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There are many attributes that make a great basketball player. In addition to the high level of skill required to play basketball, to be successful you need, among other things, good speed, agility and endurance. However, which of these are more important? Below is a discussion about the fitness requirements for basketball, which can help with developing training programs for this sport, and for interpreting fitness testing results and determining the relative strengths and weaknesses of a player. See more on fitness for basketball.

You Need to be Fast and Agile

We have a poll about the component of fitness most important for success in Basketball. Out of the options of Body Size and Composition, Muscle Strength, Muscular Endurance, Power, Speed / Quickness, Agility, Flexibility, Balance and Coordination, and Cardiovascular Endurance, the factors which are considered most important by the readers of this site are speed and agility, though there are votes for most of the fitness components indicating that basketball requires good all round fitness abilities. You can add your vote too.

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You Need to be Skillful

In a similar poll, we have asked people to rate the 12 factors of success for sports. Visitors to this site have rated each of these factors for the sport of Basketball, and the most important according to them is skill and technique. As indicated earlier, you also need to be tall to do well at basketball, though people who rated basketball did not think that body size and composition was important. You can also add your ratings of Which Factors Make Successful Basketball Players, and see the latest results.

Most Important Factors for Success in Order of Importance (data from 2018)

1. Skill and Technique.
2. Reaction Time, Coping with Pressure Situations.
3. Strength & Power, Speed / Quickness, Agility, Balance & Coordination.
4. Aerobic Endurance, Flexibility, Analytic & Tactical Ability, Motivation & Self Confidence.
5. Body Size and Composition.

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Related Pages

• Fitness for Basketball
• Attributes that make a great basketball player
• NBA Combine
• Basketball Polls
• Sports Nutrition for Basketball
• Warming-up for basketball