Wilson – the first-ever 3D printed basketball – is officially on sale – for $2,500
Wilson Sporting Goods CoAnnounced the Wilson Airless Basketball Gen1, the first-ever 3D printed basketball. This bold product has the potential to transform the sports equipment industry in the long run, following the enthusiastic response to last year's airless prototype. Wilson Airless Gen1, which will be available exclusively at Wilson on February 16, represents a leap forward in sports equipment technology. As for **, it's a staggering $2,500.
The Wilson Airless Gen1 basketball stems from the success of its prototype, which debuted at last year's NBA Slam Dunk Contest. The commercial version includes similar features, but with significant improvements, boosting its performance to almost rival rule basketball in terms of weight, size, and rebound.
Movement innovation
We were overwhelmed by the excitement of the airless prototype and we knew it was time to bring this rare, first-of-its-kind innovation to the world," said Kevin Murphy, General Manager of Team Sports at Wilson. "Wilson has gone where no brand has gone before with the release of the Airless Gen1 basketball, further inspiring the next generation of sports innovation. ”
The development of Airrless Gen1 was spearheaded by Wilson's innovation arm, Wilson Labs, which has focused on improving basketball performance and manufacturing efficiency over the past year. The feature has been significantly improved, with an upgraded lattice design ensuring more consistent performance and bounce, while maintaining its unique transparent lattice structure, adorned with eight panel-like "bumps". To simplify the manufacturing process, holes are integrated into the ball's channel, speeding up the production of each basketball without compromising its airless nature, eliminating the need for inflation. Customization options have been broadened; Each ball comes with a built-in label that allows not only for individual customization, but also for displaying a specific limited production quantity for each unit. Additionally, Airless Gen1 expands its aesthetic appeal by introducing color variations that go beyond the original jet-black colorway, including brown and natural white options
To create original prototypes and limited-production models, Wilson Labs works with several key partners. This includes partnering with General Lattice for computational design services, Dyemansion for color and finish solutions, EOS for technical oversight, and SNL Creative for key manufacturing partners.
AM additive manufacturing has gained tremendous traction over the past few years in terms of helmets, gloves, bicycles, and other elements. For example, Cobra's range of golf clubs, built with HP's MetalJet technology, retails for about $350. So it wouldn't be surprising to see competitors (possibly using cheaper 3D printers) trying to recreate similar balls at a lower cost.
Perhaps the most appealing thing about this product is that it demonstrates the potential to get rid of rubber and leather in basketball. Both materials are fraught with ethical and ecological issues, but resource scarcity dictates market trends for rubber and its alternatives. If Wilson can make a ball that can be used almost forever without this material, then it can overcome the critical **chain hurdles in the future
Founded in 1914, Wilson is a century-old brand that provides professional sports equipment, sportswear and sports accessories.
On May 13, 2020, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Wilson announced a long-term partnership in which Wilson became the NBA's official game ball