Load management in basketball

'Load Management' has become a common term used in basketball, particularly in the National Basketball Association (NBA). While the media and spectators may interpret load management as removing players from competition (or training) and providing them with more rest, the reality is that when applied appropriately, well-established training principles provide players with the opportunity to perform at a high level, more often. This chapter discusses the concept of 'load' and the capacity of athletes to tolerate load. Importantly, factors other than load that impact on load tolerance (e.g. sleep, travel and psychological stress) are discussed. The latest evidence surrounding training load, injury and performance is summarised and practical examples of how to interpret athlete management data are provided