Psychological need-satisfaction, and basketball performance

•Pre-game autonomy predicted both quantity and quality of basketball game shooting.•Pre-game competence predicted quantity of basketball game shooting.•These effects occurred at a between-subjects level but not at a within-subjects level.•Shooting performance predicted increased competence and relatedness after the game.•The latter effects occurred both at a between-subjects and a within-subjects level.

ObjectivesWe applied self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) to examine whether pre-game psychological need-satisfaction predicts the quality of sports performance, and whether performance, in turn, predicts post-game need-satisfaction.Design/methodUndergraduate participants competing in a recreational league basketball season completed autonomy, competence, and relatedness need-satisfaction measures before and after games (N = 150 person-games). For each game, data were collected on the number of one, two, and three point shots taken, as well as shooting percentages for each type of shot.ResultsParticipants with greater pre-game autonomy performed best overall during games, although this pattern did not emerge within-subjects. Good game performance predicted enhanced post-game relatedness and competence, both between- and within-subjects.ConclusionImplications for optimal sports performance are considered.