Delivered by the founders while leading Rehab Studio, prior to founding Cyphr.‍

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The NBA was turning 75 in 2022. That's seven and a half decades of slam dunks, buzzer-beaters, and legendary players! They needed something special to mark this milestone, something that would get fans involved rather than just watching from the sidelines. This wasn't just about looking back – it was about bringing 75 years of basketball magic to life in fans' hands.

How do you celebrate 75 years of NBA greatness in a way that feels fresh and exciting, especially for today's fans who are constantly scrolling through their phones looking for the next cool thing?

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The NBA was looking for:

• Something digital that could reach fans everywhere
• An experience that worked for die-hard fans and casual viewers alike
• A fun way to explore decades of players and stats without feeling like homework
• Something that would pair perfectly with TNT's big NBA 75 Ultimate Draft broadcast

We created Ultimate 5 – a mobile-friendly, AI-powered interactive game that let fans build their dream team from across the NBA's entire 75-year history.

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The experience started with super intuitive design that made browsing thousands of players effortless. We knew that not everyone remembers stats from the 1960s, so we created a visual system that highlighted player strengths and eras, letting fans discover legends they might never have known alongside familiar faces.

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What really made Ultimate 5 special was the endless possibilities it offered. Fans could mix and match players from completely different decades, creating over 18 million unique team combinations. Want to see how Michael Jordan would pair with Wilt Chamberlain and Steph Curry? No problem. This wasn't just about picking the obvious all-stars – it was about creating unexpected dream teams that sparked imagination.

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Behind the scenes, our smart scoring system added real competition to the experience. Our AI engine analyzed each lineup based on team balance, era strength, and player legacy, giving fans instant feedback on their selections. This gamification turned browsing into competing, with friends constantly trying to outscore each other by finding the perfect historical combination.

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The primetime launch took everything to another level. We dropped Ultimate 5 during TNT's NBA 75 Ultimate Draft Show, with basketball legends and celebrities creating their own teams live on air. This integration created a massive viewership moment where fans at home could play along in real-time with their basketball heroes, driving huge traffic spikes and social engagement.

The Ultimate 5 experience made a massive splash when it launched live during TNT's NBA 75 Ultimate Draft show. Basketball legends, team owners, and celebrity pundits didn't just promote it – they enthusiastically built their own teams on-air, creating an authentic connection that had viewers reaching for their phones.The numbers backed up the buzz in a major way. Over 750,000 unique teams were created during All Star Week 2022 alone, far exceeding our initial projections.

NBA Ultimate 5 turned 75 years of basketball into an interactive playground for every fan. By blending nostalgia with cutting-edge tech, we didn't just celebrate history – we made it competitive, shareable, and seriously fun. The result? A digital fan experience that lived up to the NBA's diamond anniversary.