Why Are Male Basketball Teams Better Than Female Ones?
An oft discussed, yet slightly controversial topic, is the one surrounding the abilities of both genders when it comes to the game of basketball. And although both genders are fully capable and able to play the sport, there remains, intrinsically, a pronounced difference in athletic abilities between the two.
And below, we are going to look at exactly why male basketball teams are better than female ones. However, as a quick disclaimer, this discussion will be solely centered on biology and physiology. We will not be looking at any one individual player nor will we be discussing who is better.
Rather, the conversation will focus on what allows the male gender to succeed in the game of basketball. In the discussion, we will focus solely on biological traits and physical characteristics, which lend themselves to the male gender naturally in basketball.
Differences Between the Two Leagues
Although both the NBA and the WNBA are basketball leagues, there are a few distinct differences between the two leagues. These differences, some pronounced and others subtle, are important to understand in relation to the systematic sexism that exists in the world of sports.
As you will see below, many of the rules and differences between the two leagues exists not as an accommodation to the players in the WNBA, but rather as a marketing tactic to encourage a faster, more accurate style of play. However, in doing so, these rules and differences harm the integrity of the WNBA and the women’s game.
Basketball Size Between the NBA and WNBA
Firstly, and perhaps most obvious, is the size of the basketball. In the NBA, a regulation sized basketball is sized at 29.5 inches. In the WNBA, however, a regulation sized basketball is measured at 28.5 inches, a full inch less. However, contrary to popular belief, the WNBA does not play with smaller basketballs due to the relative smaller sized hands of the individual players.
Rather, the smaller basketball size was initially introduced as a means to make the scoring accuracy greater, making the games more interesting and more attractive to a wider swath of the population. However, in one study by Brenda G. Pitts, a PhD student at the University of Alabama at the time, explored the “effect of a smaller and lighter ball on skill performance of female basketball players” as part of her 1985 thesis.
The skill test included diverse shot positions, passes, and dribbling. When women players were tested using smaller balls in comparison to the larger ones their skills improved. However, the skills test wasn’t performed during an actual game and is only an approximation of skills used when playing against opponents. In addition, Pitts also raised concerns in the NCAA News that the ball size was arbitrarily chosen.
However, a more conclusive study was completed and compared over a thousand games in which women played with larger basketballs to games when smaller balls were used. The research showed no improvement in scoring. Researchers recorded an increase in successful free throws when women played with Size 6 basketballs, but only on adult level.
Quarter Length in the WNBA Versus the NBA
In addition to the smaller sized basketballs, the WNBA is played in four quarters consisting of ten minutes. The NBA, however, plays for four quarters of twelve minutes. However, again, contrary to popular belief, the four-quarter format of ten-minute plays was not done to ease the cardiovascular exertion required in twelve-minute quarters. Rather, the ten-minute quarters were introduced to help speed up the game and attract additional viewers.
Three-Point Line Distance in the WNBA Versus the NBA
And lastly, in the WNBA, the three-point line is 6.75 meters, or 22-feet and 1.75-inches from the center of the basket. In the NBA, however, the three-point line is 7.24 meters, or 23-feet and 9-inches from the center of the basket.
Yet, again, this difference was not done due to the inability of WNBA players to score from a further three-point line. Rather, it was implemented and instituted as a means to make the women’s game more interesting and fast-paced, in hopes that doing so would attract additional viewership and fans.
How the Differences Between Men and Women Provide Men with an Advantage in Basketball
Looking further, it is also important to understand what the differences between men and women are. Understanding these natural differences will help to fully highlight and explain just why the men’s sport is often more competitive and why men’s basketball teams tend to overpower women’s ones.
- Men have more muscle mass than women – on average, an individual male will have 36% more muscle mass than his female counterpart. This additional muscle mass is, perhaps, the single best explanation as to why men excel in contact and muscular sports. An increase in muscle mass helps an individual to maintain both strength and power, two components which are essential in basketball. With this added muscle mass, male basketball players are better able to generate more force in a specific period of time. A sufficient level of muscle mass also contributes to speed, quickness, and agility performance, again all factors which are useful in the sport.
- During intense exercise, men’s primary fuel source are carbohydrates, for women, it is fat – in addition. to having more muscle mass, men also primarily use carbohydrates as their main fuel source during intense activities and exercises. Women, on the other hand, primarily use fat as their main fuel source. However, utilizing carbohydrates helps to improve athletic performance by delaying fatigue. And allowing athletes and basketball players to compete at higher levels for longer.
- Men have more testosterone than women – testosterone, the primary sex hormone and anabolic steroid in males, plays a key role in men’s increased muscle and bone mass and density. An average adult female has between 15-70 nanograms per deciliter of testosterone, whereas an average adult male has between 270-1070 nanograms per deciliter.
- Men, on average, have less body fat than women – women, due to their nee to support reproductive physiology, have about 10% more body fat than men. Reduced nonessential body fat can help to contribute to cardiorespiratory endurance, speed, and agility. Additional body fat provides greater resistance to an athlete.
- Men’s diets typically require more protein consumption – men, as compared to women, will require more protein in their diets. This added protein helps to build and strengthen muscles and combined with exercise and regular activity, will result in muscle growth and strength.
- Men typically have more red blood cells than women – on average, men have between 4.7-6.1 million cells per microliters, whereas women have between 4.2-5.4 million cells per microliter. A higher volume of red blood cells equals higher athletic performance. And consequently, improvement of. Hemoglobin mass has a prominent role in the training of high-performance athletes.
- Men have more vitamin D than women as they age – throughout their early life, both men and women have similar vitamin D levels. However, as women age, they tend to lose their reserves of vitamin D. A low reserve of vitamin D could affect athletic performance and could lead to an increase in stress fractures, acute illness, and suboptimal muscle function.