(TEL AVIV, Israel) -- The year is 2020. The Chicago Bulls are in the NBA playoffs (that's conceivable, right?) and Lauri Markkanen steps to the free throw line in a tie game with seconds remaining. Imagine turning on your television screen (or tablet, phone) and seeing Markkanen's heart rate, pH levels and body temperature illuminated on the surface next to his rebounds and shooting percentage. Using that data, you can press a button on your remote or screen to place a wager if he'll make or miss the shot.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when glimpsing the future of sports. Innovation continues to rapidly transform the game-day experience for fans at the arena and at home, revolutionize the way we engage with the teams we love, and, through sound and virtual reality, bring us closer to the action like never before.

It was not until this week, however, that I realized just how much Israel, nicknamed "The Startup Nation," is at the forefront of the sports tech universe.

Thanks to the Israeli Consulate in Chicago, I was invited along with a group of international journalists to experience the immersive tech culture in Israel and how it's being used to disrupt the global sports market. A group of 10 journalists from nine countries--England, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Cameroon and the U.S.--travelled to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa to tour startups, venture capital companies, a sports innovation accelerator and culminated with the inaugural Colosseum Sports Tech Summit July 25.