Come for the patch. Stay for the apps!

When the Nets and Infor, the cloud-based software company, announced their jersey ad deal back in February, fans focused mainly on whether the proposed red Infor patch would clash with the Brooklyn black-and-white jerseys. The sides ultimately abandoned “pop of color” and the patch now matches the team colors.

But a forgotten part of the deal was a plan for cooperation between Infor and Nets’ basketball operations, permitting the development of new digital tools for Sean Marks, Kenny Atkinson, and the players. Here’s how it was described back then.

The most unique aspect of the partnership will see Infor develop a one-stop digital hub designed to help Nets General Manager Sean Marks and the team’s Basketball Operations department generate stronger results on the court. This hub, developed by data scientists at Infor’s Dynamic Science Labs and a team from its in-house digital agency, H&L Digital, will provide actionable insights by analyzing the vast array of data captured by the Nets on-court performance as well as the team’s travel information, training activity, and other performance data.

So how’s it going? The Nets haven’t said, but a recent article on the Manhattan-based company’s website lays out some of what the two sides are working on, focusing on player self-reporting on their health, coaching communications, and hiring the best talent.

The top target, according to H&L, Infor’s in-house think tank, is the players’ “physical and physiological state.” The solution, according to Info...

We’re collaborating with the Brooklyn Nets to create a mobile app that will make it easy for athletes to self-report on everything from how well they’re sleeping to their current mood. It’s something they’re already doing—but it’s always been on paper, and those daily reports get filed away. But with this new app, historical information will always be one swipe away, so players can see trends unfold over time and get a holistic view of what’s working and what’s not. Our approach will empower athletes to take control over their wellness instead of feeling like someone else is micro-managing every decision they make.

Another area where the organization and the software company are focused is called, “Stop wasting coaches’ time.” Again, the solution is about self-reporting.

During practice drills, coaches are tasked with manually adding up the shots players make and miss. This process is time-consuming and it means coaches spend less time coaching and more time with their eyes on their clipboards. We’ve created an app that automatically calculates make-and-miss percentages so coaches can instantly know how well a player is performing in the moment and provide guidance based on real-time results.

The third area is more about hiring across the board at Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, not just basketball operations. The key, according to Infor, is finding out what “behavioral characteristics” are found in the organization’s best current employees and using that data in the hiring of new employees.

Applicants can be compared against multiple roles to identify their “best fit” positions and potential against future roles.

This will reduce time spent interviewing and screening candidates because BSE’s recruiters will be able to instantly tell who is a good behavioral fit for the role. In addition, by finding the right candidate, BSE will also reduce onboarding time when the candidate is hired.

The article doesn’t specify where Infor is at in developing the new tools or whether the Nets are using any of them now, but the article is filled with screen shots of mobile phones and tablets showing how the Nets apps will look. One screen shot shows Randy Foye’s shot chart.

The Nets have used iPhones and iPads for years for a number of basketball operations tasks. In 2012, Deron Williams agreed to his $100 million contract by signing a dotted line on an iPad in a Las Vegas hotel room, where he was practicing with Team USA. Brook Lopez signed on an iPad at his home in Los Angeles and Billy King co-signed on his iPhone in the back of a limousine on his way to the ESPYs.

The team has an iOS-connected "biometric shirt" to help monitor players' vital signs, like blood pressure, breathing rate, lung capacity, etc.

That’s just increased under Marks, with scouting reports, analytical data, et cetera stored digitally. As Zach Lowe reported in August, the Nets have made heavy investments in tracking player health. Brooklyn also tracks player diets, sleep patterns, and soreness levels and as Joe Harris noted, “They even track the color of your piss.” (It’s about hydration.)

The Infor apps add another aspect to the trend.

• Featured project: Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment and the Brooklyn Nets - H&L Digital