Center Court

The amount of statistics that have been collected throughout the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) history are infinite. For teams, the key has become how to evaluate this data, and where can the findings be integrated into scheme. Furthermore, the majority of this work takes place off the court with the goal of improving on-court strategy.

“Court Vison”

This concept of incorporating data analytics into the professional sport of basketball is best explained by Shane Battier, 14-year NBA veteran. In his depiction, he preaches the knowledge that data can provide, but also adds the difficulty of applying the information in real time games. For example, in an interview he states “The way I look at it is it’s just another way like honing your jump shot or honing your jump hook or getting faster or stronger to gain a competitive advantage on the basketball court, this time using numbers and data.” (Battier 2015). In other words, studying data to better understand opponents and the game of basketball itself is a skill that can crafted. In the context of basketball, refining certain defense tactics or the type of shots taken can lead to more desirable outcomes.

“Pick and Roll”

Coaches can only understand their players to a certain degree. Often, throughout the course of the long NBA seasons, injuries will typically occur and coaches have to create lineups that they think gives their team the best chance to win no matter the personnel. In recent times, wearable technologies have been introduced to track players on the court. Fascinatingly, these devices are able to monitor a variety of components, and the health of players can be charted. Moreover, in doing so, fatigue levels can be screened to prevent injuries. Now, teams are able to have a better grasp for the players and ultimately maximize their usage.