Wilson debuted its 3D-printed Airless basketball limited edition on Friday, February 16, 2024. The Airless Gen 1 comes with a $2,500 price tag, and it's already sold out.
Wilson says that the airless basketball is limited to 75 units for the Gen1, which relies on a 3D-printed polymer lattice structure instead of inflation to replicate a ball’s bounce, flight, and feel. The basketball features eight panel-like lobes and a familiar seam structure, with its hexagonal holes across the surface allowing air to pass through freely.
The 3D-printed Airless basketball is sold in three color options: Jet Black, Natural, and Brown for a customized basketball. Each airless basketball in Wilson’s Gen1 has a number inscribed into the 3D printed lattice design to underline that it is a limited edition.
Wilson’s 3D-printed airless basketball then eliminates the need to inflate the ball every now and then by leaning towards a 3D-printed lattice structure and research-grade materials to replicate the bounce of a traditional basketball.
Wilson worked with EOS, a 3D-printing solutions company, to actualize the airless basketball. The company admitted that collaborating with Wilson for a 3D-printed basketball was different from their usual venture since they mainly work with aerospace, automotive, and medical companies for 3D prints. But EOS believed they could help Wilson bring the airless basketball to life.
Time will tell if the Airless Gen 1 will become a collectible or the foundation of a new era of basketball.
