Adam Silver announces major shift: “AI will revolutionize NBA officiating”

Technology is about to change NBA officiating once again. After years of controversy surrounding replay reviews, coach’s challenges and disputed calls, commissioner Adam Silver confirmed that the league plans to introduce an automated AI-based system to manage out-of-bounds decisions.

The announcement came during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, just hours after a controversial moment during Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

Midway through the third quarter, with the Spurs still firmly in the game, officials awarded possession to Oklahoma City after incorrectly ruling that Victor Wembanyama had touched the ball last. Replay clearly showed that Chet Holmgren was the final player to make contact, but the decision remained unchanged even after discussion among the referees.

The situation infuriated Spurs coach Mitch Johnson, who unsuccessfully asked for a challenge before eventually being assessed a technical foul for continuing to argue the call.

The play immediately became one of the biggest talking points of the night, and Silver wasted no time outlining the direction the NBA plans to take moving forward.

Adam Silver: “Out-of-bounds calls will become automatic”

The commissioner explained that the NBA wants to adopt a system similar to the Hawk-Eye technology already used in tennis and MLB’s automated ball-strike system.

We’re moving toward a system like that, where this entire category of calls will be automated

Adam Silver

According to Silver, the goal is to completely eliminate human error in objective situations.

Everything will be handled by an automated system using artificial intelligence and cameras positioned around the court. The decisions will be instant and automatic. The game will simply continue

Adam Silver

Silver also indirectly referenced the Wembanyama play:

Spurs ball, and you keep playing. There won’t be a need for challenges on those calls anymore

Adam Silver

Referees will focus on contact and fouls

The NBA’s goal is not to fully replace referees, but rather to reduce their workload on calls that can be objectively verified through technology.

According to Silver, the truly difficult situations remain those involving physical contact, fouls and interpretation of the game.

There’s contact on almost every possession. That doesn’t automatically make it a foul. Officials have to judge how much that contact actually impacts the player

Adam Silver

For the commissioner, certain decisions still cannot be left entirely to cameras because officials on the floor are able to perceive dynamics that technology still cannot fully capture.

Silver also addresses flopping

During the interview, Silver also discussed NBA flopping, another topic that has become increasingly central in league conversations over the last several years.

Silver drew a clear distinction between “selling contact” and outright trying to deceive referees.

There’s a difference between exaggerating contact and true flopping. Real flopping is when you’re fooling the officials

Adam Silver

According to the commissioner, many players today exaggerate reactions simply because the modern game pushes them to search for every possible advantage.

The NBA moves further into the future

The introduction of artificial intelligence for out-of-bounds calls would represent one of the most significant officiating changes in recent NBA history.

After the introduction of replay centers, coach’s challenges and expanded video review systems, the league now appears ready to take another step toward a more technology-driven version of basketball, with the goal of reducing obvious mistakes and creating a smoother flow of play.