A long line of Brooklyn Nets fans snaked toward an interactive experience inside Barclays Center on Wednesday night, as the team hosted its 2026-27 home opener.
One by one, fans stepped in front of the machines to have their images captured. Within moments, an AI-generated digital avatar appeared on the screen, showing each visitor wearing a Brooklyn Nets uniform. The image was then printed onto a personalized collectible card.
The experience, called the Nets Figure Lab, is powered by Chinese technology company Alibaba Group, which has partnered with the Nets as the team's Official Jersey Patch Partner and Official Technology and Cloud Partner for its 60th anniversary season, according to the Nets.
Carlton Brown, a New Jersey resident, was impressed that the digital avatar captured his smile. He was also curious about the processing power behind the machine.
"It's pretty accurate. It picked up my smile. I was happy about that," Brown said.
The process takes about 60 seconds. Fans can receive cards featuring Nets uniforms from different eras of the team's history, with special editions planned for themed games, including Lunar New Year. Some cards also carry a golden basketball symbol, making their holders eligible for additional prizes, including autographed merchandise.
Daoud Choudhry, a 30-year-old Brooklyn resident, said the experience left him impressed by the technology. "Well, I would say China is pretty ahead," he said.
The personalized trading cards were one part of Alibaba's technological presence at Barclays Center on Wednesday, as the Nets opened their 2026-27 season with new digital experiences both on and off the court.
Beyond the personalized collectible cards, Alibaba's technology also played a role in the Nets' opening show.
The system uses 64 cameras positioned around the suite level of Barclays Center to capture basketball action from multiple angles. The feeds are processed to create immersive 360-degree views, which were incorporated into the Nets' new starting lineup introduction videos, according to the team.
During Wednesday's opening show, the technology was used to produce player introduction visuals displayed on four large LED screens suspended above the court.
The Nets have maintained longstanding ties with Chinese basketball fans. The team has played NBA games in several Chinese cities, including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen. In 2025, the Nets made their fourth appearance in the NBA China Games, facing the Phoenix Suns in two preseason games in Macao.
The team has also hosted Lunar New Year celebrations in Brooklyn in recent years, featuring Chinese cultural performances, traditional food and festive decorations. Past celebrations have included players wearing Lunar New Year-themed warmup shirts and starting lineup introductions in Mandarin.
Wednesday's home opener also drew several high-profile guests, including Alibaba co-founder and Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai, former England football star David Beckham and former NBA star Vince Carter, who watched the game courtside. The Nets faced the Charlotte Hornets in their home opener, falling 110-103.
For Luka Bogdanovic, a visitor from Serbia attending his first NBA game, the personalized collectible card was a souvenir to take home.
"It's a unique experience that we're going to bring back to Serbia," he said. "It's definitely something that we'll remember."