Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte ISSN: 1578-8423 [email protected] Universidad de Murcia España

Prieto, J. Differences between offensive and defensive ratings of rookies and sophomores in the NBA basketball league Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte, vol. 17, núm. 3, octubre, 2017, pp. 157-161 Universidad de Murcia Murcia, España

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How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte, vol. 17, 3, 157-162 © Copyright 2017: Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Murcia Recibido: 26/02/2016 Murcia (España) Aceptado: 15/07/2017 ISSN edición impresa: 1578-8423 ISSN edició n web ( http://revistas.um.es/cpd ): 1989-5879 Di
erences between o
ensive and defensive ratings of rookies and sophomores in the NBA basketball league

Diferencias en las estadísticas ofensivas y defensivas entre novatos y jugadores de segundo año en la liga NBA de baloncesto

As diferenças nas estatísticas ofensivas e defensivas entre os novatos e jogadores de segundo ano na liga de basketball NBA

Prieto, J.*

Faculty of Education, Department of Musical and Body Expression, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain

Abstract: e purpose of this study was to analyse and compare the o
ensi- ro medio de minutos jugados por cada jugador fueron considerados como ve and defensive performance of rookies ( rst-year players) and sophomores covariable. Contrariamente a la hipótesis, aunque tanto los ratios ofensivos (second-year players) in the NBA basketball league, in order to ascertain y defensivos mostraron valores ligeramente superiores en los jugadores de whether a second year of experience in the league results in higher per- segundo año en comparación con los jugadores de primer año, las diferen- formances. We hypothesised to nd overall higher o
ensive and defensive cias no fueron estadísticamente signi cativas. Estos resultados sugieren que performances in second-year players when compared to rst-year. O
en- un año más de experiencia en la liga no es su ciente para incrementar de sive and defensive rating statistics for rookies and sophomores for seasons forma signi cativa el rendimiento de los jugadores en su paso de rookies a 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 were downloaded and ltered from the stats sec- sophomores . Los resultados podrían sugerir que el camino a la excelencia ha tion of the NBA o cial web portal for a total of 144 players under analy- empezado a ser recorrido, siendo aún insu cientes dos temporadas en la liga sis. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was computed. para mostrar diferencias signi cativas en el rendimiento de estos todavía ‘O
ensive Rating’ and ‘Defensive Rating’ were used as dependent variables; jugadores novatos. ‘Level of Experience’ (rookie vs. sophomore) was used as independent va- Palabras Clave: análisis del rendimiento, expertos, novatos, pericia, deporte. riable. e average number of minutes played by each player during the Resumo: O objetivo foi analisar e comparar o desempenho ofensivo e defen- league was considered as a covariate. Contrary to what was hypothesised, sivo de rookies (iniciantes) e sophomores (jogador no segundo ano) na liga de although both o
ensive and defensive ratings showed slightly higher values basquete NBA, com o objectivo de avaliar se um segundo ano de experiência for second-year players when compared to rst-year players, the di
erences na liga é resultando em rendimentos mais elevados. A hipótese era encontrar were not statistically signi cant. ese results suggest that one more year of maiores desempenhos ofensivos e defensivos no segundo ano em comparação experience in the league is not su cient to signi cantly increase the perfor- com os iniciantes. As estatísticas ofensivas e defensivas de rookies e sophomor es mance of the players on their way from rookies to sophomores. Hence, the para temporadas 2014/2015 e 2015/2016 foram obtidas e ltrada no site da results might suggest that the road to excellence has begun to be travelled, NBA, para um total de 144 jogadores analisados. Uma análise multivariada with two seasons in the league still being insu cient to show signi cant de covariância (MANCOVA) foi realizada. Índices ofensivos e defensivos di
erences in the overall performance of these yet novice players. foram usados como variáveis dependentes. O nível de experiência ( Rookie Keywords: performance analysis, expert, novice, expertise, sport vs Sophomore ) foi usado como uma variável independente. O número médio Resumen: El objetivo del trabajo fue analizar y comparar el rendimiento de minutos por cada jogador foram considerados como uma co-variável. Ao ofensivo y defensivo de rookies (jugadores de primer año) y sophomores (ju- contrário da expectativa, embora ambos os rácios ofensivas e defensivas apre- gadores de segundo año) en la liga de baloncesto NBA, con el objetivo de sentaram valores ligeiramente mais elevados no segundo ano em comparação evaluar si un segundo año de experiencia en la liga muestra un rendimiento com jogadores de primeiro ano, as diferenças não foram estatisticamente sig- más alto. Como hipótesis se planteó encontrar mayor rendimiento ofensivo ni cativas. Estes resultados sugerem que um ano extra de experiência na liga y defensivo en los jugadores de segundo año en comparación con los de pri- não é su ciente para aumentar signi cativamente o desempenho dos jogado- mer año. Las estadísticas ofensivas y defensivas de rookies y sophomores para res no seu caminho de rookies para sophomores . Os resultados podem sugerir las temporadas 2014/2015 y 2015/2016 fueron descargadas y ltradas de la que o caminho para a excelência começou a ser percorrido, embora ainda web de la NBA, para un total de 144 jugadores analizados. Se realizó un insu cientes duas temporadas na liga de mostrar diferenças signi cativas no análisis multivariado de covarianza (MANCOVA). Los ratios ofensivos y desempenho desses jogadores ainda novatos. defensivos fueron usados como variables dependientes. El nivel de experien- Palavras-chave: análise de desempenho, especialistas, novatos, habilidade, cia ( rookie vs sophomore ) fue usado como variable independiente. El núme- esporte

Dirección para correspondencia [Correspondence address]: Jaime Prieto, Faculty of Education, Department of Musical and Body Expression, Complutense University of Madrid. Avenida Martín Royo Villanova, s/n, 28040 Madrid. (Spain). E-mail: [email protected]

157 158 J. Prieto

Introduction mance can be brought into analysis: tactics, strategy, mecha- nical aspects of technique, physical aspects, coach behaviour, A rookie is a player of a sports team in their rst full season. and/or referee behaviour (McGarry, O’Donoghue, & Sam- A sophomore is a second-year player. ese terms of Anglo- paio, 2013). In this regard, the analysis of the game-related Saxon origin are used to denominate rst- and second-year statistics can be useful for analysing player’s and team’s per- players in the NBA basketball league. is classi cation of formance in di
erent sports. Previous research in basketball players is used, for example, for selecting standout rst- and aimed to identify the game-related statistics (e.g. fouls, free second-year players for the Rising Stars Challenge by the throws, o
ensive rebounds, turnovers, assists, steals, etc.) NBA’s assistant coaches as part of the All-Star Weekend. that discriminate between winning and losing teams in di- Furthermore, the rookies and sophomores classi cation is
erent contexts by using the variables’ averages during the considered in shaping the statistics of the game alongside ve- 40-minute game (Sampaio, Ibáñez, & Lorenzo, 2013). In teran players in terms of level of experience in the league. In particular, the o
ensive and defensive rating statistics are this regard, NBA sophomores, with a full year of experience helpful to understand the performance of a player or team. under the belt with respect to their rookie year (i.e. one sea- Within this context, the purpose of this study was to son of training and competition experience), are expected to analyse and compare the o
ensive and defensive performan- experience a jump in their overall e
ectiveness between their ce of rookies and sophomores in the NBA basketball league, rst and second seasons in the league (Bohl, 2015). in order to ascertain whether a second year of experience in Di
erences in performance between experts and novices the league results in higher performances as theoretically ex- have been studied in di
erent contexts and situations (e.g. pected. In this sense, we hypothesised to nd overall higher music, chess, typing, medical diagnosis, teaching), with ex- o
ensive and defensive performances in second-year players perts typically demonstrating superior short-term and long- (i.e. sophomores) when compared to rst-year players (i.e. term memory, more rapid access to relevant memory, more rookies). elaborate conceptual schemes, increased sensitivity to pat- terns and structures, less e
ort and greater uidity of action, Method and greater use of inferences and abstractions when compa- red with novices (Smith, 2007). e literature speaks of a O
ensive and defensive rating statistics were downloaded development of expertise characterised by a progressive chan- from the stats section of the NBA o cial web portal (stats. ge in the representation of knowledge, from declarative to nba.com). Data were ltered by level of experience: rookies procedural cognitive interpretation, since experts know both (rs-year players) vs. sophomores (second-year players). In what to do and how to do it (Charness, 1989; Charnes, Kram- order to compare these ratings between rst- and second- pe, & Mayr, 1996; both in chess research). Research focusing year players, the rookie’s data were downloaded for season on expertise and expert performance in sport has considered 2014/2015 and the sophomore’s statistics were downloaded di
erent approaches and methodological strategies in order for season 2015/2016, for a total of 144 players under analysis to identify the factors, besides the strictly physical or phy- (n=81 rookies and n=63 sophomores; the di
erence is explai- siological, that are more directly involved in the acquisition ned by players coming out of the league, for example, going of expertise in sports (Ruiz-Pérez, 1999). In particular, pre- to Europe). For a player, the ‘O
ensive Rating’ is the number vious research has studied the factors that constrain human of points per 100 possessions that the team scores while that achievement in sport and the extent to which these may be individual player is on the court. Conversely, the ‘Defensive overcome by systematic engagement in training and practice Rating’ is the number of points per 100 possessions that the (Williams & Ford, 2008). team allows while that individual player is on the court. In Performance analysis in team sports aims to provide relia- a rst step of the analysis, descriptive data (mean ± standard ble performance indicators –both at the individual and the deviation) were computed. In a second step, with the aim collective level– that can help coaches to better understand of identifying possible di
erences between rookies’ and so- how their athletes and teams can improve performance and, phomores’ performance, a multivariate analysis of covariance thereby, adapt their coaching intervention. A performance (MANCOVA) was computed. ‘O
ensive Rating’ and ‘De- indicator is de ned as the selection or combination of varia- fensive Rating’ were used as dependent variables; ‘Level of bles that aims to de ne some or all aspects of performance, Experience’ (rookie vs. sophomore) was used as independent which to be useful should relate to successful outcome (Hug- variable. Since the o
ensive and defensive ratings may chan- hes & Bartlett, 2002). When these aspects are studied during ge with the level of participations of the players in the games, a team sports competition we are referring to match analysis the average number of minutes played by each player during as a speci c area within sport performance analysis (Carling, the league was considered as a covariate. e signi cant level Williams, & Reilly, 2005), in which several aspects of perfor- was set to P ≤ 0.05. Statistical analyses were performed using

Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte, vol. 17, n.º 3 (octubre) Di
erences between o
ensive and defensive ratings of rookies and sophomores in the NBA basketball league 159 the statistical software package SPSS 21.0 (IBM Corp., Ar- nethy, 2007). Hence, the level of skill expertise increases as monk, NY, USA). athletes increase their experience and accumulate training and playing time in a chosen discipline (Ericsson, 2003; Results Hodges, Starkes, & Macmahon, 2006). In particular, the possibility that novices ignore the pos- e o
ensive and defensive ratings of rookies and sophomores sible indicators of the evolution of the situation of play has are presented in Table 1. Descriptive statistics showed higher been highlighted as the factor that might explain why no- o
ensive and defensive ratings for sophomores when compa- vices tend to ignore several parameters that are useless for red to rookies. However, the results of the subsequent MAN- dealing adequately with the con guration of play (Gréhaigne COVA did not support a signi cant multivariate e
ect for & Godbout, 2013). In this regard, the theory of a
ordan- the level of experience of the players (Wilks Lambda=0.992, ces –possibilities for action in a particular performer-envi-

F2,140 =0.592, P=0.555) or a covariate e
ect of minutes played ronment setting (Gibson, 1979)– has been used to explain

(Wilks Lambda=0.995, F2,140 =0.376, P=0.687). the dual interdependence of perception and action when comparing expert and novice performance, where a
ordan- Table 1. O
ensive and defensive ratings of rookies and sophomores ces are the primary objects of perception and actions is the (mean and standard deviations (SD)). realisation of a
ordances (Aráujo, Davids, & Passos, 2013). Experience Mean SD In basketball, Trnini ć, Dizdar and Luksi ć (2002) found that O
ensive rating Rookie 98,95 13,93 winning teams’ performances were discriminated by a higher number of defensive rebounds and suggested that less expe- Sophomore 100,53 5,64 rienced players performed worst in this action of the game, De
ensive rating Rookie 105,32 16,41 allowing their opponents to capture more o
ensive rebounds. Sophomore 106,44 10,61 Several published studies used the notion of perceptual attu- nement to explain the di
erences in performance between Discussion experts and novices in di
erent situations (Jacobs, Runeson, & Michaels, 2001; Smith, Flach, Dittman, & Stanard, 2001), e purpose of this study was to compare the o
ensive and highlighting the fact that novices focus on variables that do defensive performance between rookies and sophomores in not denote the essentials of the situation leading to a worse the NBA basketball league, expecting to nd higher gures decision-making compared with more experienced players. within these performances indicators in second-year pla- In the same line, and following an ecological approach, ex- yers (i.e. sophomores). Contrary to what was hypothesised, pertise e
ects on decision-making in sailing were studied by although both o
ensive and defensive ratings showed slightly Araújo, Davids and Serpa (2005) through interactive com- higher values for second-year players when compared to rst- puter simulations. e authors concluded that the better the year players, the di
erences were not statistically signi cant. sailor, the better was performance on the simulated regatta. Previous research has examined the di
erences in percep- e results showed that the expertise level was signi cantly tual-cognitive expertise across di
erent skill levels (Williams, predicted by the total time of the simulated regatta, in which 2009) and di
erent sports (e.g. Kioumourtzoglou, Kourtessis, non-sailors performed signi cantly more actions than sailors Michalopoulou, & Derri, 1998, in basketball, volleyball and during almost all the regatta. waterpolo). e perceptual-cognitive skills are catalogued From a motor performance point of view, previous re- within four main areas orientated to acquiring the ability search demonstrated more stable movement patterns in ex- to make decisions and anticipate future demands in game pert players when compared to less-experienced players in situations: (i) identifying familiarity in sporting action, (ii) (e.g. Schorer, Baker, Fath, & Jaitner, 2007, in handball), as knowledge of situational probabilities, (iii) picking up ad- well as when elite players are compared to amateurs (e.g. Gra- vance information (advance cue utilization), and (iv) use of nados, Izquierdo, Ibáñez, Bonnabau, & Gorostiaga, 2007, the visual system (Causer & Williams, 2012, 2013). e in handball). It is also worth highlighting previous research acquisition of these skills has been designated under the term analysing the possible di
erences between expert and novice ‘game intelligence’ (Stratton, Reilly, Richardson, & Williams, athletes in terms of self-determined motivation and emotio- 2004). e aforementioned perceptual-cognitive skills can be nal intelligence, in particular in basketball (Saeis, Arribas- trained (i.e. practice) and improved upon di
erent methods Galarrag, Cecchini, Luis-De-Cos, & Otaegi, 2014). Addi- for enhancing anticipation and decision making in order to tionally, given the multitude of approaches outlined in the improve performance (Causer & Williams, 2013). Further- literature, some researchers suggest the need to study the eld more, the relationship between play (i.e. games) and skill de- of expertise and expert performance in sport from a multi- velopment has also been highlighted (Côté, Baker, & Aber- tasking and integrated approach in which the interaction

Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte, vol. 17, n.º 3 (octubre) 160 J. Prieto between the di
erent variables and approaches is considered Practical applications (Tenenbaum, 2003; Saenz, Ibánez, Giménez, Sierra, & Sán- chez, 2005). e results obtained in this study may be of interest to coaches Overall, the results of the present study suggest that one and sta
members (technicians, physical coaches, psycholo- more year of experience in the league is not su cient to sig- gists) of the NBA basketball teams. A more speci c study of ni cantly increase the performance of the players on their the parameters that may in uence player’s performance and way from rookies to sophomores, hence not contributing to overall e
ectiveness between their rst and second seasons the initially expected signi cant improvement in the mana- in the league by the technicians of the teams could help in gement of the game situation, at least in terms of statistical building training and tutelage programs that could assist the o
ensive and defensive e
ectiveness. In this sense, the acqui- performance of future rookies on their way from rookies to sition of expert performance in sports and games has been sophomores. Adapting this type of study to other basketball described as a road to excellence during a prolonged period leagues as well as incorporating more game-related statistics of experience (Richman, Gobet, Staszewski, & Simon, 1996). that might discriminate between rookies and sophomores is Hence, the results might suggest that the road to excellence potential work for the future, Furthermore, future research has begun to be travelled, with two seasons in the league could focus on comparing the performance evolution of roo- still being insu cient to show signi cant di
erences in the kies and sophomores in their transition to become veteran overall performance of these yet novice players. players and contrast them with the present results.

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