5 Questions About NBA Top Shot: A Conversation with ChatGPT

Luke
10 min readMar 21, 2023

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With the recent excitement around ChatGPT , I felt it was only natural to see if ChatGPT could replace me in talking about NBA Top Shot. I mean, it shouldn’t be too hard, I’m an idiot. So the first test was to see if it could encourage people to check out Top Shot.

ChatGPT Tweetin’
I booted up ChatGPT and got into it with the first question — Can you write me a tweet promoting NBA Top Shot? The answer I got back seemed alright — you can see it below. But there was a minor issue…

It was too long for a tweet. Like, 50 characters too long. Plus it had no way for people to actually join Top Shot. So, I tried again, this time with more guidance. “Can you write me a tweet promoting NBA Top Shot? It needs to be under 280 characters and include a link to sign up”

The bot replied:

Sure, here’s a tweet promoting NBA Top Shot with a sign-up link:

“Ready to own a piece of NBA history? Join the @nba_topshot community and collect officially licensed NBA moments on a secure blockchain platform. Sign up now and start building your collection today! #NBATopShot #Collectibles #Blockchain ⛓️🏀🔥 Sign up: [insert link]”

Now this, this I liked. But, maybe I’m too taken in by how amazed I am by AI? Maybe I’m biased and it sucks? Well, there was only one way to find out — I’d have to tweet it. So, the other day, that’s what I did:

I had to change the @ tag and added a bit of spacing, but otherwise it’s the same

After about 48 hours, it had some decent engagement and views. Especially since I tweeted this on a Sunday morning to my followers — who are probably already well aware of what NBA Top Shot is.

Ok, so this was definitely a good start. But, it’s “just” a tweet. I wanted to really see if Chat GPT could handle talking about NBA Top Shot to people. Especially to people that have never heard of it. So,I figured I’d ask Chat GPT 5 beginner questions about NBA Top Shot and see what it says. Let’s take a look at them below!

Please Note — Any time you see italics in the below content, it is written by the AI, unedited. I am not saying it is 100% accurate or that I agree with what is being said, it’s jusnt what the AI is saying in response to questions. I’ve also noticed the responses vary each time, so please keep that in mind if you jump in to play with it.

What is NBA Top Shot?
NBA Top Shot is a blockchain-based platform that allows users to buy, sell, and trade officially licensed NBA collectible highlights, known as “moments.” These moments are essentially short video clips of memorable NBA plays, such as a game-winning shot or a spectacular dunk, that have been authenticated and verified by the NBA and stored on the blockchain, making them unique and valuable. Users can purchase moments in limited edition “packs” or on the secondary marketplace, and their value can increase or decrease based on factors such as rarity, demand, and player performance. NBA Top Shot has gained significant popularity in the world of sports collecting and has been compared to digital trading cards.

Just like that, we have a solid anser from ChatGPT

Ok, I mean, this is pretty damn good. It’s not how I would word it myself, and I think it needs a bit better formatting depending on where the content/copy would be used. But overall, it would definitely work as a starting point!

Why should I collect on NBA Top Shot?
Here are the reasons why you should collect on NBA Top Shot, formatted as a list:

  1. Authentic NBA Moments: Each moment is an officially licensed highlight from an NBA game, giving you a special connection to the sport and its players.
  2. Limited Availability: The moments on NBA Top Shot are produced in limited quantities, making owning certain moments a rare and valuable experience.
  3. Digital Convenience: Collecting on NBA Top Shot is entirely digital, which means that you can access your collection from anywhere in the world.
  4. Social Interaction: NBA Top Shot has a vibrant community of collectors and fans, which offers opportunities to connect with others who share your passion for the sport.
  5. Personal Satisfaction: It can be a source of personal satisfaction and joy to celebrate your love of the game and own a piece of history that is unique and meaningful to you.

When I first asked this question, it came through as a block of text like the last one. That looked really messy. So I followed up with “Can you format that as a list?” and the smart little bot event added numbering to it! I have to be honest, it’s a bloody great list. Owning NBA History, limited availability, ease of online access, a strong community and a general feeling of joy for owning them. Whilst we all collect for different reasons, this certainly seems like a great list to show to a friend who might be interested in becoming a member of the NBA Top Shot community.

How do I get started on NBA Top Shot?
To get started on NBA Top Shot, follow these steps:

  1. Create an account: Visit the NBA Top Shot website (https://nbatopshot.com/) and click “Sign Up” to create an account. You can either sign up with your email address or use your existing Google or Dapper account.
  2. Complete your profile: Once you have created your account, complete your profile by providing your personal information and setting up a username.
  3. Purchase packs or moments: You can purchase packs or individual moments on NBA Top Shot using a credit card, debit card, or cryptocurrency. Packs contain multiple moments and are randomly generated, while individual moments can be bought and sold on the NBA Top Shot marketplace.
  4. Manage your collection: Once you have purchased moments, you can view and manage them in your collection. You can also sell moments or trade them with other users on the NBA Top Shot marketplace.
  5. Participate in challenges and events: NBA Top Shot regularly hosts challenges and events that allow users to earn rewards and exclusive moments. Be sure to check the NBA Top Shot website and social media channels for the latest updates on these events.

Overall, getting started on NBA Top Shot is a straightforward process. Once you have created your account and purchased moments, you can enjoy the thrill of collecting officially licensed NBA highlights on a blockchain-powered platform.

This time, the AI automatically did it as a list. Was it… learning what I preferred already? That’s cool — if somewhat scary — to think about. Regardless, the list was pretty good. One thing that did stand out was Step 3, where it said “Packs contain multiple moments and are randomly generated”. This was concerning because it’s not quite right — the Moments that you get in the packs are random, but they aren’t “generated” randomly when the packs are open, which is what Chat GPT seems to imply. In fact, every pack has an accompanying Pack List where you can see what Moments could be in the pack. The Moments are already minted and then stuffed into the packs. In fairness to the AI, maybe I’m misreading what it said — but if that’s the case it should ideally be much clearer. However, other than that one line, it’s hard to fault this answer!

What are the latest updates from NBA Top Shot?
As an AI language model, my knowledge cutoff is September 2021, but I can provide some of the latest updates from NBA Top Shot up to that point:

  1. Season 2 Launch: NBA Top Shot recently launched its Season 2 collection, which features new moments from the 2021–2022 NBA season. The collection includes moments from both current and retired NBA players, and also introduces new types of moments, such as “Rookie Debut” and “Signature Series” moments.
  2. Collector Score: NBA Top Shot has introduced a new feature called Collector Score, which measures a user’s activity and engagement on the platform. A higher Collector Score can give users access to exclusive drops and promotions on NBA Top Shot.
  3. Mobile App: NBA Top Shot has announced the upcoming launch of its mobile app, which will allow users to access the platform and manage their collections on-the-go.
  4. Partnership with NBPA: NBA Top Shot recently announced a partnership with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), which will allow NBA Top Shot to feature moments from current and retired NBA players who are members of the NBPA.
  5. Playoff Pack Drop: NBA Top Shot recently held a Playoff Pack drop, which featured moments from the 2021 NBA Playoffs. The pack sold out quickly, highlighting the continued demand for NBA Top Shot moments.

These are just a few of the latest updates and developments from NBA Top Shot. For the latest news and updates, be sure to check the NBA Top Shot website and social media channels.

The knowledge cutoff being in September 2021 is a bit of a bummer. It means all the information is outdated now in 2023. That being said, it’s still a bloody great answer. Sure, I couldn’t use it, but if someone asked what was new in September 2021, it’d be close to perfect. I asked ChatGPT why this was the case, which basically boils down to that being the date they last fed it data. You can see the full, somewhat self-aware, answer below.

What is the advantage of NBA Top Shot over traditional trading cards?
NBA Top Shot offers several advantages over traditional trading cards, including:

  1. Authenticity: Each moment on NBA Top Shot is verified on the blockchain, providing a transparent and tamper-proof record of ownership and authenticity. This ensures that the moments are genuine and unique, unlike physical trading cards that can be replicated or counterfeited.
  2. Accessibility: NBA Top Shot is a digital platform that allows users to buy, sell, and trade moments online from anywhere in the world. This makes collecting NBA highlights more accessible and convenient for fans and collectors, especially those who do not have access to physical trading card markets.
  3. Scarcity: Each moment on NBA Top Shot has a limited edition, with some moments being rarer and more valuable than others. This creates a sense of scarcity and exclusivity that can make collecting moments on NBA Top Shot more exciting and rewarding for collectors.
  4. Dynamic and Interactive: NBA Top Shot moments are dynamic and interactive, allowing users to view the highlights from different angles and in slow motion. This can make collecting moments on NBA Top Shot a more engaging and immersive experience than traditional trading cards.
  5. Eco-Friendliness: NBA Top Shot is a more eco-friendly option compared to traditional trading cards, as it eliminates the need for physical production and shipping of cards. This reduces the environmental impact of collecting, making it a more sustainable option.

Overall, NBA Top Shot offers several advantages over traditional trading cards, including authenticity, accessibility, scarcity, interactivity, and eco-friendliness.

I felt this was a bit of a more spicy question, but boy did ChatGPT impress me with it. Bringing up eco-friendliness in is such an interesting point. Especially in terms of production and shipping cards — I don’t think I ever really talk about that aspect when I’m talking about Top Shot. In my opinion, this was the best answer out of all of them!

So, there you have it, an interesting introduction to NBA Top Shot from ChatGPT. It might not always be entirely accurate, but some parts were awesome. Keep in mind that back in September 2021 — the cutoff date for ChatGPT to ingest new information — NBA Top Shot was just celebrating it’s 1 year birthday. I hope we get to see how effective and helpful ChatGPT is when it can also talk about all the new features over the last 18 months — Leaderboards, Burning, The Locker Room, the App, the Team Captains program, etc.

Now, I have one bonus question left to ask — What should I call this blog?

The list was good. Too good. I didn’t know which one to pick. Well, I guess back to ChatGPT it is:

Perfect. There you go. I had ChatGPT write the title for the blog about chatting with ChatGPT, and something about that just feels very… fun? Which is kind of where AI is at right now. It’s powerful, it can do cool things, but it still mostly just feels fun more than a productivity tool — at least for most folks. But, I have a feeling that is going to change drastically over the course of 2023 and beyond.

For now, so long as I don’t get replaced by this AI, I’ll see you in the next article!

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