NBA's new AI stat measures defensive gravity (www.nba.com)

The NBA has introduced a groundbreaking new statistic called Gravity, designed to quantify the defensive attention a player attracts both on and off the ball. Developed with AWS’s AI and machine learning capabilities, Gravity enables coaches and analysts to move beyond subjective assessments, offering a precise measurement of how much a player distorts defensive schemes. This stat leverages advanced positional tracking technology that captures player movements 60 times per second, using 3D pose detection to analyze spatial relationships on the court. Gravity compares the expected defensive pressure a player should receive based on ball location and their position to the actual pressure they draw, resulting in a "Gravity differential" score on a scale from -100 to 100. A score above 0 indicates a player has significant pull, with scores above 80 or 90 suggesting high levels of influence that can open up opportunities for teammates even before the player receives the ball. This innovative metric not only enhances the understanding of player impact but also provides fans and analysts with real-time insights into the subtleties of the game, effectively illuminating the invisible forces that shape plays and outcomes.