Player Chronotype Does Not Affect In-Game Performance during the Evening (>18:00 h) in Professional Male Basketball Players

Abstract

Sport-specific skills display diurnal variation across various team sports such as badminton and tennis serving accuracy and soccer dribbling, volleying, and chipping execution. However, the effects of athlete chronotype on in-game sport-specific skill performance according to time of day across team sports is not well understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the effect of player chronotype on in-game basketball performance during evening games. Professional male basketball players (n = 11) completed a morningness–eveningness questionnaire and were categorized according to chronotype (morning-type: n = 4; neither-type: n = 6; evening-type: n = 1). Box score data from the 2019/20 season were utilized to determine individual in-game performance during evening games played after 18:00 h. Composite metrics (i.e., effective field goal percentage, offensive rating, defensive rating, and player efficiency) were used as indicators of player performance. Non-significant (p ≥ 0.21) differences were evident between M-types and N-types for most performance measures. Small to very large effects were observed in the number of rebounds favoring M-types, and three-point shots attempted and made, assists, and steals favored N-types. In-game performance appeared to not be affected by chronotype (i.e., M-type vs. N-type) in evening games among professional male basketball players. The lack of observed effect between chronotype and in-game performance suggest coaching staff may not need to consider player chronotype when developing a match strategy or assigning player roles if largely dealing with M-types and N-types. However, to ensure the greatest specificity, coaching staff may endeavor to schedule habitual training times in line with that of competition in an effort to align player circadian rhythms to games.