Performance Changes in NBA Basketball Players Vary in Starters vs. Nonstarters Over a Competitive Season

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare starters (S) with nonstarters (NS), on their ability to maintain strength, power, and quickness during a competitive National Basketball Association (NBA) season. Twelve NBA players were assessed at the beginning and end of the competitive season. However, because of trades and injury, only 7 (S = 4, NS = 3) players (28.2 ± 3.4 years; 200.9 ± 9.4 cm; 104.7 ± 13.9 kg; 7.2 ± 1.9% body fat) participated in both testing sessions and underwent analysis. Anthropometric performance (repetitive vertical jump power [VJP], squat power [SQT power], and reaction time) and subjective feelings of energy, focus, alertness, and fatigue were recorded during each testing session. Results were interpreted using magnitude-based statistics to make inferences on true differences between starters and nonstarters using the unequal variances t-statistic. Starters played an average of 27.8 ± 6.9 minutes per game and nonstarters played an average of 11.3 ± 7.0 minutes per game. During the course of the season, changes in VJP indicated that starters were likely to increase VJP (Δ = 77.3 ± 78.1 W) compared to nonstarters (Δ= -160.0 ± 151.0 W). There also appeared to be a possible beneficial effect on maintaining reaction time in starters (Δ = 0.005 ± 0.074 seconds) compared with nonstarters (Δ = 0.047 ± 0.073 seconds). In addition, no clear differences in ΔSQT power were seen between starters (Δ = 110.8 ± 141.4 W) and nonstarters (Δ = 143.5 ± 24.7 W). Changes in subjective feelings of energy indicated that starters were very likely to maintain their energy over the course of a season. It also appeared possible that starters were able to have a more positive response to subjective measures of fatigue and alertness than nonstarters, with only trivial differences between starters and nonstarters in regards to maintaining focus. Results of this study suggest that NBA players may enhance lower-body power, repetitive jump ability, and reaction during a competitive season, which appear to be enhanced with the stimulus of playing time.

Relationship between physical fitness and game-related statistics in elite professional basketball players: Regular season vs. playoffs

“…In under-16 Croatian male athletes, no correlation was noted between the performance of physical fitness tests and gamerelated statistics 31 . Pojskić et al 27 used regression analysis to demonstrate weak or non-existent relations between physical performance tests and shooting accuracy among professional Bosnian basketball players.…”

“…However, the players included in the present study are considered to be a representative sample of professional elite basketball players 28 , which allows the observation of the behavior of physical and technical performance variables during a competition for an elite national team, which is rare in the sport sciences 31,32 .…”

Validity of wireless device measuring velocity of resistance exercises

“…This supports the two important factors from the current study; subjects are doing the exercise correctly by moving both sides similarly for both exercises, and the device detected the similar velocity pattern of both arms. Unlike wired devices to measure velocities [3][4][5] , the wireless inertia sensor is capable of measuring velocity and power of many DB exercises along with body weight exercises such as push-ups and jumps, or others like kettlebell swing, medicine ball throws, etc. Wired devices are only capable of tracking velocity and power from the exercises that are attachable to the bar.…”

“…With competing technologies, measurements are taken using a wired device such as Tendo-unit (Tendo Sport machine, Slovak Republic) and GymAware (Kinetic Performance, Australia) in both laboratory and weight room environment. [3][4][5] While these wired devices have their importance, given a capability to provide immediate feedback, the fact that a wire or cord must run between the device and the bar may limit the exercises that can be measured. The wireless inertia sensor, transmitting via Bluetooth™, may provide useful measures in the training environment without the limitation of a connection to the bar, and without a hassle of bringing athletes to the laboratory for testing or data processing after the testing.…”

Relationship Between Pre-Season Testing Performance and Playing Time among NCAA DII Basketball Players

“…These attributes include strength and power, [1][2][3][4][5] anaerobic and aerobic capacity, 4,6-9 speed and agility. 1,2,5,[10][11][12][13] While these physical characteristics have been identified as characteristics of elite basketball athletes 4,14 ; the percent contribution of these attributes may vary across players, and more specifically playing positions and the level of play. 15 As a result it is therefore difficult to quantify "success" in a manner that is easy to analyze, 4,15 when making comparisons between vastly different playing positions and level of play.…”