Video: Humanoid robot knocked down playfully by US basketball star

During a Dallas Mavericks team event, NBA star Kyrie Irving playfully knocked down a 4’2” humanoid robot, the G1 model from Unitree Robotics, which had been demonstrating karate-style moves. The robot, dressed in a Mavericks jersey, attempted martial arts maneuvers before Irving gently shoved it, causing it to stumble and fall, creating a viral and humorous moment shared widely on social media. The incident highlighted both the entertainment value and current limitations of humanoid robots, with fans joking about the robot’s durability and praising Irving’s physical readiness post-injury. Unitree Robotics recently launched the world’s first humanoid robot app store, enabling users to control robots via phone and share actions like dance and martial arts. The G1 robot is designed for resilience in real-world environments, equipped with advanced sensor-driven perception and predictive motion control systems. It uses data from depth cameras, 3D LiDAR, and joint sensors to anticipate impacts and adjust posture before falling, allowing it to