Analysis of differences between guards, forwards and centres based on some anthropometric characteristics and indicators of playing performance in basketball

Abstract

The research was conducted in order to determine the differences between the basketball players playing predominantly positions 1 and 2 - guards, 3 - forwards, and 4 and 5 - centres in the national teams that participated in the Atlanta Olympic Games basketball tournament in 1996. The differences were presented on the basis of body height, body mass, and 13 standardized indicators of the playing performance (game situation - related efficiency, i.e. the official match statistics). The results of the discriminant analysis suggest that the anthropometric status distinguishes players according to the playing positions criteria. Therefore it determines the roles, the tasks, and the jobs for each player in a game. These assignements manifest themselves in turn as the indicators of playing performance (offensive and defensive rebounds, as well as blockshots differentiate between centres and guards, on the one hand, and forwards, on the other hand ; assists distinguish guards from forwards and centres, while three-point field goals distinguish forwards and guards from centres).