From Theory to Practice: Exploring the Relationship between Height and Basketball Field Goal Success - Kumaraguru College of Liberal Arts & Science (KCLAS)

Imagine you’re at a beach, watching people enjoy the waves. You notice that as the sun gets hotter, more people rush to buy ice cream. This isn’t just a coincidence—it’s an example of correlation, a relationship between two things where one tends to change when the other does.

Imagine stepping onto a basketball court, surrounded by towering players. You quickly notice that most professional basketball players are tall. But why? Is there a connection between height and success in basketball? That’s where correlation comes in!

Positive Correlation (Height & Performance):

In general, taller players have an advantage—they can dunk easily, block shots, and reach the hoop with less effort. That’s why teams often recruit players above 6 feet tall. If we plot height vs. scoring ability, we’d likely see a positive correlation—as height increases, so do certain performance stats.

Negative Correlation (Height & Speed/Agility):

But being too tall can have drawbacks. Shorter players tend to be quicker, more agile, and better at dribbling. So, if we compare height with speed, we might see a negative correlation—as height increases, agility often decreases.

No Correlation (Height & Free Throw Accuracy):

However, some basketball skills have no clear connection to height—like free throw shooting. Whether you’re 7 feet tall or 5’10”, making free throws is more about technique and practice than height.

But Remember… Correlation is NOT Causation!

Just because most NBA players are tall doesn’t mean height causes basketball success. Skill, practice, and strategy are just as important!

So, while height and basketball performance are correlated, success isn’t guaranteed by height alone. A tall player without skill is like a giraffe trying to dunk—it looks promising, but without practice, it’s just a clumsy spectacle!!

It was a typical day in the II BCom (2023-2026 batch) classroom, with students engaged in a lively discussion about the factors that contribute to success in basketball. Amidst the chatter, a few curious students posed an intriguing question: “Can only tall players succeed in basketball?” Their instructor, sensing an opportunity to provide a real-time learning experience, decided to take the discussion beyond the confines of the classroom.

“Let’s not just talk about it,” the instructor said with a smile. “Let’s play the game and see for ourselves!” The students were thrilled at the prospect of playing basketball and quickly made their way to the college’s outdoor court. As they began to play, the instructor observed and recorded their performance, taking note of each student’s height and their ability to score field goals and each student was given 5 field goal attempts.

The game was intense, with students displaying varying levels of skill and athleticism. Some, despite their shorter stature, demonstrated remarkable agility and ball-handling skills, while others, taller and more physically imposing, struggled to score.🏀 After the game, the instructor gathered the students to discuss their findings. “What did you observe?” the instructor asked, sparking a lively discussion. One student noted, “I saw that some of the shorter players were actually really good at scoring. They were quick and agile, and could dodge the taller players easily.” Another student added, “Yeah, and some of the taller players were really clumsy. They couldn’t even make a simple shot.” The instructor smiled, nodding in agreement. “These observations highlight an important point: height is not the only factor that determines success in basketball. Other skills, such as agility, ball-handling, and strategy, are equally important.”

It’s no surprise that all the students were eager to track their progress, intently watching their peers’ throwing styles, as many were trying the game for the very first time. Statistical analysis of their own game data of field goal performance among 45 students (Fig. 1) indicates that 35 students would benefit from targeted practice and training to enhance their skills and perform successfully in the game. Collected data were tabulated and presented as in the Fig 1. The successful goals with heights were tabulated as in Table 1. The frequency distribution of the data set is represented as in Table 2. Summary Statistics of the success in the game is given in Table 3

Height	No of goals
165	1
152	1
166	1
148	1
172	1
167	1
160	1
178	2
183	2
168	2

Height	Goals
145-150	1
150-160	2
160-170	4
170-180	2
180-190	1

	Height	Field goals
Mean	165.7	1.3
Median	166.5	1
SD	10.63066842	0.483045892
Skewness	-0.15391281	1.035098339
Kurtosis	-0.153076486	-1.224489796
Minimum	148	1
Maximum	183	2

Inference:

The summary statistics do not provide evidence of a strong relationship between height and number of field goals. The low average number of field goals and moderate variability in height suggest that the sample may consist of individuals who are not highly athletic or skilled in scoring field goals. Fig. 2 reveals a striking trend: the majority of successful players cluster within a specific height range. Notably, the data indicates that players with heights between 160-170 cm have achieved the most success. This height range appears to be the sweet spot for basketball excellence for the sample considered for the study.

The analysis revealed a notable trend: a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.6) existed between player height and field goal success, indicating that taller players tended to score more goals.

– Dr. L Mary Louis,

Professor of Mathematics, Kumaraguru College of Liberal Arts and Science