Positions In Basketball
All About The Five Different Basketball Positions (Continued)
The Small Forward - Being a small forward, does not mean being a tiny person. While the small forward is often a bit shorter and less powerfully built than the other forward, the small forward position requires a player who has quickness and ball-handling capabilities nearly as good as a guard. This position also demands the player be a good rebounder and scorer and consequently the small forward, who at times must play like a forward, and at times like a shooting guard, is often the most athletic and versatile player on the court. The small forward has to be able to mix it up on the inside both on offense and on defense, and of the five basketball positions, it is probably the toughest position to play well. Larry Bird, from Indiana State may well have been the best small forward ever to play the game.
The Power Forward - Power forwards are usually tall and have a heavy build, in other words, powerful guys. The primary responsibilities of the power forward are those of rebounding and playing exceptional defense inside. Some power forwards are great scorers as well and the power forward will often post up, with his back to the basket just as a center does. A power forward who can hit mid-range jump shots will be a real bonus to any team, and when teamed up with a center who plays good defense, can be part of a truly formidable defensive combination. Two of the greatest NBA power forwards were Karl Malone and Charles Barkley.
The Center - The center position is usually the focus of what goes on in the course of a game and of the five basketball positions, this is the one from which the most points in a game are usually scored. Unless a team has an exceptionally high performing shooting guard or small forward, the object of the game is more often than not to get the ball into the center. At one time, just being tall was the major requirement for playing at the center position. In today's game however, a center must be agile, sturdy, and be able to play sound defense as well as shoot the short shots. The center must also be able to get up and down the floor quickly, and like the two forwards, learn to keep possession of the ball from the time they catch it until the time they pass or shoot. The center typically plays in crowded conditions against the other big men out there. It is rather rare to see a center shoot from the perimeter or dribble the ball well, as this is not usually required of them. As is the case with the power forward, a center is expected to come down with a high percentage of rebounds, both on the offensive and defensive boards. In the NBA, centers tend to be around 7' in height, a novelty 50 years ago. There have been a number of outstanding athletes over the years who have played this most visible of basketball positions, including Karim Abdul-Jabbar (UCLA), Bill Walton (UCLA), and Wilt Chamberlin (Kansas).
Variations - Although these five basketball positions are more or less cast in stone, and likely to remain so for years to come, the game is not in any way restricted as to how the player's talents should be utilized. How the game is played is sometimes determined purely by coaching strategy or by available talent. It is not at all unusual in today's game to see a three-guard offense, where more emphasis is being played on quickness, speed, and back court defense than on height and the inside game. Just as often we'll find two players in the post, either a center and power forward to two forwards. The basketball positions as defined here however, do give us a reference point from which the game is discussed as well as played.