Physical skills for basketball

[Euroball5]

Can we agree this is the list of most important physical skills for basketball?

1.Vertical jump
2.Speed
3.Agility
4.Strength
5.Build
6.Balance

Discuss.

[Swaggin916]

I would say in order:

1. Conditioning - None of the below things matter if you can't sustain them through a whole game. If a team has an apparent advantage when it comes to conditioning... they will almost always win the game.

1. Agility - If you have good agility it is much easier to play defense effectively because you have an easier time staying in front of your man... which helps any defense (which in most cases is the more important side of the ball).

2. Length - Agility to me is more important because if you can't move your feet then you can't play at a high level... but length can make up for a lack of agility at times (to a point). A lot of the times someone will get beat, but if they have length they can still change/block the shot because they are long. Length is advantageous in basically any basketball situation making it arguably the most important physical tool.

3. Acceleration - Different than speed and much more important. Basketball (like football) requires more short bursts of speed than long distance speed, so being able to accelerate quickly is key. If you have a quick first couple steps, then you should be able to get by most people and break down a defense.

4. Strength/physicality - I guess physicality is almost more of a mental thing... but it's important to be physical when you play. Guys like Lebron and Camelo on the offensive end who initiate contact are very effective and get a lot of foul calls. Guys like Kendrick Perkins who physical on the defensive end can frustrate players and take them out of their comfort zone. It's much harder to score when somebody is bodying you up rather then playing soft.

5. Balance - important, but so many players can be off balance and make shots. Defensively, I think this ties in with agility. If you don't have good agility, then chances are you will get off balance. Having good balance is definitely something that can help someones game though.

6. Speed - In those fast break situations having good speed is beneficial. If you can get down the court faster than your man it usually ends up in 2 points for your team.

7. Vertical jump - By far the least important aspect of basketball. Sure it's exciting when someone is flying through the air, but a guy with a reach of 7'7 and a 40 inch vertical and the guy who has an 8'7 reach with a 30 inch vert are going to be at the same height... and most of the times you never even use your full vert or are unable to so that guy with the 8'7 reach is going to be at a huge advantage 95% of the time. Some people's games are highly dependent on their high vertical tho. Dominique Wilkins used to to simply jump over his man to score... tho he had plenty of game tho don't get me wrong. In the grand scheme of things tho... you can have an average vert and be great at basketball.

[Timmy D for MVP]

Body control.

Hand strength.

Both very important in differentiating the good from the great.

[Maga_1]

Body control.

Hand strength.

Both very important in differentiating the good from the great.

My coach told me that today .
Nice tip Timmy

[Kumo]

7. Vertical jump - By far the least important aspect of basketball.

No way in hell. I've got so many damn rebounds from being able to jump atleast a tiny bit more than the other guy in basketball. Blocks, too.

[Timmy D for MVP]

No way in hell. I've got so many damn rebounds from being able to jump atleast a tiny bit more than the other guy in basketball. Blocks, too.

Vert means nothing without timing and timing will beat out vert. Strength as well. Vert is the most overrated physical attribute.

[Kumo]

Vert means nothing without timing and timing will beat out vert. Strength as well. Vert is the most overrated physical attribute.

I don't even know what to say... this is a retarded argument.

1. Timing isn't a physical attribute, so....

I don't even know how to phrase my second argument... yours seems so blatantly wrong it's hard. I guess I'm just curious as to why you would even mention timing? It's not like people that jump high have **** timing, and everyone else is really good at timing their jump. You average everyone's timing, and the person that jump higher wins.

This is a weird thing to classify anyways. All of these attributes are pretty intertwined, people with strength and quickness will be able to jump high. They pretty much all come with each other.

[Swaggin916]

What are doing getting those rebounds? Your guy should be boxing you out. If somebody does what they are supposed to do your vert won't mean much. Why isn't Shannon Brown grabbing down tons of boards and dunking everytime down? Cus vert just isn't that important when playing against skilled people.

He didn't say anything about timing being a physical attribute tho... he just said it beats out vert... which it does. Also yes strength and body positioning are more important to when it comes to rebounding.

This is a weird thing to classify anyways. All of these attributes are pretty intertwined, people with strength and quickness will be able to jump high. They pretty much all come with each other.

Well that depends if they have game strength or actual strength. Take Lebron for instance, he is not weightlifting strong, he is basketball strong... Same with Carmelo. then you have Ron Artest who I'm sure can squat more than both of those guys... but he can't jump nor is he quick but it helps him down on the block and when playing post D.

[Timmy D for MVP]

I don't even know what to say... this is a retarded argument.

1. Timing isn't a physical attribute, so....

I don't even know how to phrase my second argument... yours seems so blatantly wrong it's hard. I guess I'm just curious as to why you would even mention timing? It's not like people that jump high have **** timing, and everyone else is really good at timing their jump. You average everyone's timing, and the person that jump higher wins.

This is a weird thing to classify anyways. All of these attributes are pretty intertwined, people with strength and quickness will be able to jump high. They pretty much all come with each other.

I never mentioned timing as a physical attribute I simply showed that the attribute you feel so important is beat by something as simple as timing.

Vert get's beat by strength, smarts, and timing everytime. So how can it be some mystical all empowering atttribute?

I play with guys who jump out the gym... many of them are not as good as the others who have other MORE IMPORTANT physical strengths.

Otherwise guys like Chuck Hayes would get out rebounded everytime by higher jumpers.

[Kumo]

Well that depends if they have game strength or actual strength. Take Lebron for instance, he is not weightlifting strong, he is basketball strong... Same with Carmelo.

lol, what does that even mean? I'm positive Carmelo and LeBron can lift a **** ton of weight.

Otherwise guys like Chuck Hayes would get out rebounded everytime by higher jumpers.

I didn't know we were talking about people that make money from rebounding... I thought we were more talking about amateur basketball.

I don't think vertical is some magic key to basketball, I think it's fun and important... but I think they are all pretty close in importance, nothing really pops out as being the best. Like I said though, I think all of these tie in to each other. Most good basketball players have almost all of these attributes.

[Euroball5]

Ok so by reading your posts i guess i forgot a couple of things. Here's my new list:
1.Endurance
2.Vertical jump
3.Acceleration
4.Speed
5.Agility
6.Strength
7.Build
8.Balance

[lilojmayo]

Come on lol i can't believe your forgot the most obvious one.
1. Height

but you there really isn't any order ever body style of play is different. It helps to be fast, long, go acceleration, good lateral speed, vetical, strength. you need them all.

[Junny]

Does hand-eye-coordination, peripheral vision, etc fall under this category?

[ABPrints]

IMO, it could depend on the level one is playing and the position.

I would say that vertical jump is low on the list for lower levels including high school but gathers importance as the levels increase (much as the 60 yard times in baseball do to the scouts)

I don't think vanilla endurance is important, but the ability to explode to the basket or maintain defence often is important, so maybe call that power endurance as opposed to aerobic endurance as those training variables clash.

Junny is right, hand - eye and peripheral is important, and would lump that in with balance.

So for me:
1. Power endurance
2. Eye and ear senses (balance/coordination/proprioception)
3. Agility
4. Acceleration
5. Strength
6. Vertical jump
7. Overall build-including height is important, but isn't a skill but a physical attribute, however you can work on your build, but not your height.

[Maga_1]

Come on lol i can't believe your forgot the most obvious one.
1. Height

but you there really isn't any order ever body style of play is different. It helps to be fast, long, go acceleration, good lateral speed, vetical, strength. you need them all.

Height?