On-court evaluation of selected key indicators of fitness among elite basketball players.

Abstract

The development of the norm of functional variables of fitness as a national database was considered the most important criterion of success in basketball. The current study aims to investigate the performance and skill-related determinants of physical fitness. Forty-three elite basketball players (including 14 centers, 15 forward and 14 guard players) participated in this cross-sectional study. The biomechanical parameters of the vertical jump and on-court tests including 20-meter dash, 4×9m agility, 10×20 m shuttle run, repeated side hop, were evaluated. The values of these parameters were compared between different posts using MANOVA and Tukey Post hoc tests in SPSS software (P≤0.05). The norm of physical fitness parameters was obtained by determining the percentage points of 0-10%, 10-25%, 25-50%, 50-75%, 75-90% and 90-100%. Furthermore, peak vertical jump velocity and relative jump power were significantly higher in the guards and forwards compared to the centers (P=0.007 and P=0.027, respectively). The forwards showed significantly higher mean agility, repeated shuttle running, and EUR compared to the centers (P<0.001, P=0.020 and P=0.04, respectively). The repeated side jump was significantly lower in the centers by 8% compared to the guards (P=0.01). It was concluded that exercises for guards with a stronger emphasis on agility and explosiveness (plyometric exercises) in combination with aerobic fitness should be considered. Center players can benefit from resistance training in combination with jumping skills. Speed endurance and anaerobic power in skill related maneuvers are parameters of the players' poor performance in all three positions.