Athlete Monitoring Systems in Elite Men's Basketball: Challenges, Recommendations, and Future Perspectives

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Performance Analytics
• Basketball Training

Background:

• Elite men's basketball involves high-stress competition with limited recovery.
• Athlete monitoring systems (AMSs) are crucial for managing training loads and player well-being.
• Current AMS deployment faces challenges in resource allocation, data accuracy, and personalization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review challenges and advancements in AMS for elite men's basketball.
• To highlight the role of AMS in injury prevention and performance enhancement.
• To explore future technological integration for improved decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of current literature on AMS in elite sports.
• Analysis of challenges in data integration, processing, and application.
• Discussion of objective (e.g., load, HR, biomarkers) and subjective (athlete-reported outcomes) data integration.

Main Results:

• AMSs offer a platform for data integration, analysis, and graphing for coaches.
• Effective AMS deployment requires careful selection of monitoring methods and resources.
• Integrating objective and subjective data provides a holistic view of athlete readiness.
• Decision support systems within AMS aid in daily load and recovery management.

Conclusions:

• A combined approach using objective and subjective data within AMS is recommended.
• Technological advancements, including AI and predictive analytics, hold potential for AMS.
• Continued innovation and validation of AMS are essential for professional sports.