AUTHOR=Čović Nedim , Čaušević Denis , Alexe Cristina Ioana , Rani Babina , Dulceanu Corina Ramona , Abazović Ensar , Lupu Gabriel Stanica , Alexe Dan Iulian 

TITLE=Relations between specific athleticism and morphology in young basketball players

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

VOLUME=Volume 5 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1276953

DOI=10.3389/fspor.2023.1276953

ISSN=2624-9367

ABSTRACT=Basketball is a fast-paced intermittent team sport, wherein the players must exhibit different morphologies and fitness levels depending on their position. The aim of this study was to assess the differences in the athleticism of basketball players by playing positions and in its relations with body composition and anthropometric measures. It was hypothesized that calculated athleticism has stronger and better predictive relations with morphology compared to motoric tests alone. 47 basketball players were divided into three groups according to playing position [guards (n = 14), forwards (n = 22), centers (n = 11)]. Body composition and anthropometrical measurements were done for all players. Athleticism was presented in terms of overall (OFS), jumping (JFS) and sprinting (SFS) fitness scores. In all three groups, fitness scores were found to be more strongly related to body composition and anthropometry measurements than motoric tests alone. All three fitness scores were moderate to strongly correlated with skinfold thickness and fat percentage, while body height, fat-free mass, and lean body mass were positively correlated. A huge difference was observed between guards compared to forwards and centers in terms of athleticism fitness scores. The forwards displayed superior athleticism in power and sprint abilities when compared to guards and centers. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that the variables of fat percentage, lean muscle mass, skinfold thickness, and arm span exhibited robust predictive capabilities in relation to athleticism scores.