The impact of foreign player types on lineup efficiency in the Chinese basketball association
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24234055 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Zengyu Li (School of Athletic Performance, Shanghai University of Sports), Carlos Lago Peñas (Universidade de Vigo), Mingjia Qiu (School of Athletic Performance, Shanghai University of Sports), Feiyu Ren (School of Athletic Performance, Shanghai University of Sports), Mingxin Zhang (0000-0002-3945-3387, School of Athletic Performance, Shanghai University of Sports) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 8 |
| Publication date | 2026-10-14 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2624-9367 • E-ISSN: 2624-9367 |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fspor.2026.1851077 |
| OpenAlex | W7221812271 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 24 |
The inclusion of foreign players has raised the competitive level of basketball leagues and broadened the skill sets of local athletes. However, the effects of lineups combining local and foreign players on offensive and defensive performance remain understudied. This study examined role definitions, interactions, and compatibility patterns between local and foreign players in the CBA. Data from 34,963 lineups across three seasons (2021–2024) involving 739 players were analyzed. Through Gaussian mixture model and random forest model analysis, 10 local player types and 7 foreign player types were identified. Association rule analysis of regular local lineups revealed: (1) a ball-handler and defensive–offensive paint anchor frequently co-occur with a “3D player”; (2) coaches favor functionally diverse local lineups over multiple ball-handlers; and (3) players with overly narrow skill profiles are rarely included in regular lineups. The decision tree model revealed that local-player combinations paired with a “heavy big” increased effective field goal percentage; pairing with a dominant shooting guard reduced offensive turnover percentage; pairing with a versatile big improved offensive rebound percentage and both offensive and defensive free throw rates; and pairing with a mid-to-long-range scoring swingman lowered opponents' offensive rebound percentage, reduced their effective field goal percentage, and increased their turnover percentage.
big men · Chinese Basketball Association · foreign players · offensive and defensive performance · player types · Sport Psychology and Performance · Sports Analytics and Performance · Sports Performance and Training
| Highly cited | No |
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