Depends , if your lookin at just one game or an 82 game NBA season or a world championships ,
for NBA
: endurance and flexibiltiy would be much higher as prevention of injury and decreasing recovery time are essential in a short turnaround !
But the. Speed strength and power would depend on position I'd say but if good at all would be bonus .

Thanks jacob,fair call, but would appreciate you completing the 1-5 ranking.

Ahh okay
1- endurance
2- flexibility
3 - power
4- speed
5 - strenth

Don't disagree, Anon.

In the post, Strength = 1.
Guards, LM Endurance = 1.

So your ideal list would look like..?

1 - endurance
2 - strength
3 - speed
4 - power
5 - flexibility

These rankings are based on building blocks of fitness as opposed to absolute requirements. Without endurance there is no recovery and you are a one-possession player (an extreme analogy but makes the point).

Without strength there is no speed or power (strength applied rapidly) so you need a fundemental level of strength to create speed or power.

Without flexibility there is less movement. The absolute flexibility requirements of basketball are minimal as the court is so small that rarely, if ever, are muscles able to reach their maximum length.

If one assumes that all pre-conditions exist for the attainment of others then the order would be more like:

1 - power
2 - speed
3 - strength
4 - endurance
5 - flexibility

If you had five elite players, I think Ankles 2nd list could be a pretty sensible choice, due to each players power and speed of skill execution...

PS - Pretty stoked to see the brains trust coming out of the woodwork!

Flexibility is always my #1 priority working with athletes. There are also different forms of strength: stabilizational strength, endurance strength, max strength etc. stabilizational strength is what I normally focus on after flexibility so it is #2 on my list.

From here on I think the other 3 components are position specific when ordering importance.

Thanks pickles for something a bit more thoughtful..
I think you are right that it would require an essay at least, as some of the responses have indicated.

If I had to be pinned down I would say power first, but all the variables other people mention are relevant, in my opinion.

For a more serious approach I would suggest googling some research work in the US, such as at UCLA some years ago, but there are (or should it be 'is' since 'plenty' is a singular noun) probably plenty of 'expert' views originating out of many basketball colleges in the US let alone anywhere else.

Dear Rocket,
I suggest the correct grammatically terminology would be "there are probably plenty...", but I have a concern over the use of "There are" and "probably" in the same sentence, as "There are" is a positive assertion yet "probably" is a suggestion, but I digress...

Am now wishing ppls could include the ways that the 5 components can be/are used in basketball, ie:

Speed:
Defence - Contain player, prevent fast break.
Offence - Off. Transition, break def. press.

Power:
Defence - Beat the offence to space?
Offence - Quick 1st step to beat the defender.

I know its late, I know your weary, but indulge me a little more ppl?

The component of fitness you didn't ask us to rank is agility - the ability to change speeds and levels quickly. Probably ranks as #1 overall.

Agility - defensively adjusting to offensive moves - lateral quickness, close-out and retreat. Creating a lead offensively, chnage of direction, cross-over.

Power - explosive jumping - rebounding, dunking, accelerating to fill the lane.

Speed - filling the lane, retreating on D

Strength - holding your ground on the block, offensively or defensively, boxing out (although strictly spekaing this is about power rather than strength).

Endurance - all of the above into the second half, into the third successive full-tilt trip down the floor.

Flexibility - full range of motion for stretch rebound, block shot, slipping on the floor!!

I know your plans didn't include me... but I answered anyway!

Very difficult to give a definite answer to this as it very much depends on the position you play and even then, how you play it. For example: consider a center who sticks his bucket arse into you and simply pushes you back to the basket turns and jump hooks for two verse one who fakes one way, steps around and explodes over the top for a monster jam. Both centers, both score two but both rely on totally different strengths and energy systems (ie. fitness components)
It is probably more accurate to give you the fitness components and then you and your mates at work can pick the ones that best apply to whoever it is you were arguing about.
Here is the readers digest version of the major fitness components
Aerobic power- provides energy at sub maximal efforts (walk, jog , etc)and requires the presence of oxygen
Anaerobic power (occurs without the presence of Oxygen). Two major types.
a) Phosphagen system - used in high intensity activity lasting less than ten seconds (sprint, dunk, block etc.)
b) Lactic acid system - used in high intensity activity from 10secs up to 2mins ( continual defence, transition, offence back to d etc.)
Power - any explosive type actions (block, dunk, rebound etc). Is a combination of strength x speed
Strength - actually defined as max exertion that can be applied once. (important for boxing out , posting etc)
Speed (again, 2 types)
a) Whole body - ability to move entire body from point A to point B
b) Part body - ability to move one pert of the body quickly (ie. arm speed when throwing baseball pass)
Local Muscle endurance - ability to repeat a muscle movement to a desired level for as long as possible. (staying down in d, same shooting action in last few minutes as the warm up, etc)Can be controlled by the bodys ability to tolerate toxic by products found as a result of the anaerobic energy system.(see earlier)
Flexibility - probably most important in the area of injury prevention and skill performance. Is combined with balance(another fitness component!) to create agility (yet another fitness component)
Keep in mind there are two categories of flexibility (Dynamic and static) Dynamic is the more important of the two in the sport of basketball.
And finally, just to really give everyone the shits, the are a number of neuromuscular fitness components which include Balance, Reaction time and Coordination all of which, it could be argued, are also very important components of this game.
I hope that's cleared it all up for you!!

Loving the convo on here atm - my muscles (?!) are twitching...(definitely slower than the old days, but still twitching).

POGgy, you can run all day, but if I play smarter, I'll save energy too.

Definitely need a balance, young pups to run the floor and wise old heads to control the tempo, change ups, etc.

My Saturday arvo U8s rule was if a team mate is open closer to the basket, throw them the ball. This works with young ones, but sooner or later the other teams will wise up.

Thats when the basic skills become apparent by their presence, or absence, and with that comes or goes your success.

boom boom! LOL gimmi some definate answers someone!

add more detail. trying to do a assessment here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

please help mee!!