The Average Amount of Calories Burnt During Basketball

Being a member of a basketball team allows you to combine competition with camaraderie, all while burning calories quickly. If you're not quite ready to play the sport competitively but still enjoy visiting your local park to shoot some hoops, you'll still burn calories. The average number of calories you'll burn during basketball depends on your weight, the length of time you spend on the court and how you take part in the game.

  1. Full-Court Basketball

    • Playing basketball on a full court is the sport's most effective way to burn calories, given the amount of running you'll do during the game. The length of a basketball game varies by league, but games are often 40 or 48 minutes. A 200-pound player who spends the entire game on the court will burn 664 calories in 40 minutes and 797 calories in 48 minutes, according to HealthStatus.

    Recreational Basketball

    • If you play basketball at the gym or at the park, two common approaches are a half-court game or just shooting hoops. Each variation of the sport doesn't burn calories as quickly as a full-court game, but are still effective ways to get in shape. A 200-pound person who spends 40 or 48 minutes playing half-court basketball will burn 496 or 595 calories, respectively. Shooting hoops for 40 or 48 minutes will result in 272 or 326 calories burned.

    Officiating Basketball

    • If your playing days are long behind you, it's logical to get involved in the game as a coach or official. Coaching doesn't result in many calories burned during a game, but the officials can burn several hundred calories because they spend virtually the entire contest running up and down the floor with the players. A 200-pound official will burn 424 or 509 calories, respectively, during a 40- or 48-minute game.

    Basketball Benefits

    • When you're focused on the action on the court, you shouldn't be thinking about the calories you're burning. You also shouldn't be noting the benefits of the sport, but this information is important to consider if you're planning to take up basketball. The Better Health Channel reports that basketball can build muscle, improve your endurance, increase your coordination and help improve your self-discipline. The sport also has an important social element, especially if you play in a recreational league with friends.