BLUF Improving change-of-direction speed is important for basketball performance across all athletes, while improving aerobic capacity, linear speed and jump height might be beneficial for youth players only. ABSTRACT The aim of this review was to investigate associations between physical fitness characteristics, on-court activity, individual performance, and team success in basketball. Following an electronic search of three databases, 27 articles investigating associations between physical fitness characteristics, on-court activity, measures of individual performance and team success were reviewed. Review of the literature found that better change-of-direction speed was typically associated with more individual (match statistics, representative team selection) and team (ranking) success across multiple age groups and competition levels. Aerobic capacity, linear speed and jump height were typically associated with more individual success (match statistics, representative team selection, player rating) in youth players, but not in senior players. Therefore, current data suggest that improving change-of-direction speed might be beneficial for all basketball performance, while improving aerobic capacity, speed and jump height might be beneficial for youth players only. Additional findings from this review include that: aerobic capacity appears to be important for maintaining high-intensity running volumes and active movements; change-of-direction speed might facilitate performing high volumes of lateral movement and total, moderate and high-intensity running; and linear speed might be important for performing high volumes of running in all speed zones. Associations between on-court activity (e.g., running volumes) and individual and team success (e.g., competition level, match outcome) were conflicting between studies, potentially due to differences between demographics or competitions, or technical and tactical factors. These findings can guide training prescription for basketball players, with more focus on the physical performance characteristics most often linked to success in their age group, and the physical performance characteristics that enable greater volumes of on-court activity. Further investigation is required to evaluate associations between on-court activity and success.
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