Modern basketball physical conditioning demands precise tools to analyze the real workload of players. In a sport dominated by intermittent, explosive, and multi-directional efforts, accurate measurement is key to improving performance and preventing injuries.
For this (and much more), sports performance monitoring technology — commonly referred to as GPS Technology — is used.
What is Sports Performance Monitoring Technology in Basketball and How Does it Work?
Monitoring technology is widely used in sports like football, rugby, and hockey to measure player loads and metrics during training and matches, prevent injuries, and plan training sessions.
In general terms, this technology allows strength & conditioning coaches and performance specialists to collect data (via GPS devices placed in vests worn by players), process it, and analyze it in a platform to improve decision-making and achieve set objectives.
In basketball, these technologies have not been as widely adopted, but more and more teams are gaining access thanks to solutions like OLIVER PRO — a sports performance monitoring system used not only in football, rugby, and hockey, but also in basketball, futsal, and handball.
To be used effectively in basketball, OLIVER PRO integrated new metrics such as Metabolic Power, CODs (Changes of Direction), HMLD (High Metabolic Load Distance), and Jumps, moving towards a more complete monitoring approach adapted to the demands of professional basketball. We’ll go deeper into these later in this article.
The Challenge of Monitoring in Indoor Sports
Unlike open-field sports, indoor sports present a challenge when it comes to measuring with GPS devices. In most cases, technologies require antennas and additional infrastructure, increasing costs and limiting access for many teams.
This was one of the main reasons basketball teams did not adopt monitoring technology. However, thanks to solutions like OLIVER PRO, this problem is quickly becoming a thing of the past.
OLIVER PRO enables indoor sports teams (basketball, futsal, handball, volleyball, etc.) to use high-quality, precise technology without the need for antennas or extra equipment. Thanks to its accelerometer, gyroscope, and high-precision algorithm, clubs can measure, download, process, and analyze data as if they were outdoors — with no additional costs.
Basketball Physical Conditioning: Unique Characteristics and How to Leverage Monitoring Technology
Basketball, due to its rules and specific characteristics, presents unique training and measurement conditions:
- Reduced playing space
- High frequency of pace changes
- Short-duration explosive movements
- Constant jumps and intense changes of direction
- High neuromuscular load even with low total distance covered
These factors make traditional athletic metrics, such as total distance or maximum speed, insufficient to evaluate a player’s real load — and of little relevance to performance staff.
For this reason, GPS technology in basketball must be adapted to the indoor environment and the sport’s specific physical profile. This is why OLIVER PRO’s integration of advanced metrics is so valuable for basketball teams:
✅ Metabolic Power
✅ HMLD (High Metabolic Load Distance)
✅ CODs – Changes of Direction
✅ Jumps
Basketball-Specific Metrics: What S&C Coaches Should Know
Beyond standard athletic and wellness metrics, basketball-specific metrics make the difference between a generic tool and one that truly benefits the entire roster and supports decision-making for the coaching staff.
Metabolic Power
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Estimates a player’s total energy demand considering accelerations, decelerations, and turns — not just speed.
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Expressed in watts per kilogram (W/kg).
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Detects intense efforts even when covering little ground.
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Especially useful for guards and defenders performing multiple pace changes.
HMLD (High Metabolic Load Distance)
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Distance covered above a high metabolic power threshold (>25.5 W/kg).
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Reflects high physical demand even without large displacements.
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Valuable for sessions with frequent transitions or high intensity in small spaces.
CODs – Changes of Direction
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One of the most frequent actions in basketball, both in offense and defense.
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Counts the number of significant turns and cuts.
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Key neuromuscular load indicator.
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Allows assessment of the physical impact on players who defend or press constantly.
Jumps
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High-impact muscle actions, crucial in rebounds, blocks, and finishes.
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Measures the number of jumps per session.
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Adds value when monitoring centers, forwards, or inside players.
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Relevant for post-injury monitoring and tracking accumulated load.
Professional Teams Applying This Approach
The use of OLIVER PRO technology is now a reality in elite basketball — and also in lower-budget teams thanks to its accessibility. In Spain’s top division, clubs like Bàsquet Girona, Club Baloncesto Breogán, CAB Estepona, and Lointek Gernika Bizkaia already integrate these measurements into their daily work.
Other clubs, leagues, and federations using it include Gipuzkoa Basket, Cartagena CB, Club Bàsquet Sueca, CS Phoenix Galați (Romania’s top division), and the Portuguese national basketball teams (men’s and women’s).
This reflects a growing trend in adopting sport-specific monitoring technology for indoor sports, driven by the need to tailor physical preparation to the real demands of the game.
Conclusion
Monitoring technology is a game-changer in basketball training and matches. Tracking athletic and wellness metrics allows S&C coaches to enhance player performance while reducing injury risk.
Additionally, analyzing variables like metabolic power, changes of direction, and jumps provides a new level of understanding of basketball’s physical demands. These metrics enable more precise planning, injury prevention, and optimization of training based on each player’s profile.
For basketball strength & conditioning professionals, having reliable, sport-specific data has become essential. The evolution of the game demands solutions that go beyond counting minutes or kilometers.
Measuring what truly matters in basketball is now possible with OLIVER PRO.
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