The Effect of the Playing Positions in Basketball on Measures of Cognitive Performance
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PurposeTo compete at a high-performance level, an athlete needs not only extraordinary physical capabilities but also extraordinary cognitive capabilities. However, position-specific differences concerning cognitive performance capabilities in team sport athletes (e.g., basketball) have, so far, not been extensively studied. Thus, this study investigated possible position-specific differences in specific cognitive performance capabilities in a cohort of trained basketball athletes playing guard, forward, or center positions for more than 10 years.Methods27 male basketball players and 20 sedentary controls were included in this study. We used three cognitive tests (i.e., Change Detection Test, Timewall Test, and Mackworth Clock Test) to investigate possible cognitive performance differences concerning position-specific capabilities. Thereto, indices of cognitive performance were compared between the athletes of the different playing positions and sedentary controls.ResultsIn the Change Detection Test, the number of correct answers from guards was significantly higher than the one of the forwards, centers, and sedentary controls (p < .001). During the Timewall Test, centers' timing scores were significantly higher than the one of the guards, forwards, and sedentary controls (p < .001). Concerning the Mackworth Clock Test, no significant differences between the playing positions were observed, although all basketball players outperformed sedentary controls.ConclusionIn summary, the results of this cross-sectional study provide evidence (i) that trained basketball players are equipped with superior cognitive capabilities as compared to sedentary controls, and (ii) that in trained basketball players position-related differences in specific cognitive capabilities occur. In regard to the latter, our findings suggest that guards are equipped with superior visuospatial attention and short-term memory capabilities whereas centers showed superior visuospatial perception and timing abilities. Whether such differences are caused by long-term position-specific training, are a result of a selection process, or a result of both factors needs to be investigated in future longitudinal studies.