By Ayomide Otitoju
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have entered into a multi-year partnership that will see AWS become the Official Cloud and Cloud AI Partner of the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, Basketball Africa League, and NBA 2K League.
At the heart of the partnership is the launch of NBA Inside the Game powered by AWS, a new basketball intelligence platform designed to transform billions of data points into interactive insights and fan experiences. The platform, built on AWS’s AI infrastructure, will enhance live broadcasts, the NBA App, NBA.com, and the league’s social channels.
“Partnering with AWS provides us an opportunity to elevate the live game experience through innovation and offer fans a deeper understanding of the game of basketball,” said Ken DeGennaro, NBA Executive Vice President, Media Operations and Technology.
AWS Vice President of Professional Services & Agentic AI, Francessca Vasquez, said the collaboration would “showcase how cloud and AI can reimagine the game of basketball – from generating new insights to creating experiences that bring fans closer to the game they love.”
New AI-Driven Statistics
Throughout the 2025–26 season, the NBA will roll out advanced statistics powered by AWS, including:
- Defensive Box Score: Quantifies defensive contributions such as ball pressure, double teams, and switches.
- Shot Difficulty: Introduces metrics like Expected Field Goal Percentage, evaluating factors behind every scoring attempt.
- Gravity: Measures how players influence defenses and create opportunities for teammates, even without touching the ball.
A key feature, Play Finder, will use AI to analyze movements across thousands of games, enabling instant retrieval of similar plays and deeper insight into team strategies. The tool, powered by Amazon Bedrock and SageMaker, will also provide real-time alerts to enhance live commentary. NBA teams will have access to the system for coaching and front-office use.
The NBA App, NBA.com, and NBA League Pass will now run on AWS, allowing the league to scale content delivery, provide in-language programming, and offer personalized fan experiences worldwide.
The partnership extends the NBA’s growing collaboration with Amazon. This season marks the start of Prime Video’s 11-year media rights deal, with 66 regular-season games to stream globally. Prime Video will also serve as a global distribution partner for NBA League Pass.
The first NBA on Prime broadcast debuts October 24 with a doubleheader: the Boston Celtics at New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves.
