Effects of Different Basketball Shooting Positions and Distances on Gaze Behavior and Shooting Accuracy

Basketball is a sport where in order to obtain points, it is necessary to put the ball in the basket. Therefore, basketball players need to shoot the ball accurately. This study aimed to evaluate if there are differences between shooting positions and angles concerning athlete visual behavior. Tobii Pro Glasses 3 was used to measure the number and duration of fixations in the target during shooting movement. The sample included 18 basketball players (10 female and 8 males; 22 +/- 3.72 years; 12.5 +/- 4.52 years of federated basketball practice) who performed a total of 60 shots in all shooting conditions and positions. Two distances (free throw and 3 points line) and three angles (45 degrees, 90 degrees, and 135 degrees) in the 3 points shot were considered in all three shooting conditions (baseline, simulated opposition, and gym audience noise). Between distances, statistically significant differences occurred in the number and total duration of fixations and shooting accuracy. At a greater distance from the basket, the athlete tended to have less accuracy, as well as a lower number and duration of fixations. Between angles, there was no statistically significant differences, neither a tendency towards lower or higher values between them. Moreover, the shooting accuracy was better when the athlete focused for more time on the target, which occurred in the free throw condition.

Automated summary

This study aimed to evaluate the differences in visual behavior of basketball players at different shooting positions and angles. Tobii Pro Glasses 3 was used to measure the number and duration of fixations on the target during shooting. Results showed statistically significant differences in fixations, duration, and accuracy between different shooting distances. There were no significant differences between different shooting angles. Shooting accuracy was higher when the athlete focused on the target for a longer time, particularly in free throw shooting.