External and internal load responses based on court size and opponent presence in elite-level basketball: An observational study with implications for training design

Abstract

Basketball training design requires systematic manipulation of task constraints to optimize performance adaptations. This study investigated how court size and opponent presence influence external and internal load responses in professional basketball players. Fifteen players from a top-tier Spanish league team were monitored during eighteen training sessions using ultra-wideband tracking, inertial sensors, and heart rate telemetry. Linear mixed model adjusted for players as random factor with Bonferroni post-hoc was performed. Based on court size, full-court conditions demonstrated higher values with large effect in total distance (p < 0.01; ω_p² = 0.15), moderate effect in high-intensity distance (p < 0.01; ω_p² = 0.13), and small effect in all analyzed variables (p < 0.01; ω_p² = 0.02–0.04), except total accelerations/decelerations with higher values in half-court conditions (p < 0.01; ω_p² = 0.03). The presence of opponents significantly increased high-intensity impacts (p < 0.01; ω_p² = 0.04), maximum accelerations/decelerations (p < 0.01; ω_p² = 0.02), and internal load responses (HR_MAX: p < 0.01, ω_p² = 0.05; > 90% HR_MAX: p < 0.01, ω_p² = 0.08). Only higher values in without opponent condition were found in total distance (p < 0.01; ω_p² = 0.02). Statistical analysis also revealed significant interactions between court size and opponent presence (p < 0.01; ω_p² = 0.01–0.05). These findings provide crucial insights for coaches and practitioners, demonstrating the importance of systematically manipulating court dimensions and opponent presence for managing internal and external workload throughout the season.