NBA Players Run About 2.5 Miles Per Game

Basketball may be played on a relatively small court, but the athletic demands are enormous. A 2017 study tracking player movement found that the average NBA player runs approximately 2.5 miles per game. This distance is covered through constant sprinting, jogging, backpedaling, and side-to-side shuffling over the course of 48 minutes of game time. During the 2019-20 NBA season, Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum covered an average of 2.75 miles per game, making him one of the league's most active players. Guards typically run more than centers due to their role in bringing the ball up the court and defending perimeter players. Over the course of an 82-game season, a typical NBA player might run over 200 miles just during games, not counting practice or training.