Positional Differences In Anthropometric And Physical Fitness Characteristics Among Elite Male Basketball Players

TitlePositional Differences in Anthropometric and Physical Fitness Characteristics of Elite Male Basketball PlayersABSTRACTPurpose: This study investigated positional variations in anthropometric features and physical fitness parameters among elite male basketball players.Materials and Methods: Eighty-two licensed male basketball players (mean age: 19.17 ± 1.19 years) were assessed and categorized as point guards, shooting guards, small forwards, power forwards, and centers. Body height, body mass, body mass index, arm, leg and hand lengths were measured together with grip strength, 10 m and 20 m sprint performance, flexibility, vertical jump and countermovement jump. Positional comparisons were conducted using one-way ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc tests. Relationships between upper-extremity morphology and grip strength were examined by Pearson correlation and simple linear regression analyses.Results: Significant positional differences were identified in body height, body mass, body mass index, limb lengths, sprint times, and grip strength (p0.05). Centers demonstrated the greatest body size characteristics, while point guards displayed the lowest values. Grip strength showed moderate positive associations with hand length (r=0.31) and arm length (r=0.41).Conclusion: Elite male basketball players present distinct physical profiles according to playing position, which may assist practitioners in developing position-specific training, performance enhancement, and injury-prevention strategies.KeywordsBasketball, Anthropometry, Playing Position, Physical Fitness