Relative age effect in high-skill labor markets: evidence from the NBA

This study examined whether the relative age effect (RAE) exists among NBA players and whether relatively younger athletes (Q4-born) display compensatory qualities, such as greater height, weight, or a higher likelihood of playing Center. Birth dates, anthropometric characteristics, playing positions, and draft outcomes of all players in the 2024 season (n = 537) were analyzed. Chi-square tests and regression analyses revealed no significant skew toward earlier birth months. Likewise, late-born players were not taller, heavier, more likely to play Centers, or differently represented in draft outcomes compared to peers. These findings suggest that while a survivor effect may influence earlier stages of athletic development, it does not extend to adult labor market outcomes in the NBA. The results highlight implications for coaches and scouts, suggesting that attention to late-born athletes can improve talent utilization and reduce potential losses in the wider sport system, both at youth level and within feeder systems to the professional league.