Determinants of agility in youth basketball: age-stratified hierarchical regression in 6–13-year-old boys

Agility in youth basketball reflects the interplay between body dimensions and motor abilities. Age-specific prediction models guide age appropriate training design and evidence based talent identification. Ninety-eight male players (6–13 y) from a basketball school were classified into 6–9 y (n = 44) and 10–13 y (n = 54) groups. Anthropometry included height, mass, and the triponderal mass index (TMI). Motor performance comprised the 20 m sprint, countermovement jump (CMJ), and the Hexagon test. Agility was assessed with the V-CUT test. Pearson (and, where normality was violated, Spearman) correlations were computed; age-stratified hierarchical regressions identified determinants of V-CUT. Hierarchical regression was performed by adding TMI, 20 m sprint, CMJ, and Hexagon, respectively. V-CUT time correlated strongly and positively with 20 m sprint in both groups (6–9 y: r = .807, p < .001; 10–13 y: r = .619, p < .001) and moderately and negatively with CMJ (6–9 y: r = − .440, p = .001; 10–13 y: r = − .337, p = .007). Associations with TMI were small and non-significant. In regression, adding 20 m sprint markedly increased explained variance (6–9 y: R2 = .657; 10–13 y: R2 = .387, both p < .001). Final models yielded R2 = .659 (6–9 y) and R2 = .476 (10–13 y); Hexagon provided additional unique variance only in the older group (ΔR2 = .082, p = .009), whereas CMJ contributed minimally once sprint was entered. Sprint speed is the primary determinant of agility (V-CUT) in young basketball players, while multidirectional change-of-direction ability (Hexagon) gains importance from 10–13 y. Anthropometric indices show limited predictive value. These results support emphasizing early sprint development and progressively integrating multidirectional drills in older athletes to inform age-appropriate training and talent identification.