Starting basketball young means you get the opportunity to try out a few positions and figure out which works best for you. This guide should help you to learn those roles and which position would suit you best.
There are 5 main positions in basketball with some players taking on hybrid roles or positions. The point guard (PG), could be considered the team captain, the shooting guard (SG), the power forward (PF), the small forward (SF), and the center (C) make up the 5 players of the team allowed on the court at a time.
Basketball Positions:
- Point Guard (PG)
- Shooting Guard (SG)
- Small Forward SF)
- Power Forward (PF)
- Center (C)
- Hybrid Positions
Lets go into more detail about what’s expected from each one of these positions, and how they can work together in formations to become a great team.
Point Guard
The point guard is considered the captain of the team or the play maker. The point guard needs to have good shooting, ball handling, and a high basketball IQ. The point guard is responsible for setting up plays and is usually the player bringing the ball up the court.
Because of this, the point guard needs to be vocal, yelling out to their team, and looking for open players or plays that can be made to score a basket. To be a good point guard the player will need to be able to identify options that will result in the highest chance of putting point on the board.
Point Guard Skill Set:
- Dribbling
- Ball Control
- Ball Handling
- Shooting
- Passing
- Communication
On defense, the point guard will guard the opposing teams point guard. Being able to defend a point guard requires speed and agility. Being quick enough to steal the ball and shut down plays is crucial in this role.
A point guard doesn’t just need to make plays, they need to read the court and know where to put the ball. Here’s a cool video showing some of the best plays made by point guards in the NBA.
Example Point Guards:
- Kobe Bryant
- Russel Westbrook
- Steve Nash
- Stephen Curry
- Jason Kidd
- Chris Paul
- Derrick Rose
- Rajon Rondo
Shooting Guard
The shooting guard is typically going to be the teams best outside shooter. The shooting guard will usually make most of their points from behind the 3-point line. They need to have the ability to get the ball, and shoot immediately in many situations.
If a shooting guard is not already in position to take a shot when passed the ball, the need to have good ball handling skills to quickly get into position to take a shot at the basket. A good shooting guard will require the defense to cover them closely, creating holes in the court pulling the defense out.
Shooting Guard Skill Set:
- Shooting
- Distance Shooting
- Dribbling
- Ball Handling
- Tight Defense
- Rebounding
On defense, the shooting guard will need to be quick. This is a tough defensive role because you don’t want to give a shooting guard much space or they’ll drown a basket right in front of you. On the other hand, defending too closely will pull the defense out on the court, creating holes for plays to be made in.
Here’s a video showing some of the best plays made by shooting guards. Notice how they take a lot of 3-point shots, but also maneuver around the court fluidly.
Example Shooting Guards:
- Micheal Jordan
- Ray Allen
- Reggie Miller
- Vince Carter
- James Harden
Small Forward
The small forward is considered by some as the most versatile player on the court. They can roam the court making plays from anywhere. They need to be able to take close shots, drive to the hoop, and make 3’s.
What makes a small forward stand out however, is being able to drive to the hoop and an accurate mid-range shot percentage. Getting open and being able to handle the ball when they get a pass is top priority for a small forward. They are sometimes able to fill in for shooting guards or power forwards because their position requires both those skill sets.
Small Forward Skill Set:
- Mid-Range Scoring
- Drive To The Hoop
- Distance Shooting
- Dribbling
- Ball Handling
- Speed and Agility
- Guard Multiple Positions
On defense, a small forward needs to be able to box out opponents under the hoop, and pull in rebounds. They are required to defend against multiple positions and need to adjust their defense plan accordingly.
Here’s a video of some of the best plays made by small forwards. Notice how they can get rebounds under the hoop, then move up the court to take a 3 or drive to the hoop.
Example Small Forwards:
- LeBron James
- Larry Bird
- Kevin Durant
- Scottie Pippen
- Paul Pierce
- Carmelo Anthony
Power Forward
The power forward really shines on defense. However, making close to the hoop shots, short jump shots, and close fade away’s can make the power forward a stand out offensive threat.
On offense, the power forward will mainly focus on blocking or screens to help their team score, or getting rebounds and points under the basket.
Power Forward Skill Set:
- Size and Strength
- Box Out Opponents
- Block Shots
- Block Lanes
- Block Drives To The Hoop
- Rebounding
- Scoring In The Paint
- Mid-Range Shots
On defense, the power forward plays a huge role in stopping the opponent from getting to the hoop. Blocking lanes, blocking shots, and grabbing up rebounds is the focus for a power forward.
Here’s a video of the best plays made by power forwards. Notice how they thrive under the hoop grabbing rebounds, dunking, and defense.
Example Power Forwards:
- Tim Duncan
- Kevin Garnett
- Karl Malone
- Charles Barkley
- Dennis Rodman
- Blake Griffin
Center
The center plays a massive defensive role on the court as well as grabbing rebounds and keeping the team on offense. The center is usually the tallest player on the team and spends most of their time under the hoop on both sides of the court.
Centers must be able to assist other team mates by setting up screens, and have great footwork to play under the basket. Often, the center will be playing with their back to the basket, but must keep aware of it’s location in order to make plays or stop a drive.
Center Skill Set:
- Size and Strength
- Rebounding
- Block Shots
- Inside Scoring
- Block Drives To The Hoop
On defense, the center will block out other players for rebounds, stop drives to the hoop, and try gaining possession of the ball at all times. A good center will have a high rebound percentage, and the ability to take a hit stopping drives to the hoop.
Here’s a video showing some of the best plays from centers. Notice they often make great defensive plays or get passed the ball under the hoop for quick inside scoring.
Example Centers:
- Shaquille O’Neal
- Dwight Howard
- Yao Ming
- Tim Duncan
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Hybrid Positions
Hybrid positions aren’t official player positions on the court in a game of basketball, but more often now players are adding extra skills to their position and able cover multiple roles for the team.
Point Forward
A point forward is mixture of a point guard and a small forward. With the ability to call the shots, bring the ball up the court, decide the plays, and take on the role of a small forward. This role is held for exceptional players of a team that can make plays happen on their own or with the team.
Point forwards are becoming more common as teams really heavily on their star players. Draymond Green, Joe Ingles, and LeBron James are examples of players who take on a point forward position.
Combo Guard
A combo guard is a player who can play both guard positions, point guard and shooting guard. Similar to the point forward hybrid position, a combo guard will be able to command the team and call out plays. But the combo guard will be more likely to shoot at a distance like a shooting guard would.
Swing-man
A swing-man is typically a small forward player that can shoot really well. Mostly playing as a small forward, this type of player can be trusted to make point out behind the 3-point line as well. Hence the name, swing-man, this player can swing between roles in an instant.
Stretch 4
The stretch 4 gets it’s name for the ability to stretch the defensive out a bit. With the position of a power forward, the stretch 4 is great at making distance shots, and can pull the defending power forward out from the hoop to create openings for other players to drive to the basket.
Here’s a good explanation video of hybrid positions if you want to know more about these types of players.
Basketball Formations
Basketball formations allow the team to work together to overcome their opponent. Whether on offense or defense, formations can help score points, so many teams like to use them. The most common formations are zone, man to man, press, and spread.
Zone Formation
The zone formation is mostly used as a defensive formation to cover as much of the court as possible. Each player will be assigned a zone on the court to guard, and they will stay in that area unless switching to man to man defensive coverage.
Man To Man
A man to man formation is typically used on defense where each player is assigned a player from the opposing team to guard. Typically, a player would guard the opponent of the same position as them. For example, a shooting guard will defend against the opposing teams shooting guard and so on.
Press Formation
In defense, a press formation is when the defense applies pressure to the offensive in the hopes of stealing the ball or forcing a turnover. This can be done with either the man to man or zone formations listed above. Sometimes the defense will apply a press near half court or even back court in some cases.
On offense a press can be used to counter the defense applying pressure. The offensive players will pass the ball more than usual and use the sidelines to move the ball up the court. Applying pressure to the defense is tough, this is mostly used on offense to counter a defensive press.
Example Press Formations:
- Half Court Press
- Full Court Press
- 2-2-1 Press
- Diamond Press
- Man To Man Press
Spread Formation
The spread formation is used on offense to try spreading the defense out to make room for plays at the hoop. Sometimes referred to as motion offense, the team will move around the court in an effort to pull the defensive out from the hoop. This can be used with the zone or man to man formations listed above.
Here’s a great video showing how an offense can spread the defense out by working together.
Here are some common questions I get about basketball positions.
What Is The Most Important Positions In Basketball?
The most important position in basketball is the point guard. The point guard can be considered the team captain or the play maker of the team on offense. Typically when bringing the ball up the court, the point guard will direct players on the court to open up plays to be made.
What Is The Best NBA Position?
The best position to play in the NBA is the shooting guard. The shooting guard is relied on to make distance shots usually behind the 3-point line. This position can score many points for a team, and their is shooting ability is typically admired by fans and even other players.
This can be debated all day long. The best position is really the position you like to play or cheer for the most.
What Is The Easiest Position In Basketball?
There are no positions in basketball that are easier than any other. Instead it depends on the skill level of the player. A large string player will have an easier time playing center than they would as point guard. On the other hand, an experience shooter will have an easier time playing shooting guard than an other position.
What Is The Hardest Position In Basketball?
For many players the point guard position is considered the hardest position in basketball. The point guard will need multiple skill sets found in the other positions, and needs a high basketball IQ to be able to make plays on the court during game time.
There really is no hardest position though. It depends on a players skills which position they will excel in.
What Basketball Position Shoots The Most?
The shooting guard position will shoot the most in a basketball game. The shooting guard is selected for that position for their shooting ability. They are relied on by the team to have a high shooting percentage behind the 3-point line and is often passed the ball to make those shots.
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