The NBA star died in a helicopter crash along with his daughter Gianna and seven others on January 26, 2020. As a result, the world of international athletics was shocked, and his millions of followers suffered in grief.
A statue of NBA prodigy Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna was brought to the helicopter disaster site where they died. Los Angeles artist erected a monument of the basketball megastar and his daughter on the mountainside where they died. The 73-kg bronze sculpture illustrates the couple wearing basketball uniforms. Also, They are exchanging compassionate glances as Gigi contains Kobe's hand on her shoulder.
Sculpture Dan Medina said he brought the 160-Pound bronze statue with him on the 4 a.m to the crash site. However, In his words, "On this day, the second anniversary of the accident, I decided to bring it up from sunrise to sunset and create a bit of a healing process for fans. Today was special because I witnessed a lot of that. People would come up and they would leave with some sort of satisfaction."
The initials of all nine fatalities of the accident are inscribed on the statue's metal base. It also has an engraving with Bryant's great saying, "Heroes come and go, but legends live on."
Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA selection, five-time NBA champion, 12-time All-Defensive selection, two-time NBA Finals MVP, and 2007-08 NBA MVP throughout his 20-year tenure with the Lakers.
In May, he was inducted into the 'Basketball Hall of Fame.'
AI in Sports: How It's Changing Player Performance & Fan Experience
The introduction of Artificial Intelligence or AI in sports is rapidly growing as it is revolutionizing the experience for both fans and players, bringing significant changes for greater communication.
Artificial Intelligence has been improving the sports we watch and analyze for nearly the past 20 years, but the latest generation of ultra-modern AI tools is revolutionizing every aspect of sports, from improving player and team performances to ensuring safety along with fan engagement and the experiences.
AI can process and store large amounts of data, which allows us to gain insights that we couldn't see before. This capability is at the center of the revolution. For the players, this brings improved strategies, varied training methods, and a significantly lower risk of injury.
The fans enjoy a whole new level of engagement in the game, thanks to Al-powered platforms providing content tailored to them, such as virtual reality experiences and more.
The massive impact of AI in the Sports Industry
Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing the Sports Industry rapidly by offering solutions to common problems such as individual performance, tactical requirements, injuries and recoveries, variations in training, etc.
The capacity of AI and GenAI tools to analyze complex data and provide instant insights is ushering in a new era of athletic performance and fan engagement as well.
From predictive analytics that improve player safety and performance to AI-powered viewing experiences for fans, the influence of artificial intelligence is setting the bar higher across the industry.
1. Player and team performance
(Image Credit | Markovate)
GenAI can analyze team and player behavior to reach conclusions that would contribute to improved training and coaching. For example, they can monitor and analyze the movements of players with computer vision.
In this way, they can assess whether an athlete is moving wrongly or could be injured. Machine learning algorithms can watch game videos to identify patterns of the opposing team. Sports coaches can be made to develop wiser game plans and strategies by artificial intelligence.
Some techniques, including motion tracking and motion analysis, can capture changes in the posture, movement, or technique of a player that indicte fatigue or poor motor control.
According to a study by Grand View Research, the sports analytics market size was valued at $1.9 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $5.2 billion by 2028, showcasing the rapid growth and demand for advanced analytics tools in sports.
The following two tools are widely applicable to player and team analysis:
SportVU: This system tracks detailed player and ball motion in a game with computer vision and machine learning. It can analyze shot mechanics, accelerations and decelerations, speed, and distance.
KINEXON: This system tracks positional and motion data in real-time by equipping players with sensors.
2. Injury Prediction and Prevention
(Image Credit | Sportsmith)
Injuries occur regularly in professional sports. Identifying and preventing injuries before they even occur is likely one of the most thrilling applications of AI.
Teams can utilize AI algorithms to monitor an individual's motion as they move their joints and strain their muscles. It can search for patterns or instabilities that signify an injury before the symptoms themselves appear.
AI can recognize a slight deviation in the amount of strain a soccer player puts on their knee joint and warn the coaches or medical staff. Way before the injury became acute enough to cause the player to miss games, the team could either give them rest or do exercises to help them recover.
A report by MarketsandMarkets estimates that the global sports medicine market, which incorporates AI-driven health monitoring solutions, is projected to reach $9.3 billion by 2026, underlining the significant role of AI in athlete well-being.
The following two tools could be used in the AI-powered prediction and prevention of injuries:
Sparta Science: It uses computer vision and motion sensing in analyzing movement patterns of an athlete. Based on motion data, biomechanical deficiencies, and especially risks of increased injury, machine learning models are able to identify those.
Zone 7: It measures injury risk using factors such as workload, degree of fatigue, and others through artificial intelligence and research in sports science. Their methods take age, position, body composition, and medical history into account.
3. Training Through AI-Powered Analytics and Wearables
(Image Credit | Sports Tomorrow)
Smartwatches and fitness trackers are examples of wearable technology that have become essential for tracking many of the parameters mentioned earlier.
Wearable GPS devices that can track athletes' speed and location, overall distance traveled, and movement patterns are available to provide relevant information.
Wearable heart rate monitors use optical sensors to measure blood flow in real-time, tracking the heart rate. This is an important aspect of monitoring heart health, fitness levels, and recovery. It also helps in tracking blood oxygen levels, which is another important component of modern-day fitness trackers. They use optical sensors to track the oxygen saturation level of blood.
Since the 2010s, Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), such as GPS tracking vests, have been commonly used in professional sports. Such vests are offered with discrete and effective GPS tracking and sensors located on the back and shoulders; they are typically worn as tank tops.
In football and rugby, the vest is mainly utilized to track the location and movement of a player and, thereby, report strengths and weaknesses.
4. Sports Commentary and Reporting
Sports commentary and reporting can automatically be generated from match events and live data by employing natural language processing(NLP) methods like GPT-3. Artificially intelligent commentary not only comments on a strategy but also summarizes the critical events of match play.
Similarly, GenAI can create such highlights, summaries, and post-match data reportage for viewing audiences as well.
NLP methods can make the commentary more dramatic and interesting by taking into account the game statistics and situations in real-time data. With the use of generated personalities and tones, it is possible to accommodate various fan interests in the coverage.
Automated GenAI reporting enhances sports coverage and commentary without losing interesting and captivating stories.
5. Sports Officiating
(Image Credit | Griffon Webstudios)
The use of AI in sports officiating is not without controversy, including traditional backlash and concerns regarding technology's influence on the game. Yet, the improvements it introduces, such as real-time analysis and decision support, are dramatically enhancing the accuracy and fairness of officiating.
Its capabilities to review plays from multiple angles and analyze them in seconds are proving invaluable in high-level games where every call matters.
Despite initial doubts, the use of AI in officiating is increasingly being accepted, with many seeing its potential to eliminate human error and ensure a level playing field.
As the technology improves and its uses extend, its role in assisting fair play and accuracy in sports is poised to increase, ushering in a new era in the use of technology and sportsmanship.
6. Player Scouting
(Image Credit | Intuz)
Team owners are using artificial intelligence to review the performance of the players. To determine the most skilled people to invest in, they use data analysis using artificial intelligence. It takes millions of dollars to find talent in the sports world.
So, team owners would like to ensure that scouting one player is the best decision. Artificial intelligence is used widely in scouting players for any sport, be it cricket, football, or basketball.
AI-powered Change in Fan Engagement and Experiences
1. Personalized Fan Engagement
To provide customised fan experiences, GenAI algorithms can model the preferences and behaviours of audiences. Sports teams and broadcasters can use these insights to optimize engagement across media channels.
For example, social media platforms can deliver tailored video highlights, personalized promotions, and AI-recommended content to resonate with each fan.
The NBA revealed 'NB-AI', allowing fans to activate "movie mode" and watch live games animated like popular films, such as Spider-Man
Based on their past interactions and activities, the Generative AI identifies what content types, sports stats, and topics each fan finds most appealing. It creates and sends personalized content for each person. This level of customization, enabled by GenAI in sports, helps sports organizations connect more deeply with their audiences.
2. Viewing Experiences
GenAI can process live video to generate augmented reality (AR) overlays and graphics that enhance broadcasts or live streams.
For example, shot trajectories, real-time player stats, and situational analysis can be visualized and overlaid onto the gameplay footage. For virtual reality (VR), GenAI can create real-world simulated environments for an immersive in-game perspective.
The key innovation is using Generative AI to dynamically generate and adapt AR/VR overlays and environments on the fly, customized to each moment. As the narrative and action of the game shift, the GenAI-powered augmented experiences shift with them, elevating viewing to multidimensional engagement.
A survey conducted by PwC found that 65% of sports fans are interested in using AR or virtual reality (VR) devices to watch sports, indicating a growing appetite for immersive experiences enabled by AI-driven technologies.
Conclusion
AI collaboration with sports is making the place safer as well as fairer. Predictive modeling and algorithms in AI are becoming a must for injury prevention. AI guarantees that more accuracy and fairness can be introduced in the outcome of a game by enhancing officiating. Both the aspects of performance and integrity are vital components in ensuring the prosperity and popularity of sports continue.
The impact of AI reaches sports journalism, advertising, and the creation of next-gen sports equipment, beyond the field or court. These innovations create new revenue streams and provide more exciting ways for fans to engage with their beloved sports and teams.
In this sense, artificial intelligence in the sports field could be said to be, by itself, a change not only for the athletes or for the coaches but for the sports system in general. With AI, the sports of the future could easily be foreseen because technology would harmoniously mix with manly athleticism at its highest levels.
The world of sports is surprisingly full of friendships that show fans the value of having a great friend. Over the years, some of the fiercest on-field rivals have come to become the best of friends off it. It's hard to imagine such great competitors forging beautiful human bonds away from the playing arena, and therefore always an interesting story for the fans, and what better way to celebrate than by taking a look at some of the best friendships in sports history?
The duo formed the most destructive and successful opening partnership on the pitch and an abiding friendship off it. If interviews and social media are anything to go by, these two idols of Indian cricket have still remained the best of friends, ocassionally engaging is friendly banters and revealing funny anecdotes about their playing days.
In his autobiography titled 'A Century is not enough' Ganguly remebers the time Sachin Tendulkar taped his bat when India toured England in 1996, a sojourn which saw the Bengal southpaw announce his arrival on the international stage.
Spanning years of rivalry, Federer and Nadal have ruled world tennis for quite some time. Although they are rivals on the court, the two personalities are great friends off it.
It is worth noting that Federer was invited as a special guest when Nadal opened a tennis academy in 2016. Also, on occasions like joint-interviews, their budding friendship is very visible. It is also known that Federer credits Nadal as the most inspiring and influential person he has met in his life.
But not these two. By all accounts, they hold each other in high regard and have spoken glowingly about each other during interviews. The mutual respect they have is clear
Ronaldo and Marcelo had a wonderful relationship at Real Madrid, and a combination that began and ended thanks to Ronaldo's big money moves to Juventus in 2018. Their link-up play on the left side of the pitch was ruthless, and their time together helped them form a special bond while winning record number of trophies together at Madrid.
Dwyane Wade and LeBron James won two NBA Finals together and played in two more from 2010-2014, but their friendship runs much deeper than that. This partnership began when the two were just entering the league and continued when they played together for the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics.
Rumor has it they made a pact at the Olympics, along with Chris Bosh, to join forces at some point in their careers. They did just that to great effect. Even after James left the Heat, the two have stayed close. Now their sons will team up on the same high school basketball team ushering in the next era of athlete friends.
Magic Johnson and Larry were college basketball rivals. Throughout the 1980s, they played against each other for NBA titles.
It was only when both were invited for a shoe commercial, that a blossoming friendship started. Earlier, Johnson thought Larry was overrated, meanwhile, the latter thought that the former was a showoff. The commercial bought them together and they remain friends to this day.
Xavi and Andres Iniesta spent more than a decade together at Barcelona, creating one of the best midfield partnerships in the sport's history. Off the field, they hold each other in high regard and are the best of mates. In 2015, when Xavi left Barcelona for Al Sadd, Iniesta was reduced to tears as he bid farewell to his friend at a special event and labelled Xavi as his "captain, team-mate and friend."
MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina are a pair of cricketers who retired from international cricket on the same day. In fact, Suresh has also stated that he will have zero interest in participating in the Indian Premier League if Dhoni decides to end his IPL career.
Raina and Dhoni have had many memorable partnerships on the field. Their match-winning partnership in a tricky run-chase against Zimbabwe in the 2015 Cricket World Cup is a partnership that is very close to the hearts of all cricket fans.
Virat Kohli is the captain of the Indian cricket team and the Royal Challengers Bangalore right now. At RCB, Kohli joined hands with former South African cricket team captain AB de Villiers in 2011.
Ten years have passed and now Kohli and de Villiers are the best of the friends. Their bromance has wowed the cricket universe, and they have destroyed many bowling attacks together while donning the RCB jersey.
Indian women's cricket has certainly been on the rise in last few years. While the performances on the field have been incredible, the popularity has something to do with off the field stuff as well. From their singing sessions on Instagram to their comradery while batting together, the friendship of Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues is certainly known to everyone.
The silent attitude of Smriti and the jolly nature of Jemimah just make their bond even more exciting. They are the face of Indian women's cricket going ahead and the fans would just hope that the duo's amazing bond stays intact for years to come.
Gerrard and Alonso created a talented midfield anchor at Liverpool, with their strong chemistry crucial to the Reds' success. They played a huge part in Liverpool's famous Champions League triumph, both scoring in the "Miracle of Istanbul" 14 years ago.
This completes our list of the Best Friendships in Sports.
The men's Indian basketball team defeated Bangladesh 106-41 on Friday. And along with this, they won the South Asian Basketball Association; SABA Championship basketball 2021.
India got the victory in every edition they took part and they won the SABA Championship six times. Their previous wins came in 2002, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
In the 2021 event, India topped the table with three wins in three matches and a points difference of +188. Sri Lanka came second with two wins and a loss.
Earlier, India had defeated the Maldives 88-31 and Sri Lanka 114-48.
Against the home team of Bangladesh, India was on the front foot early in the match and led the opening quarter 33-11.
In the captaincy of Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, the Indian basketball team kept scoring in the second and third quarters. The team added 54 points while Bangladesh managed just 21.
At the final whistle, India was up by 65 points, ending 106-41 to win the title.
The NBA is one of the most unpredictable sports competitions in the world. However, fans that like betting on it are often looking for close to a sure thing when it comes to the playoffs.
The real unpredictability in the NBA starts when the playoffs get underway, as the sides that are in the top positions in the Eastern and Western conferences do battle.
Anyway, which teams are among the safest bets to reach the playoffs in the 2021-22 season?
Brooklyn Nets
It would be hard to start anywhere else when assessing the best chances to make the playoffs. The Brooklyn Nets were considered favourites to win the NBA last season following the addition of James Harden.
However, their season eventually fell apart in the post season, as they were beaten by the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games in the conference semi-finals. This season they are looking extremely strong once again, in an Eastern Conference that looks wide open when it comes to playoff spots.
The Nets have won ten from 14 games that they have played, and have been strong both home and away. They have won four times in Brooklyn so far this season, and six times away from home. Obviously, we are still at a very early stage of the season, but the early indications are very good for this leading NBA chance to reach the playoffs this season.
The Los Angeles Lakers boast one of the most impressive rosters in the NBA, which means it will come as no surprise that they are one of the safest bets to reach the playoffs this season. The Lakers won the NBA title in the 2019-20 season but were very disappointing in the post-season the last term.
They failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs, as they were beaten by the Phoenix Suns. It was the first time in the career of Lebron James that he was knocked out of the playoffs at the early stage. It was also the worst playoff performance by a defending champion since the San Antonio Spurs in the 2014-15 season.
There is still work for the Lakers to do this season though, as they are down in seventh after 14 games of the new season. They have been slightly too easy to beat so far this term, having lost on six occasions and having won just eight times. Away performances will certainly need to improve, as they have lost two of the three games that they have played away from the Staples Center.
Golden State Warriors
There is certainly a feeling this season that the Golden State Warriors are truly back. They have missed out on the playoffs in the last two seasons but finally, look back to the level that they were at when winning their three titles between 2015 and 2018. The Warriors have already been making history over the early weeks of the season.
Steph Curry looks to be at the top of his game this season, as he surpassed the record number of three-pointers in NBA history set by Ray Allen. The Warriors are the early pacesetters in the Western Conference, having won eleven of the 13 games that they have played.
Home form has been a huge plus for them to this point, as they have won eight of the nine games played with home-court advantage. Certainly, bigger tests will come down the line, but the momentum that they are building ensures that they are standout contenders to reach the playoffs at present.
NBA All star-game is one of the NBA's featured events. The best 24 players from the NBA league are selected for this event. Two teams lead by two stars of the league play against each other in a weakened of February or March. Generally, the event goes for three days. But this year it was a one-day event due to all the covid-restrictions going on. The NBA awards were announced and Kawhi Leonard won the NBA All-Star Game MVP award this year.
It was Team LeBron and Team Durant who took part in the All-Star 2021 game.
Team LeBron will play for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Team Durant will play for UNCF (United Negro College Fund), with both organizations providing scholarship funding to further the higher education of students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. (Source NBA)
Kobe, playing for the Los Angeles Lakers won the award in 2011. His field goal percentage was .451, Points per game was 25.3 and assists per game was 4.7
Kevin Durant was named as the All-star game MVP in 2012. He was in Oklahoma City Thunder team that year. His field goal percentage was .496, Points per game was 28.0 and assists per game was 3.5 that year.
Chris Paul won this award for the first time in his career in 2013. Also, it was the only time he got the award. Perhaps, it was his field goal percentage of .481, points per game of 16.9 and assists per game of 9.7 that made it possible.
Kyrie Irving in 2013 had.430 field goal percentage and 20.8 points per game in 2014. Moreover, he was awarded the Rookie of the Year award in 2012 as well for his brilliant performance in his debut season.
NBA All-Star Game MVP award 2015- Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook got the award in 2015 for his record-breaking 28.1 points per game. This is the record for the highest PPG in the last decade. He also had 8.6 assists per game as well in 2015.
NBA All-Star Game MVP award 2016- Russell Westbrook
In 2016 Russell Westbrook became the first-ever player in NBA history to win the All-Star MVP award in consecutive years. His performance that year was- .454 PG%, 23.5 PPG, and 10.4 APG (most in this decade)
NBA All-Star Game MVP award 2017- Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis had an record 11.8 rebounds per game (most in decade) and 28.0 points per game playing for the New Orleans Pelicans.
NBA All-Star Game MVP award 2018- LeBron James
LeBron had an outstanding year in 2018 playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He had an outstanding .542 field goal percentage that season, which is still the best in this decade.
NBA All-Star Game MVP award 2019- Kevin Durant
After 7 long years, Kevin Durant got the award in 2019. Moreover, he was in the All-NBA 2nd Team that year also. The forward from Golden State Warriors had a great year in 2019.
NBA All-Star Game MVP award 2020- Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard was in the Team Durant in the All-Star Match this season. His performance speaks volumes as a forward in the NBA league. He had 27.1 points per game and .470 field per game in the 2020-21 season.
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/sportzpoint/media/post_attachments/30ba57a34cbdf8ccac49c3fcbffc767c99139d762efb4b2dcadf827a0f98bf9c.jpg "NBA Awards: NBA All-Star Game MVP award in last ten years- SportzPoint")