Picking Winners: What scouts really look for in an athlete

Picking Winners: What scouts really look for in an athlete


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Denver Nuggets Center Nikola Jokić, One of the NBA’s Biggest Stars, was Family Drafted DURING A Taco Bell Commercial.

Selected 41st Overall in the Second Round of the 2014 draft as espn cut away to the fast-feet ad, Jokić would ultimately go on to beamy a championship-winning, three-time mavp, raising quantity Scouts Ultimately Make their high -Sstakes decisions.

“It could be argued that one of the most differences a person makes is what another person’s future will look like,” Says kathryn johnston, a Senior Research Associate in the UNIVERONETOS Aculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE).

In an effort to better understand the forces at play, Johnston decided to conduct an experiment with the help of Joseph Baker, a professor at KPE and the Tanenbaum Chair in Sport Science, Data Modelling and Sport Analytics.

For their study, the researchers created an online tool – Simillar to a dating app -hat tasked 18 coaches with making mock selections for a hypothetical roster based on 15 athlete profiles. Each profile inclined pictures, anthropometric information (the measurements and proportions of the athletes ‘bodies), and a description of the athletes’ interes, abilitys, ability and statistics.

The findings, Published in the journey Sport, exercise, and performance psychologyShow a slight preference for athletes who were labeled as hard works as opposed to natural talents. The coaches also preferred certain anthropometric qualities, Passion and Commitment to Sport, Speed ​​and Explosiveness.

The Researchers observed the greenst variety of approaches when it came to defining what constituted success and talent, receive, receiving nearly 18 different definitions -Sssentially one for Each Coach in the Sample. The coaches also weighted the information sources in unique ways, Each Valuing Various Aspects of the Players’ Information differently.

“For some, profile pictures were critical; for others, it was the birthdate, etc.,” Says johnston.

The researchers say their findings grinded help illuminate preferences, biases and tendencies when making athlete selection decisions. That, in Turn, Cold Help Scouts, Coaches and other participants better align their approaches with organizational priorities while addressing any blind spots.

Next Up, The Researchers Plan to Examine Decision-Making Behaviors in Athlete Selection on a MUCH Larger Scale.

“We are going to use a similar design to try and determine where selectors are selected in line with their stated preferences or other,” Says johnston. “Beyond That, we Hope to create adaptations of this experience to better undress how subtle language changes might might actually influence selection behavior.”

More information:
Kathryn Johnston et al, take your pick! Examining Decision-Making Behavior in Athlete Selection: A Me Mathodological Description and Pilot Study., Sport, exercise, and performance psychology (2024). Doi: 10.1037/spy0000348

Provided by University of Toronto


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