The recent NBA All-Star Game was the setting for the unveiling of a truly unique new product — the Wilson 3D Airless Prototype Basketball. It was used during the first round of the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest by the Houston Rockets’ KJ Martin.

The first-of-its-kind 3D printed ball is truly playable, nearly fitting the performance specifications of a regulation basketball, including its weight, size and rebound (bounce). The ball, however, does not need to be inflated because it is comprised of a black, see-through lattice with eight panel-like “lobes.”

“We are so proud to unveil Wilson’s 3D Airless Prototype basketball as a physical manifestation of our continued commitment to sport innovation,” says Kevin Murphy, GM of Team Sports at Wilson. “This is just one example of how our team approaches the game and why we are the number one basketball company in the world today.”

While the 3D Airless Prototype Basketball showcases the shared drive for innovation between Wilson and the NBA, there will be no changes made to the Wilson NBA official game ball, which will continue to be comprised of the same leather materials, eight-panel configuration, and performance specifications currently in use.

The Wilson Labs team created the design for the 3D Airless Prototype Basketball at the brand’s Innovation Center in Chicago before bringing the design to life with key partners. General Lattice provided computational design services, DyeMansion provided color and finishing solutions and EOS provided additive manufacturing from its technical center, which is powered by AT&T’s high-speed fiber network.