System and Method for Evaluating Defensive Performance using Graph Convolutional Network

1 . A method, comprising:

retrieving, by a computing system, tracking data from a data store, the tracking data comprising a plurality of frames of data for a plurality of events across a plurality of seasons;

converting, by the computing system, the tracking data into a plurality of graph-based representations;

learning, by a prediction engine, to model defensive behavior based on the plurality of graph-based representations by:

learning, by a first graph neural network, to predict a likelihood of a pass being completed at any moment within a possession,

learning, by a second graph neural network, to predict a likelihood of a shot occurring within the possession, and

learning, by a third graph neural network, to predict a likelihood of each player becoming a pass receiver within the possession;

generating, by the computing system, a trained prediction engine based on the learnings;

receiving, by the computing system, target tracking data for a target event, the target tracking data comprising a plurality of target frames;

converting, by the computing system, the target tracking data to a plurality of target graph-based representations, wherein each target graph-based representation correspond to a target frame of the plurality of target frames; and

modeling, by the computing system via the trained prediction engine, target defensive behavior of a team in the target event based on the plurality of target graph-based representations.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting, by the computing system, active runs of offensive players based on the modeled defensive behavior of the team in the target event based on the plurality of target graph-based representations.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

breaking down, by the computing system, the active runs of the offensive players based on various metrics associated therewith.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

assigning, by the computing system, a value to each player of the target team in the target event based on the modeled defensive behavior.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein converting, by the computing system, the tracking data into the plurality of target graph-based representations, comprises:

for each target frame, generating a node representation of each player in the target frame.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

for each node, storing a plurality of node features therein, wherein the plurality of node features comprises at least one of player (x, y) position, speed of the player, acceleration of the player, a first angle of motion of the player, a first distance from the player to an attacking goal or a basket, a second angle between the player and the attacking goal or the basket, a second distance from the player to a ball carrier, a difference in the first angle of motion between the player and the ball carrier, and a flag that indicates whether the player is the ball carrier.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

connecting each node in the target frame using one or more edges.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

for each edge, storing a plurality of edge features therein, wherein the plurality of edge features comprises at least one of a flag defining a relationship between a starting node and an ending node, a distance between two players connected by the edge, and a difference in the angle of motion between the two players connected by the edge.

9 . A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having programming instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the processor, causes the system to perform one or more operations, comprising:

retrieving, by a computing system, tracking data from a data store, the tracking data comprising a plurality of frames of data for a plurality of events across a plurality of seasons;

converting the tracking data into a plurality of graph-based representations;

learning, by a prediction engine, to model defensive behavior based on the plurality of graph-based representations by:

learning, by a first graph neural network, to predict a first likelihood of a pass being completed at any moment within a possession,

learning, by a second graph neural network, to predict a second likelihood of a shot occurring within the possession, and

learning, by a third graph neural network, to predict a third likelihood of each player becoming a pass receiver within the possession;

generating a trained prediction engine based on the learnings;

receiving target tracking data for a target event, the target tracking data comprising a plurality of target frames;

converting the target tracking data to a plurality of target graph-based representations, wherein each target graph-based representation correspond to a target frame of the plurality of target frames; and

modeling, via the trained prediction engine, target defensive behavior of a team in the target event based on the plurality of target graph-based representations.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein learning, by the first graph neural network, to predict the first likelihood of the pass being completed at any moment within the possession, comprises:

identifying a subset of graph based representations that correspond to a subset of frames prior to the pass.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein learning, by the third graph neural network, to predict the third likelihood of each player becoming the pass receiver within the possession, comprises:

identifying a subset of graph based representations that correspond to a subset of frames prior to the pass.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein converting the tracking data into the plurality of target graph-based representations, comprises:

for each frame, generating a node representation of each player in the frame.

13 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising:

for each node, storing a plurality of node features therein, wherein the plurality of node features comprises at least one of player (x, y) position, speed of the player, acceleration of the player, a first angle of motion of the player, a first distance from the player to an attacking goal or basket, a second angle between the player and the attacking goal or the basket, a second distance from the player to a ball carrier, a difference in the first angle of motion between the player and the ball carrier, and a flag that indicates whether the player is the ball carrier.

14 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

connecting each node in the target frame using one or more edges.

15 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising:

for each edge, storing a plurality of edge features therein, wherein the plurality of edge features comprises at least one of a flag defining a relationship between a starting node and an ending node, a distance between two players connected by the edge, and a difference in the angle of motion between the two players connected by the edge.

16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising one or more sequences of instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, causes a computing system to perform operations, comprising:

retrieving, by the computing system, tracking data from a data store, the tracking data comprising a plurality of frames of data for a plurality of events across a plurality of seasons;

converting, by the computing system, the tracking data into a plurality of graph-based representations;

learning, by a prediction engine, to model defensive behavior based on the plurality of graph-based representations by:

learning, by a first graph neural network, to predict a first likelihood of a pass being completed at any moment within a possession,

learning, by a second graph neural network, to predict a second likelihood of a shot occurring within the possession, and

learning, by a third graph neural network, to predict a third likelihood of each player becoming a pass receiver within the possession;

generating, by the computing system, a trained prediction engine based on the learnings;

receiving, by the computing system, target tracking data for a target event, the target tracking data comprising a plurality of target frames;

converting, by the computing system, the target tracking data to a plurality of target graph-based representations, wherein each target graph-based representation correspond to a target frame of the plurality of target frames; and

modeling, by the computing system via the trained prediction engine, target defensive behavior of a team in the target event based on the plurality of target graph-based representations.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein learning, by the first graph neural network, to predict the first likelihood of the pass being completed at any moment within the possession, comprises:

identifying a first subset of graph based representations that correspond to a second subset of frames prior to the pass.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein learning, by the third graph neural network, to predict the second likelihood of each player becoming the pass receiver within the possession, comprises:

identifying a first subset of graph based representations that correspond to a second subset of frames prior to the pass.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein converting, by the computing system, the tracking data into the plurality of target graph-based representations, comprises:

for each target frame, generating a node representation of each player in the frame; and

for each node, storing a plurality of node features therein, wherein the plurality of node features comprises at least one of player (x, y) position, speed of the player, acceleration of the player, a first angle of motion of the player, a first distance from the player to an attacking goal or a basket, a second angle between the player and the attacking goal or the basket, a second distance from the player to a ball carrier, a difference in the first angle of motion between the player and the ball carrier, and a flag that indicates whether the player is the ball carrier.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising:

connecting each node in the frame using one or more edges; and

for each edge, storing a plurality of edge features therein, wherein the plurality of edge features comprises at least one of a flag defining a relationship between a starting node and an ending node, a distance between two players connected by the edge, and a difference in the angle of motion between the two players connected by the edge.