The National Basketball Association (NBA) has signed a multi-year partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to develop a cloud- and AI-based platform that will power new basketball analytics and fan engagement tools across the league’s digital properties.
Under the agreement, AWS becomes the Official Cloud and Cloud AI Partner of the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, Basketball Africa League, and NBA 2K League.
The collaboration includes the creation of NBA Inside the Game powered by AWS, a data intelligence platform designed to process billions of data points from player tracking systems and deliver real-time insights through the NBA App, NBA.com, and league broadcasts.
The system will introduce several new categories of advanced basketball statistics during the 2025–26 season, including:
- Defensive Box Score – Uses AI to identify which defender is responsible for each offensive player, generating new defensive metrics such as ball pressure, double teams, and switches.
- Shot Difficulty – Calculates the likelihood of a shot going in, based on the shooter’s position, motion, and defensive pressure.
- Gravity – Measures how much defensive attention a player attracts, even when off the ball, to quantify their impact on floor spacing.
These stats are built from machine learning models analyzing optical tracking data collected 60 times per second from games.
Another key feature, called Play Finder, will allow users to search for specific plays and strategies across thousands of games.
The tool uses Amazon’s AI services such as SageMaker and Bedrock to recognize player movements and outcomes, offering coaches, analysts, and fans deeper insights into team strategies.
Commentators will also gain access to real-time alerts and comparisons to similar plays, providing immediate statistical and historical context during live broadcasts.
The partnership will extend AWS infrastructure to power the NBA App, NBA.com, and NBA League Pass, enabling faster delivery of live content, regional language support, and personalized viewing features.
The announcement expands the NBA’s existing collaboration with Amazon. This season also marks the beginning of Prime Video’s 11-year media rights deal, which includes 67 regular-season games and new interactive streaming features.
The first NBA on Prime doubleheader airs October 24, featuring the Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves.
