Many fans will never experience the thrill of sitting courtside at NBA games. But with VR technology, fans can now experience games like the celebrities with their feet planted on the courtside hardwood.

A partnership between the broadcaster TNT and tech company Intel has brought virtual reality to basketball. That means you can subscribe to NBA games and watch them live in VR. There are five cameras for a user to view: a scenic camera that sits high up in the arena, a courtside camera at the announcer’s table, a camera at each upright bar under the basket and a rover camera that enhances the audience experience.

Part of the challenge of bringing VR to basketball fans is that for most, it’s a first-time experience. “The difference is that with 2D, you’ve got this box where you’re just looking forward, and you control a very small environment,” says Nadia Banks, Intel Sports’ customer implementation manager. “With VR, our cameras are 180 degrees, so you’ve got to be conscious of not just what is in front of you, but the whole 180-degree view. VR viewers have to learn to be aware of all their surroundings, not just looking forward, but also looking to the left and see what’s going on there. You can switch from paying attention to the movement off the pick and roll to be looking in the stands, watching celebrities attending the game.”

Intel, which built the platform for TNT's VR experience, has a three-year contract to provide the service. Among the big attractions is that the viewer can put as much or as little into the Xs and Os of basketball as he or she sees fit. Stats are available to be called up during a game. And if a viewer wants, the nuts-and-bolts of every play, from a pick-and-roll to a fast-break dunk, can be parsed and dissected from all angles.