Basketball possession: A systematic review.

This article systematically reviews existing research on basketball possession, defined as the period a team controls the ball until the end of an offensive play, to synthesize knowledge and identify future directions in basketball performance analysis. Nineteen peer-reviewed studies were analyzed and categorized into four main themes: Last Moment Analysis, Possession-Based Models for simulating matches and predicting outcomes, Key Factors Affecting Possession Performance, and Individual Possession Performance. The review highlights that most research focuses on professional leagues, particularly the NBA and European competitions, with limited studies on youth or wheelchair basketball. It identifies gaps such as the need for cross-league comparisons, diversified athlete samples, expanded use of tracking data, automated possession analysis, and deeper investigation into individual player possession dynamics. This synthesis aims to support coaches in strategic planning and guide researchers toward more balanced and comprehensive future studies in basketball possession analysis.