The Effect of Anthropometric Characteristics and Somatotypes of Basketball Players on their Basketball Skills

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine how the somatotypes and anthropometric characteristics of basketball players affect their basic basketball skills. Methods: For this purpose, a total of 290 male athletes between 12-16 years and from Kahramanmaras and nearby provinces (Adana, Osmaniye, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Adiyaman) who play basketball [(mean +/- SD) age: 13.7 +/- 1.2 years; height: 173.4 +/- 11.1 cm; body weight: 63.9 +/- 14.6 kg; years played: 2.7 +/- 1.5 years] participated in the study as volunteers. Participants and their parents completed and signed the informed consent forms. The approval of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Faculty of Medicine, Scientific Research Ethics Committee was obtained for the study. All participants were assessed for length, circumference, diameter, and skinfold thickness, as well as their somatotype number. The basketball skills were tested using AAPHER Basketball Skills Test. In this method, speed shooting, passing, dribbling, and defense skill tests were applied. Statistical analysis of the collected data was performed using SPSS Statistics Software Package. Descriptive statistical methods (arithmetic mean, standard deviation) were used to analyze the study data. To determine the relationship between quantitative data, Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk normality tests were performed at a significance level of P<0.05 in order to first understand whether the measurement values were normally distributed. Since the data were not normally distributed, Spearman's correlation test was used to determine whether there was a significant correlation between the variables. Conclusions: In conclusion, it can be said that anthropometric, somatotype and physical characteristics of basketball players between 12-16 years positively affect their basketball skills. That is, we can conclude that the skills of basketball players improve as their physical characteristics improve, their basketball skills improve as their anthropometric characteristics improve.