SAN DIEGO -- Huupe is the world’s first smart basketball hoop.
Thaddeus Young, Toronto Raptor power forward, was hooked from the moment he took his first shot.
“I flew out and I went to stay for 30 minutes. I actually ended up being there for 3 hours, shooting on a hoop,” Thaddeus Young, Toronto Raptor Power-forward, said to FOX 5.
Huupe is a virtual game that allows people in different places to play against each other in real time. Even average joes can compete against the pros.
“I was like, 'you can FaceTime and hoop together?'" Young said.
Huupe is the brain-child of childhood friends Paul Anton and Lyth Saeed.
“I can't believe we executed on our vision from day one to now," cofounder Paul Anton said to FOX 5.
The two Huntington Beach cofounders launched in 2019 with help from Young. Despite his initial excitement, getting Young on board took some convincing.
“He was really tough on us at first ... He was one of the most instrumental people we've had in our company,” Anton said.
Once the NBA veteran officially invested into company, he made sure all his questions got answered.
“When it rains outside, what's the waterproofing like? If somebody throws a ball against a screen super hard, is it going to crack?” Young said.
The organization’s ultimate goal is to bring the basketball community together.
“We're looking into the future. Five years down the line, Huupe is going to be a company that nobody saw coming," Young said.