Basketball fans can soon buy and trade NBA blockchain-based collectibles

Basketball fans will soon be able to purchase, trade and own digital National Basketball Association (NBA) collectibles on a blockchain.

The NBA, National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and the creator of ‘CryptoKitties,’ Dapper Labs, have partnered to launch a platform called NBA Top Shot, according to an announcement Wednesday.

The platform, which is scheduled to launch in the fall, will feature digital collectibles such as a "Kevin Durant 3-point shot" or "Joel Embiid dunk." It will also host a game, which is expected to go live in early 2020.

It is interesting to note that Caty Tedman, head of marketing and partnerships at Dapper Labs, recently told The Block that blockchain-verifiable ownership could find its way beyond cats to include sports, entertainment and TV.

“It’s things like a digital sports shirt that you can showcase online [including Tinder!]…Or proving a CryptoKitty was owned by a major NBA player. I’d be stoked about that,” she said at the time.