Revolutionizing the sports industry, Wilson’s3D-printed, airless basketball prototype made a grand entrance during the first round of the AT&T NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest in 2023, and now the ball is available for purchase to the general public at the not-so-lowly price of $2,500.

Introducing the Airless 3D Printed Basketball

The airless ball, created by the giant sports goods manufacturer Wilson Sporting Goods, features an innovative one-of-a-kind design that’s rather remarkable to say the least. Instead of being air inflated like a regular basketball, the Airless Gen1 sports a polymer lattice structure that helps the ball flex and spring back, mimicking the bounce of a traditional basketball, with the same performance specifications.

It can do all the things its predecessor could, including bounce, dribble, and swifty fly through the air. As well as the familiar seam structure that we’re all used to seeing in basketballs, this version of the basketball features eight panel-like lobes that eliminate the need for the ball to be inflated. There are also dotted hexagonal holes over its surface, a critical element that allows the air to pass through it more freely.

Since the prototype ball came out, the Gen1 available to the general public has received a few updates, including a refined lattice and perforated channels. Other than its distinctive aesthetic, the only difference between this ball and a traditional basketball, according to early reviews, is how it sounds when it’s bounced — it’s much quieter.

This airless ball is also now available in new dyed colorways: black (as the prototype), brown (which closely resembles a traditional basketball), and a beige natural shade. Wilson also offers personalization with the option to add three characters on your ball when you order it. It’s safe to expect that more colorways will be available in the future.

Along with Wilson and retailer New Era, 3D design specialists General Lattice, 3D printer manufacturer EOS, and the post-processing company, Dyemansion North America have all helped co-develop this ball. For their work on the airless basketball, the companies received anhonorable mentionin the 2023 3D Printing Industry Awards in the Designer of the Year category.

SNL creative, an additive manufacturing company, is now the primary manufacturer of the new and improved ball.

The Making of the Wilson Airless Prototype Basketball

Before Houston Rockets forward KJ Martin could catch it off the backboard and slam it at the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest, and before its release to consumers willing to splurge on this stellar piece of sports equipment, the ball needed to go through a long design and development process.

Dr. Nadine Lippa, an R&D manager at Wilson, said her company charged her with “reinventing the basketball.” Not exactly a simple task but one that Wilson clearly accomplished thanks in part to additive manufacturing. Wilson’s design team said it worked with General Lattice to finalize the design and create a digital file that could be read by a 3D printer.

Next, the company sent the file to EOS, an additive manufacturing provider that typically works with aerospace, automotive, and medical device companies. EOS then produced the polymer 3D-printed ball, sealed it using a smoothing technique, and dyed it black.

The finished prototype was referred to as “The One,” a single example of how sports equipment can evolve in the future. Though the airless basketball has a distinctive look that’s instantly recognizable and differentiates it from other basketballs, Wilson said its weight, size, and performance are close to that of an NBA regulation basketball.

The company will, of course, continue manufacturing and using the company’s standard leather material basketballs. But the company said the additive manufacturing process and materials used for the prototype could eventually find their way into other sports equipment while presenting more sustainable options for production.

The Additive Manufacturing Industry in Sports

The 3D printed airless basketball is just an example of what the future holds for additive manufacturing in the sports industry. Many companies have already started turning to 3D printing for the manufacturing of their sports equipment.

These include parts for the Zero2-R Matrix ID Trench Helmet fromVicisthat offers padding that is individually adapted to the individual player’s head shape using 3D scanning. These helmets are reportedly already being used by football players like Patrick Mahomes, Tua Tagovailoa, and Derek Carr.

Dreveis another company with over 80 patents for 3D printed sports equipment, including the FotoDent® 405 nm splint. Other companies havecreated equipmentlike the Riddell SpeedFlex precision diamondhelmet, the Raptor protectivemask, Hayabusa’sboxing glovesthat feature a 3D printed lattice, and the Kask Elementobicycle helmet.

In partnership with HP and SIK golf, the 3D printed KING Supersport-35golf clubthat’s made from 316 stainless steel was created. For the Paris 2024 Olympics, T°Red’s Olympic Cycling Falcon Project produced 3D printed bicycle parts with top additive manufacturing companyAnycubic, including customized bike components, i.e., saddles, for each cyclist.

Adidas recentlyreleasedthe MC87 4D unisex 3D printed golf shoe. Tailored ski boots, soccer shin guards, and shock absorbers for tennis rackets are among the other items of sports equipment already being made, and even the Radford Lotus Type 62-2sports carfeatures 3D printed parts.

Buy the Airless Basketball

Wilson’s 3D printed basketball was released to the public for purchase on February 16, 2024, and despite its hefty price tag (more than ten times as much as the official Wilson NBA game ball), it quickly sold out in all the available colorways. Those lucky enough to bag themselves one of these products also received a carrying case, a customized luggage tag, and a display stand for those who would rather use their investment as a piece of art.

Although it is still unclear when Wilson will restock the Airless Gen 1, we can expect that these balls will soon be available for purchase again and, hopefully, as time goes by, perhaps the price will be a little more attainable for the average consumer.

This article was originally written by Ben Munson and updated by the Thomas Insights team in 2024.