You can use the "set" function to map the image as a texture onto the sphere's surface. You need to set the "FaceColor" to "texturemap", and the "CData" property to the loaded image. Refer to below code as example :
% Generate the coordinates for a sphere with a specified number of divisions
[X, Y, Z] = sphere(50);
figure;
% Create a 3D surface plot of the sphere using the generated coordinates
h = surf(X, Y, Z);
% Load an image from a file to use as a texture for the sphere
img = imread('pattern.png');
% Set properties for the surface plot to apply the texture
set(h, 'FaceColor', 'texturemap', ... % Use the image as a texture map for the sphere's surface
'CData', img, ... % Set the texture data to the loaded image
'EdgeColor', 'none'); % Remove the grid lines on the sphere for a smoother appearance
% Adjust the axes to ensure equal scaling, so the sphere appears round
axis equal;
% Add a light source relative to the camera to enhance 3D visualization
camlight;
% Apply Gouraud shading for smooth color transitions across the sphere's surface
lighting gouraud;
% Set the view to a 3D perspective
view(3);
For more information on "set" function, kindly refer to the following MATLAB documentation:
