Foreign Player Quota, Experience and Efficiency of Basketball Players

Abstract

This study analyzes how the efficiency of basketball players depends on experience, player's nationality and team type. Using data for players in the Turkish Basketball League (TBL) from 1997 to 2010, we first show that efficiency of players initially increase with experience, but after a certain level decrease with it. Second, foreign players are on average more talented than native players. Third, the experience-efficiency link is not valid for foreign players indicating that more experience does not affect efficiency. Fourth, efficiency of foreign players in top-teams is no different than that of foreign players in regular (non-top) teams; whereas, native players in topteams are more efficient than native players in other teams. Finally, in the presence of foreign player quota, top-teams hire the maximum number of foreign players allowed, while financially constrained regular teams can afford less foreign players. Consequently, under foreign player quota the quality of native players and the extent to which a team can pay for additional foreign players determine the team success.

Clustering performances in the NBA according to players’ anthropometric attributes and playing experience

“…Players' experience may be another important factor to be considered in the selection process. Multiple studies have suggested that playing experience is related to performance in team sports (Black, Gabbett, Naughton, & McLean, 2016;Ozmen, 2012;Swann, Keegan, Piggott, & Crust, 2012;Williams & Ford, 2008). In particular, expert players set more specific goals, selected more techniqueoriented strategies, made more strategy attributions, and displayed higher levels of self-efficacy than non-experts and novices (Cleary & Zimmerman, 2001; Kitsantas & Zimmerman, 2010).…”

Game Related Statistics Discriminate National and Foreign Players According to Playing Position and Team Ability in the Women’s Basketball EuroLeague

“…These findings indicated that lower level teams were more dependent on foreign Guards playing for success compared to national Guards. A possible explanation for this result might be due to the perceived regard of foreign players' ability by coaches and teams [15] and typically greater financial investment in such players [14]. Further, it may be a result of the poorer shooting percentage (% unsuccessful 2-point field-goals) in national players and greater 3-point shooting by foreign players in these clusters (See Table 2), which are key statistics for success in female basketball [3,23].…”

“…From a general point of view, the results showed that foreign players have a better performance according to team ability and playing position for most of the performance indicators, with higher values specifically for % minutes played, % successful 2-point field-goal, % successful free-throws, and % assists. These findings will be of extreme importance for coaches and managers when recruiting players based on their performance strengths and weaknesses, their playing position, and nationality [14,15].…”

“…This distinction further highlighted the unique foci and use of foreign players within the Euroleague Women's competition, with coaches and teams encouraged to consider this focus when developing team rosters. In fact, these results may reflect: (i) an improvement of more assertive and defensive behaviours for national players (higher commitment to their team) due to the recruitment of highly skilled foreign players for their offensive skills which national players compete/train against [29]; and (ii) the supplementary recruitment process of coaches and managers for national players to complement the skills and abilities of foreign players in this specific playing position [15].…”

“…Therefore, the inclusion of both national and foreign players may affect team performance, with this impact unknown within female basketball competitions. Although, some evidence does exist for male basketball competitions, with the performance efficiency of foreign players across several seasons (from 1997 to 2010) within the Turkish Basketball League greater compared to native players [ 15 ]. Therefore, examination of female players’ nationality in conjunction with contextual variables such as playing position and team ability may assist coaches to gain a better understanding of players’ individual contribution to overall team performances [ 16 ].…”