UCF familiar with LED floor as Big 12 Tournament set to debut ASB GlassCourt

When the Big 12 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments tip off in March at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, players and fans alike will experience something never before seen in American college hoops — a full LED video floor. The conference officially announced its partnership with ASB GlassFloor, which will provide the digital LumiFlex surface for both events, marking the first official U.S. competition to use the futuristic court.

For UCF, the new surface won’t be entirely unfamiliar.

The Knights had a chance to try out the ASB GlassFloor technology last September, thanks to a short trip across town to Orlando’s ASB Athletes Lab 2.0, the only facility of its kind in North America. The lab features both the LED floor and a traditional hardwood court side by side, allowing elite teams to test the performance and feel of each.

Dawkins: “It’s an Ingenious Idea”

UCF head coach Johnny Dawkins, a self-described old-school guy, said he’s embraced the evolution of technology in basketball, and the team’s experience in Orlando gave him confidence in the surface’s playability.

“We had the opportunity to take our players down there during the summer because we wanted to give them a change of scenery,” Dawkins said. “It would be neat to go play there again. You can basically put any court design you want on it, and it will display that court. It really is like that.

“It’s an ingenious idea to have a court that can do so many different things. I thought our guys enjoyed it. I asked them afterwards for feedback because I was curious. They said they really liked it. It took a second to get used to, but after that it performed like any other floor would perform. That was good feedback.”

Dawkins noted he’s confident in the Big 12’s due diligence in rolling out the surface for postseason play.

“They’ve probably talked with the NBA, with people in Europe, with FIBA — I’m sure they’ve spoken with everyone — just to evaluate the quality and durability and to make sure players are ultimately going to be safe playing on it,” Dawkins said. “From what I could see, and from the feedback our players gave me, it performed like a court they’re familiar with, like a traditional wood floor.”

Cambridge: “It’s Endless What You Can Do”

Veteran forward Devan Cambridge was the first UCF player to step on the LED surface during an individual visit to the Lab.

“I think it was pretty cool,” Cambridge said. “I saw all the different designs it could do. You literally could do anything on it. It’s endless type of things. You can do drills on it, and it’s pretty cool.

“But as far as feel, when I first got on it, it was kind of different, so I didn’t like it per se. But then I think when we started practicing, going up and down, it felt kind of the same. But kind of dribbling the ball, it feels like a lot of dead spots. It just feels weird to bounce the ball, but overall I liked it.”

Asked if the dynamic lights and animations were distracting during play, Cambridge downplayed any concerns.

“It feels pretty normal,” he said. “You’re not really worried about nothing moving or anything on it. I would just say the dribbling felt a little different to me.”

Foumena: “Pretty Cool to Play on a Court Like That”

Junior center Jeremy Foumena echoed a similar sentiment. While the initial feel of the court was unique, he said it ultimately didn’t alter how the team practiced.

“To be honest with my experience, I think it was pretty cool to play on a court like that,” Foumena said. “Like Devan said, at first it felt different. But as you keep going back and forth, down and back, it kind of feels the same. You’re not really focused on that. You’re focused on the game and practice.

“And the lights are not distracting at all.”

UCF (17-6, 6-5 Big 12) hosts West Virginia (15-9, 6-5 Big 12) this Saturday at 6 p.m.