Physical Constitution Matters for Athletic Performance and Salary of NBA Players

Bakkenbüll Linn-Brit

Abstract

Basketball is one of the most practised sports in the world, especially in America. America has the most famousprofessional basketballleague, the National Basketball Association (NBA). This study examines whether there is a relationship between the physical constitution of professional basketball players and their athletic performance in the 2015/16 NBA season. Regression results show that the relative wingspan influences the athletic performance in a significantly positive way whereas the vertical jumping ability influences it in a significantly negative way. Furthermore, age follows an inverted U-shape with a maximum at 28 years. Moreover, this study analyses the impact of on-court performance measurements and personal characteristics on salary for NBA players. Taller players have a higher salary in the 2015/16 NBA season.