PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

This systematic review operationalises an end-to-end evidence scan about plyometric training (PT) in basketball to address the escalation of matching intensity and the need to be scalable and have controlled risk for performance gains. The purpose of the study is to quantify the effects of PT on vertical jump (VJ), sprint velocity, change of direction (COD) agility, reactive force and balance on basketballers and to test moderating levers like weekly volume, session frequency, external load and vertical vs. horizontal plane of motion and unilateral vs. bilateral performance. Methods were based on the conventions of the PRISMA: multiple database searches; removal of duplicates; independent screening and quality appraisal. Results: Among 112 records (97 from the database; 15 from other sources), 102 were screened after removing duplicates; 30 full texts were reviewed, and 10 studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings show material improvements in VJ, reactive strength and COD; sprint gains are possible with prescriptions that focus on horizontal force application and acceptable volume training. Loaded, unilateral protocols and microdosed schedules provide similar / better results than classic high-dose plans if monitored closely. To conclude, PT has high leverage, multi-dimensional intervention to basketball performance if programmed with specificity, progressive overload and recovery discipline. Policy recommendations holding an embedded standardised PT framework across the academy, elite pathway; capacitation coaches exercising certifications on exercise selection, progression and weight load monitoring; microdosing in times of congested fixtures; injury surveillance dashboards; and funding research on sex and age-responsive prescriptions, emphasising Chinese basketball development systems. This systematic review, therefore, sought to update the state of the art of the effects of PT on basketball performance from 2010 to 2025. In contrast to previous reviews and meta-analyses, we gave special attention to the training prescription of moderators such as microdosing protocols, loading strategies, movement direction and unilateral vs. bilateral execution. We also aimed to contextualise the findings for Chinese basketball systems and development pathways to acknowledge the emergence and popularity of basketball in Asia and the need for culturally informed training frameworks.