Google Glass has the potential to positively change the player-spectator relationship and expand the way the game of basketball is viewed. A view of the court from the perspective of fans, the mascot, trainers, announcers, or players offers the best insight into the action. From the eyes of a spectator as his drunken partner removes his shirt and shouts obscenities at the opposing team, to Reggie Miller and Kevin Harland joking about Craig Sager’s suit, to the entire team letting their star rookie lead the tunnel run, alone, there are endless possibilities of how Google Glass could increase the viewership of the on-court action.
It couldn’t get any better!
That is, until the glasses get into the hands of Erik Spoelstra, Doc Rivers, Tom Thibodeau, or any of the other 27 head coaches in the NBA. The head coaches are usually more knowledgeable and offer a different insight to the game-plan strategy than players. Seeing the game from the perspective of the basketball elders – the good ones at least – could help fans and sports followers understand the reasoning behind specific coaching tactics and strategies.
As the trend grows it will be easier for teams to understand their habits and individual tendencies that are more advanced than simple film watching. It would also be hilarious to see J. A. Adande, David Aldridge, or any sports columnist question Gregg Popovich about the glasses during an interview.
Although we don’t know exactly everything Google Glass has to offer yet, here are three hypothetical situations that could benefit the branding of the glasses and the understanding of basketball:
Understanding Yourself
The latest version of Google Glass offers a voice command software that allows for the user to take photos with a camera resolution that is much better than the previous launch version of Glass. Although it could be tricky to properly position your head or aim the camera directly at the court it is worth the time to master it and consistently get the perfect angle on an image.
The process is a bit easier when using video but could be a drastic strain on the battery, hopefully coaches remember to charge it before the game and during halftime. The photos and videos are later dumped into a Google+ account where they can be reviewed and deleted at will. From here, head coaches and their staff can survey the in-game footage that could be used to create or alter a strategy against an opponent.
The software, along with angle trajectory of Free-D, will allow for coaches to see areas of the court that they wouldn’t have before and helps to further breakdown what they are seeing. Aside from its on-court uses, Google Glass could provide translation for the many international players with strong accents and offer subtitles on the TV screen for the viewers.
Play Simulation
The structure of the glasses could allow for a new coaching strategy in the NBA. Along with the lens, there is a tiny screen attached that is mainly used for capturing photos and videos. However, the miniature screen could serve another purpose in aiding in team performance.
The high-tech classes could act as a database with all the teams’ offensive and defensive schemes. From the sideline the head coach would be able to look through a digital catalog of offensive plays and defensive schemes. At that point he’d be able to see the simulated play through the miniature camera on the right-hand side of the lens.
During a timeout or huddle the coach could project a hologram simulation to his players and give them a better understanding of their role within the play. Hopefully the simulation will be advanced enough to easily differentiate between players rather than a general replicated character. Coaches should project their plays with caution as there are always wandering eyes and an opposing defense would love to get the upper hand. A tight and crowding huddle is recommended.
Advanced Scouting
Also, Google Glass could act as a mind reader when comparing players and their tendencies. Although we can’t predict the future it would be so much easier to know what is more likely to happen. For example, imagine having to defend a Chris Paul – Blake Griffin pick-and-roll. There are several possible outcomes for the play: a Griffin dunk, Paul mid-range shot, Griffin mid-range shot, etc. The technology of Google Glass could show the percentages of outcomes between two people throughout the season: 49% Griffin dunk, 38% Paul mid-range, 13% Griffin mid-range. With knowing this information on the fly NBA coaches could better prepare their defenses by sending additional interior help or enabling a zone for player containment.
Offensively, coaches could have a better understanding of what combination of players works best or how the tendencies of a newly acquired players works into the offensive schemes.
Looking Ahead
The latest version of the technologically advanced glasses requires a prescription from an optometrist. It’ll provide comfort to those who are already wearing glasses and deter people from wearing their usual eyewear and Google Glass simultaneously; making Google Glass their daily eyewear. Although expensive, $225 for the lens and $1500 for the Glass device, NBA teams are able to fork over the cash, I’m looking at you Mikhail Prokhorov and your Brooklyn Nets, and could become an innovator in integrating the Google Glass technology with sports.
There is still a lot up in the air of exactly what Google Glass does and more information will surface as we near its release date toward the end of 2014. When it comes to asking whether NBA coaches should use Google Glass the question is a no-brainer. A better question might be how soon will they try.
With that being said, don’t discount the idea of seeing the head coach of your local area’s basketball team reading from an eye vision chart.
———————————————————–
Shawn Jones is a freelance sports writer for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and SportTechie. He also studies Sports Communication at Bradley University. Follow him on Twitter and subscribe to his blog.