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This study evaluated and compared the effectiveness of two different off-season, short-term basketball training programs on physical and technical abilities of young basketball players. Twenty-seven adolescent basketball players (14.7±0.5 years; Tanner stage: 3.5±0.5) were randomly divided into a specialized basketball training group (SP, n=10), a mixed basketball plus conditioning training group (MX, n=10) and a control group (n=7). Training included five sessions per week (100–120min each) and was performed for 4 weeks. Maximal oxygen uptake was similarly improved after SP (4.9±1.8%) and MX (4.9±1.4%), but there was no effect on ventilatory threshold. Peak and mean power output measured during the Wingate test were also improved by a similar magnitude after SP (21±5%) and MX (15±6%). Trunk muscle endurance was equally increased (SP: 23±4%, MX: 25±5%), but arms endurance was …