Relationships between digit ratio (2D:4D) and basketball performance in Australian men.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate relationships between the digit ratio (2D:4D) and competitive basketball performance in Australian men.

METHODS: Using an observational cross-sectional design a total of 221 Australian basketball players who competed in the Olympic Games, International Basketball Federation World Championships/Cup, Australian National Basketball League, Central Australian Basketball League or socially had their 2D:4Ds measured. Analysis of variance was used to assess differences in mean 2D:4Ds between men playing at different competitive standards, with relationships between 2D:4Ds and basketball game-related statistics assessed using Pearson's product moment correlations in men playing at a single competitive standard.

RESULTS: There were significant differences between competitive standards for the left 2D:4D following Bonferroni correction, but not for the right 2D:4D, with basketballers who achieved higher competitive standards tending to have lower left 2D:4Ds. No important correlations between 2D:4D and basketball game-related statistics were found, with correlations typically negligible.

CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that the 2D:4D can discriminate between basketballers competing at different standards, but not between basketballers within a single competitive standard using objective game-related statistics.