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Nba

by io.github.pipeworx-io
OverviewDiscussionsAdmin

Get Player

get_player
Read-onlyIdempotent

Direct lookup of a single NBA player by BallDontLie ID. ⚠️ TIER-GATED: the /players/{id} endpoint requires the ALL-STAR tier ($9.99/mo) or higher; free-tier _apiKey gets a 403 with "No approval received". search_players covers the same player metadata (name/position/height/weight/team) on the free tier, so prefer that unless you already have a paid BallDontLie key.

Example tool call

This call uses example arguments supplied in the tool’s input schema.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "id": 114
    },
    "name": "get_player"
  }
}

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
idYesBallDontLie player ID
_apiKeyYesBallDontLie API key

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
idYesPlayer ID
nameYesFull name (first + last)
teamYesCurrent team information
heightYesPlayer height
weightYesPlayer weight
collegeYesCollege attended
countryYesCountry of origin
positionYesPlayer position
draft_yearYesYear drafted
draft_roundYesDraft round
draft_numberYesDraft pick number
jersey_numberYesJersey number

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedInput schema / examples
      Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "_apiKey": "your-nba-api-key",
-    "id": 114
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "id": 114
+  }
+]
  2. Changed2 schema fields changed
    • addedInput schema / examples
      Added value: +[
+  {
+    "_apiKey": "your-nba-api-key",
+    "id": 114
+  }
+]
    • changedOutput schema / (root)
      Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "properties": {
+    "college": {
+      "description": "College attended",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "country": {
+      "description": "Country of origin",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "draft_number": {
+      "description": "Draft pick number",
+      "type": [
+        "number",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "draft_round": {
+      "description": "Draft round",
+      "type": [
+        "number",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "draft_year": {
+      "description": "Year drafted",
+      "type": [
+        "number",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "height": {
+      "description": "Player height",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "id": {
+      "description": "Player ID",
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "jersey_number": {
+      "description": "Jersey number",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "name": {
+      "description": "Full name (first + last)",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "position": {
+      "description": "Player position",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "team": {
+      "description": "Current team information",
+      "properties": {
+        "abbreviation": {
+          "description": "Team abbreviation",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "city": {
+          "description": "Team city",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "conference": {
+          "description": "Conference (East/West)",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "division": {
+          "description": "Division name",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "full_name": {
+          "description": "Full team name",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "id": {
+          "description": "Team ID",
+          "type": "number"
+        },
+        "name": {
+          "description": "Team name",
+          "type": "string"
+        }
+      },
+      "type": [
+        "object",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "weight": {
+      "description": "Player weight",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "id",
+    "name",
+    "position",
+    "height",
+    "weight",
+    "jersey_number",
+    "college",
+    "country",
+    "draft_year",
+    "draft_round",
+    "draft_number",
+    "team"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}
  3. Changed2 schema fields changed
    • removedInput schema / examples
      Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "_apiKey": "your-nba-api-key",
-    "id": 114
-  }
-]
    • changedOutput schema / (root)
      Previous value: -{
-  "properties": {
-    "college": {
-      "description": "College attended",
-      "type": [
-        "string",
-        "null"
-      ]
-    },
-    "country": {
-      "description": "Country of origin",
-      "type": [
-        "string",
-        "null"
-      ]
-    },
-    "draft_number": {
-      "description": "Draft pick number",
-      "type": [
-        "number",
-        "null"
-      ]
-    },
-    "draft_round": {
-      "description": "Draft round",
-      "type": [
-        "number",
-        "null"
-      ]
-    },
-    "draft_year": {
-      "description": "Year drafted",
-      "type": [
-        "number",
-        "null"
-      ]
-    },
-    "height": {
-      "description": "Player height",
-      "type": [
-        "string",
-        "null"
-      ]
-    },
-    "id": {
-      "description": "Player ID",
-      "type": "number"
-    },
-    "jersey_number": {
-      "description": "Jersey number",
-      "type": [
-        "string",
-        "null"
-      ]
-    },
-    "name": {
-      "description": "Full name (first + last)",
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    "position": {
-      "description": "Player position",
-      "type": [
-        "string",
-        "null"
-      ]
-    },
-    "team": {
-      "description": "Current team information",
-      "properties": {
-        "abbreviation": {
-          "description": "Team abbreviation",
-          "type": "string"
-        },
-        "city": {
-          "description": "Team city",
-          "type": "string"
-        },
-        "conference": {
-          "description": "Conference (East/West)",
-          "type": "string"
-        },
-        "division": {
-          "description": "Division name",
-          "type": "string"
-        },
-        "full_name": {
-          "description": "Full team name",
-          "type": "string"
-        },
-        "id": {
-          "description": "Team ID",
-          "type": "number"
-        },
-        "name": {
-          "description": "Team name",
-          "type": "string"
-        }
-      },
-      "type": [
-        "object",
-        "null"
-      ]
-    },
-    "weight": {
-      "description": "Player weight",
-      "type": [
-        "string",
-        "null"
-      ]
-    }
-  },
-  "required": [
-    "id",
-    "name",
-    "position",
-    "height",
-    "weight",
-    "jersey_number",
-    "college",
-    "country",
-    "draft_year",
-    "draft_round",
-    "draft_number",
-    "team"
-  ],
-  "type": "object"
-}New value: +null
  4. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedOutput schema / (root)
      Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "properties": {
+    "college": {
+      "description": "College attended",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "country": {
+      "description": "Country of origin",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "draft_number": {
+      "description": "Draft pick number",
+      "type": [
+        "number",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "draft_round": {
+      "description": "Draft round",
+      "type": [
+        "number",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "draft_year": {
+      "description": "Year drafted",
+      "type": [
+        "number",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "height": {
+      "description": "Player height",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "id": {
+      "description": "Player ID",
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "jersey_number": {
+      "description": "Jersey number",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "name": {
+      "description": "Full name (first + last)",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "position": {
+      "description": "Player position",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "team": {
+      "description": "Current team information",
+      "properties": {
+        "abbreviation": {
+          "description": "Team abbreviation",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "city": {
+          "description": "Team city",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "conference": {
+          "description": "Conference (East/West)",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "division": {
+          "description": "Division name",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "full_name": {
+          "description": "Full team name",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "id": {
+          "description": "Team ID",
+          "type": "number"
+        },
+        "name": {
+          "description": "Team name",
+          "type": "string"
+        }
+      },
+      "type": [
+        "object",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "weight": {
+      "description": "Player weight",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "id",
+    "name",
+    "position",
+    "height",
+    "weight",
+    "jersey_number",
+    "college",
+    "country",
+    "draft_year",
+    "draft_round",
+    "draft_number",
+    "team"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}
  5. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedInput schema / examples
      Added value: +[
+  {
+    "_apiKey": "your-nba-api-key",
+    "id": 114
+  }
+]
  6. Changed2 schema fields changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / _apiKey
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "BallDontLie API key",
+  "type": "string"
+}
    • changedInput schema / required
      Previous value: -[
-  "id"
-]New value: +[
+  "id",
+  "_apiKey"
+]
  7. First observed

TDQS

A4.5/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Goes well beyond the readOnly/idempotent/openWorld annotations by disclosing the tier requirement (ALL-STAR, $9.99/mo) and the exact failure mode a free-tier key hits. It does not describe the response shape or rate limits, but the output schema covers returns.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three sentences, front-loaded with the action, then the gating constraint, then the routing advice. The warning marker draws attention to the highest-risk fact with no wasted wording.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a two-parameter read tool with full schema coverage, an output schema, and annotations, the description supplies the one missing piece an agent needs - the paid-tier requirement and its workaround. Nothing material is absent.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so both id and _apiKey are already documented; the description adds no format, range, or lookup-disambiguation detail beyond what the schema states. The mention that search_players returns the same metadata is useful context but not parameter semantics.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource - "Direct lookup of a single NBA player by BallDontLie ID" - and immediately names the sibling it competes with (search_players). An agent can distinguish this from search_players without opening either schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Gives an explicit decision rule: prefer search_players unless you already have a paid BallDontLie key, and explains exactly why (free-tier _apiKey gets a 403). Both the when and the when-not are stated, along with the alternative.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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