## 4 Discussion
It is important to note that due to the characteristics of basketball, players constantly rely on the opposite leg to their shooting hand in unilateral jumps with the ball [20]. This fact is a plausible explanation of the results shown, as players would theoretically feel more comfortable and be more familiar with a task in which the interaction with the ball is performed on a left-limb stance. Another important finding is that the addition of the ball during the DVJ action significantly diminished the lower limb asymmetry values calculated through SampEn. Particularly, asymmetry in SampEn values between legs considerably increased (\(p<0.01\)) when the ball constraint was included (BALL vs. NOBALL condition, mean asymmetry of 5.5% vs. \(-14.7\%\), respectively; see Figure 9). Vertical jump tests represent a viable evaluation method to determine asymmetries [54; 61]. Asymmetries between 10 and 15% in different strength indicators of the lower limbs have been associated with reduced jump performance, increased risk of injury and four times higher likelihood of re-rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament [54; 62]. In the present study, asymmetries in traditional DVJ performance parameters (jump height, RSI and CT) were below 10%, However, these asymmetries surpassed the 10% threshold when evaluating DVJ without the ball using SampEn (Figure 9). To the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no prior research on asymmetry in MV measured by SampEn in sports movements or tests. Consequently, the interpretation and evaluation of the clinical or practical significance of this finding are constrained. Further research should delve into whether these differences bear meaningful implications for the optimization of the training process. This study illustrates the potential utility of SampEn entropy as an alternative and more nuanced method for evaluating the effects of sport-specific task constraints despite the absence of significant differences in standardized performance parameters. The use of the ball as a constraint during DVJs demands higher levels of coordination patterns, stimulating the advantageous and adaptive aspects of variability in system function [63]. Traditional injury prevention-oriented tasks are often excessively static and predictable, in contrast to the fact that players must constantly adjust and adapt their actions according to inherent changes in performance environments [15]. Recent research on skill acquisition advocates for the use of constraint-based approaches to improve specificity and develop challenging training environments, which increases MV and adaptability [17; 64]. A certain degree of MV in training tasks has been shown to be beneficial, as it challenges the athlete and promotes a system that is more adaptable to internal and external perturbations that constantly act on the organism [16; 17]. In the present study, the effect of the ball led to an increase in MV on the right leg, but as previously discussed, not on the left leg. Therefore, in this scenario, it could be interesting to further challenge the constraint when receiving on the left leg, given that players are likely more comfortable in that condition presumably due to transfer from the sport. An option to progress the difficulty could be to combine the sport-specific coordinative constraint (inclusion of the ball) with a cognitive constraint, such as a decision-making component. This approach aligns with the findings of [PERSON] et al. [38], who demonstrated that adding a decision-making constraint to a ball coordination task resulted in a further increase in MV compared to introducing the ball alone. This present research is not without limitations: (i) a limited sample size; (ii) the combination of both sexes in the sample; and (iii) the absence of professional players. Future studies should investigate the possible differences between injured and non-injured players, as well as analyze the differences between beginner and expert players. In both cases, motor control and coordination could differ between groups.