The NBA has faced growing criticism during the 2026 playoffs over inconsistent refereeing, including frequent flopping by players and controversial missed calls in key games.

A major disputed out-of-bounds decision in a recent Oklahoma City matchup intensified debate about officiating quality.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged the issues and suggested the league may soon use AI-powered systems to automatically handle objective calls like out-of-bounds plays.

The proposed system would use cameras and technology similar to tennis’s Hawk-Eye to improve accuracy while leaving other decisions to human referees, Futurism has reported.

The idea has sparked mixed reactions, with some fans skeptical about replacing human judgment with AI in live basketball games.