A comparative study of aerobic capacity among elite basketball players according to five different positions in the team

The subject of this paper is the comparison of the obtained values of maximum oxygen consumption for senior basketball players in relation to their different positions and roles in the team. Sixty senior basketball players from four Serbian basketball clubs (BC Red Star n=14, BC FMP n=16, BC Mega n=15, and BC Borac n=15) participated in the study. The basic sports medical examination was performed in the "Vita Maxima" sports medicine clinic in Belgrade, which provided insight into their health conditions, and an assessment of their health capacity for participation in the study – i.e., for the implementation of maximum CPET (Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing) – was carried out. The basic sports medical examination included: determination of body height, assessment of complete body composition (body weight, height-to-weight ratio (BMI), percentage of body fat (FAT%), 12-channel electrocardiogram (ECG) at rest with determination of heart rate, as well as measurement of arterial blood pressure on both arms and auscultation of the heart and lungs. After the introductory part of the test, which served as a warm-up, the speed of the conveyor belt increased to 9 km/h, and did not change during the test, while the elevation of the belt was raised by 2º every one minute in order to achieve the maximum load. The results of the study showed that maximal oxygen consumption as a measure of aerobic capacity is higher among players playing the positions of point guard and shooting guard compared to centers, but that it differs neither between point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards, nor between small forwards, power forwards, and centers. Furthermore, no difference in maximal oxygen consumption was observed between teams competing in different league ranks.