Differences in Motor Abilities Among Basketball Players Based on Playing Position
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21333472Keywords:
Agility , Speed, Explosive power, Basketball, Playing positionsAbstract
Understanding whether motor abilities differ according to playing position is important for designing effective and position-specific training programmes in youth basketball. The aim of this study was to determine whether motor abilities differ among young basketball players according to playing position. The sample consisted of 15 young basketball players (age: 16.25 ± 0.74 years; body mass: 71.97 ± 11.82 kg; body height: 183.68 ± 6.7 cm), divided into sub-samples according to their playing position: guards (n = 5), forwards (n = 7), and centers (n = 3). Explosive power, sprint speed, and agility were assessed using standard field-based tests, including vertical jump tests, short-distance sprint tests, and agility tests with and without the ball. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine differences between playing positions, while Tukey’s HSD post hoc test was applied where appropriate. The results showed no statistically significant differences between guards, forwards, and centers in any of the assessed motor abilities (p > 0.05) These findings may indicate a relatively homogeneous motor profile among young basketball players across positions, possibly reflecting similar training demands, incomplete positional specialization, or the broader motor requirements of contemporary basketball. From a practical perspective, coaches should be cautious when assuming clear position-based differences in motor abilities among youth players and should combine general motor development with progressively more position-specific training. Future research should include larger samples and basketball-specific tests to better clarify the development of positional motor profiles.
Keywords: agility; speed; explosive power; basketball; playing positions.
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