months working alongside various NBA business units before presenting their work during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.Speaking exclusively for TimesofIndia.comLee said the investment was never the starting point.“Launchpad started about five years ago, in early 2022, with the goal of finding companies that were creating exciting technologies to improve the game of basketball on the court.“From year two onwards, we’ve expanded beyond on-field innovation to include off-field companies that are business-focused.“The primary goal is to identify companies that can help us innovate.“At the end of the program, there is a stock component. After the Demo Day, we decide if we want to invest in the company. If we want, we will continue to support it after that.”
(Image credit: NBA Rising Stars Invitational)
The program, he explained, grew out of a challenge that many sports startups continue to face.Unlike companies that develop products for banking, healthcare or business software, companies that build technology specifically for sports often struggle to attract investors because the market seems relatively small.The NBA saw an opportunity to change that.“A lot of innovation in sports has happened and continues to happen. The challenge for start-ups, especially those focused on sports, is to find the right champion who can help them continue to build what they are working on.“Because the overall addressable market for many sports technologies is relatively small, investors haven’t always been excited about these companies, even though their work could be extremely valuable to the NBA.“We wanted to become more active in that space. We wanted to help these companies gain exposure through the NBA so our use would make them more attractive to other investors and the broader ecosystem.”For young companies, that confirmation can often be as valuable as the funding itself.Equally important, Lee believes, is attracting founders who really care about the sport, rather than simply seeing another business opportunity.When asked what surprised him the most since launching Launchpad, his answer wasn’t technology or investment. It was about the people behind the ideas.“What amazed me was the amount of passion people have in wanting to change the game,“People genuinely love what basketball has given them. It means different things to different people, and they want to help improve it in ways that improve the experience for their families, friends and fellow fans.“We receive hundreds of entries every year and it’s always exciting to see brand new concepts coming out again next year.”That passion, Lee believes, is often what separates a good tech company from one that can make a lasting impact on the game.
(Image credit: NBA Rising Stars Invitational)
The business of improving basketball
The technologies that go into Launchpad solve very different problems. Some help players, others help coaches, broadcasters or medical staff, and increasingly they change the way fans experience the NBA.Earlier in the day, during a panel discussion on artificial intelligence and the business of sports, Lee pointed to technologies the league is already working with.From WSC Sports, which automatically creates match highlights, to Fastbreak.ai, which helps create schedules, and Launchpad companies like SkillCorner and Springbok Analytics, which focus on player tracking and injury analysis, AI is quietly becoming a part of day-to-day NBA operations.Still, Lee insists that technology alone is never the goal. It’s a game.Lee, however, dismissed the suggestion that the next revolution in basketball will come from engineers rather than players.“I don’t think that statement is entirely correct,” Lee told Timesofindia.com.“On the field, players will always remain central. The level of competition, talent and skill among today’s players is incredible, and technology will continue to help them reach levels that may have never been possible before.“However, when it comes to the fan experience, technology will absolutely change the way people experience the game.“The ability to hyper-personalize the viewing experience based on who you are is something we’ve discussed for years, but it’s finally becoming a reality.”Lee sees that transformation extending far beyond what happens on the field. The game itself, he says, will always remain the same.Virtual advertisements are already tailored differently depending on where the match is being watched. The next step is to make each fan’s experience personal rather than generic.“A 25-year-old man in New York shouldn’t experience a game in exactly the same way as a 12-year-old girl watching in Singapore.“I’ve always believed that something is just advertising if it’s not relevant to you. If it’s relevant, then it’s information.”This thinking also explains why the NBA is increasingly investing in areas that at first glance have little to do with basketball.During the AI ​​panel, Lee cited one example the league is particularly excited about — real-time language translation. Postgame interviews, he said, often lose their relevance in a few hours. Instant translation into multiple languages ​​allows fans around the world to interact with players while the conversation is still current.That’s a small change.But one that reflects how the league increasingly looks to technology as a way to close the distance between the game and the crowd.
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Open call for India
Despite all the talk of Asia becoming a hub of basketball innovation, one country has yet to make its mark on the Launchpad.India.Lee admitted that the NBA is still waiting for its first Indian success story.“Currently, we don’t have any Launchpad or NBA Investments portfolio companies from India, which is something we should definitely work on.“India has always been a very important market for the NBA. It’s a market where we want to do a lot more. Given its size and potential, we would love to have companies there.“If we manage to identify strong companies from India, it would be another way for us to strengthen our presence in that market.“We absolutely would love to. We just haven’t had enough luck yet. Hopefully soon.”It is, however, a clear indication that the NBA’s ambitions in India are beginning to extend beyond fans, mainstream programming and commercial partnerships.The league is now also looking for founders.
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The next breakthrough
After listening to hundreds of startup pitches over the past five years, when this masthead asked about that one innovation he still wished existed. The question made him pause for a moment. Then he smiles.“Really good – and tough – question. If I already knew the answer, I’d probably start a company myself.”His answer eventually came back to one area. Keeping the game’s biggest stars on the field.“I don’t mean the area [injury prevention] has been neglected, but injury prevention is still something that needs a lot more work.“The longevity of superstar players and ensuring the best players are available to compete consistently is extremely important to us.“Whether it’s making MRI scans easier or using technology to analyze players’ movements, identify fatigue earlier and determine the right time to rest players, there’s still a lot of work to be done.”With all the advances in artificial intelligence, computer vision and analytics, Lee believes basketball still has problems waiting to be solved.The NBA Rising Stars Invitational was built around the players of tomorrow, away from the court, the conversations were about the ideas of tomorrow.Earlier in the AI ​​session, Lee summed up the challenge facing the league in one statistic.“Ninety-nine percent of our fan base has never attended an NBA game in person. So the question is: How do we make the experience for people who can’t attend — because of distance or affordability — as close to actually being there as possible?– This is where technology comes in.
