I didn’t say all because I know there are plenty who are on the shorter side but have amazing skill, or perhaps some on the hefty side. I don’t watch too much basketball so I’m basing my question on the few live games I’ve actually seen and just students at the high school gym and such.
Anyways for the most part I notice they’re all incredibly tall and usually on the lankier side of the spectrum. What gives? I always thought it was just that they literally have exercises they do that overtime aid in their height structure and everything, or that basketball requirements really are that strict and you have to meet criteria. But yeah…please.
In: Biology
Height and long arms has its obvious benefits in the game, but on the “lanky” appearance, by that you generally mean somewhat skinny builds rather than solid muscular builds.
For the skinnier build, basketball works a lot on quickness and ability to move and transition your position fast, as well as being able to have a lot of stamina and endurance. Very muscular players often have trouble being as fast as skinnier, lankier players and that they are so big and heavy, have to move that all around and get tired faster.
Now at the top levels on basketball, like the NBA, there are many very strong players, and these people are often just freak athletes on intense workout and diet regimes to be able to play fast while being big and strong. Often this size comes with getting older as well, as most younger players are much skinnier and lankier and won’t put on tons of muscles until their early 20s. (Which is why you’ll see your high school players be “lanky”)
Lastly, big huge buff players have always played a niche role in basketball, generally as centers (such as Shaq), although long, tall, lankier centers for most of the history of basketball was more common
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