Basketball Positions
An Overview Of The Five Basketball Positions
When basketball positions first were defined, sometime after the very first game was played in 1891, these positions have remained more or less since; although, since the 1980's the definitions have become somewhat more refined. Basketball was introduced as a means of off-season conditioning for athletes of other sports and has elements of lacrosse, soccer and rugby in its makeup.
At some point in time the rules of the game became somewhat standardized, as did the basketball positions, and for many decades these positions consisted of two guards, tow forwards and a center. In high school ball the center was often the tallest kid in school. If he was coordinated as well be could become a good player and more often than not was a team's leading scorer. The name of the game was to get the ball inside, to the tall guy near the basket. The center also had to play good defense, primarily against the other team's center. The center spends most of the time in the forecourt.
The two forwards, who also play mainly in the forecourt, also among the taller people on the team had to be able to shoot the ball from a little ways further from the basket than was required of the center. The forwards also were responsible for getting rebounds from missed shots and clearing the ball out to their guards to get the ball down to their end of the court. The two guards, the two back court players, usually the shortest and quickest players on the team, were responsible for bringing the ball up court and trying to pass it inside to one of the forwards or, preferably, the center. The guards were primarily there to get the ball inside and, on defense to prevent the opponent's guards from doing the same.
Newly Defined Positions - This rather simplified view of basketball positions began to change in the 1980's. As in many other sports, greater and greater attention began to be focused on the responsibilities of each of the five players, and putting a quality team together often involved having players, each blessed with a certain set of talents. The designation of two guards, two forwards, and a center as the positions became the point guard, the shooting guard, the small forward, the power forward, and the center. Some, probably most, basketball players are best suited for one and only one of these positions. It's not that they can't play another position; it's just that there is one or two other players on the team who have the talent to play it better. There are those whoever, who can play at more than one position well and are very valuable members of the team when this is the case.
So let's take a look at these five basketball positions, what the responsibilities are that go along with each position, and a few players who have excelled at these positions. While there is an occasional, somewhat rare exception, the guards remain the shortest players on a team and the center, the tallest.
The Point Guard - The player who is designated as the point guard, is usually the player who brings the ball up court and has the responsibility for setting up offensive players. As such, the point guard is in effect the team quarterback. Since the point guard spends more time dribbling the ball than any other team member he must excel at that particular skill and be a very good ball handler. The point guard is more often than not the fastest and quickest athlete on the team, a valuable asset on defense as well. The role of the point guard is usually to pass the ball to another player rather than shoot the ball, so the point guard will usually be credited with more assists than points. When the point guard does score it's often by driving to the basket and not from shooting from the perimeter. Two of basketball's greatest point guards were Magic Johnson of Michigan State and Oscar Robertson of Cincinnati. Both excelled in the NBA and both could score plenty of points when they needed to.
The Shooting Guard - The shooting guard, as the name applies, is an offensive weapon and a person who is able to hit the basket from outside. The shooting guard is usually the team's best shooter, but also needs to have passing skills as good as those of the point card and good ball handling skills as well. A shooting guard may on occasion set up a play but this is more often the task of the point guard. A shooting guard must also be able to play good defense and is often paired up against the opponent's best perimeter shooter. A player who can play both guard positions well is obviously a valuable player indeed. The "sixth man", a team’s number one substitute is often a guard who can play at either of the two guard positions. Three of the all-time greatest college and NBA shooting guards are Pistol Pete Maravich (LSU), Jerry West (West Virginia) and Michael Jordan (North Carolina). (continued...)