From youth teams to senior squad: analyzing the developmental pathway and migration patterns of Brazilian basketball players

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to analyze the initiation, development, and migration processes that shape the sports pathways of athletes in Brazil’s main women’s and men’s basketball leagues (LBF and NBB). Using questionnaires and focusing on athletes' development from U-12 to U-22 competitive categories, we analyzed the basketball pathways of 148 athletes (79 men and 69 women ), highlighting factors that influenced their development between 12 and 22 years of age. The initial contact with basketball primarily occurred in schools, and subsequent development varied by genders: men migrated to clubs, while women relied on social projects and public institutions. Migration to cities with a higher Municipal Human Development Index (MHDI) was found to be crucial, as these locations offer better infrastructure and opportunities. More populous cities are the main sites for athlete development. Population density (PD) also played a relevant role: athletes from cities with higher PD tended to start competing earlier, especially in the U-12 and U-13 categories. Despite a greater representation in youth national teams (63.8% for LBF and 46.8% for NBB), there is no strong correlation between success in these youth categories and selection for adult national teams (26.1% for LBF and 22.8% for NBB), indicating that initial performance does not guarantee continuous success. Thus, the need for investments in sports infrastructure and public policies is suggested to reduce access disparities, especially between genders. Furthermore, the concentration of resources in cities with higher MHDI and PD reinforces the importance of a more equitable distribution of sports opportunities across different regions.