Depending on your background and where you live, you may not be familiar with the basketball positions. Even for those who are somewhat familiar with the game, the specific or classic responsibilities for each position in basketball are not well known by all players. In the classic basketball lineup in the five versus five basketball game, the positions are: the point guard, shooting guard, center, power forward, and small forward. In the modern game some basketball coaches will experiment with playing three or even sometimes four guards, or leveraging the newish “point forward” position where the offense is initiated by the small forward who has ball handling and passing skills.
Basketball Positions
Point Guard (PG)
The point guard basketball position is normally the best ball handler and passer on the court for the team. Also referred to as the “1” or “one” guard, the primary duty of the point guard is to bring the ball up the court and setup his or her team’s offense. The position is similar to the quarterback in American football, center in ice hockey, or midfielder in European football / soccer. The point guard is considered the “floor general” or the “coach on the floor” and is one of the most important of the basketball positions.
Shooting Guard (SG)
The primary role of the shooting guard is to move without the ball and to score points from the perimeter and driving to the basket.
Basketball positions depicted on the legacy international basketball lane.
Also referred to as the “2” or “two” guard, the shooting guard can serve as the secondary or alternative ball handler for the team and must have good to excellent dribbling skills. In leagues that have the 3 point shot, the shooting guard will normally be the best three point shooter on his or her respective team. Shooting guards are also one of the quickest players on the team.
Small Forward (SF)
The small forward position has evolved significantly over the past two decades. Commonly referred to as the “3” or “three” position, small forwards can range in size from guard size to the same height as a power forward or center. The skill sets for a small forward are typically a combination of those found with guards and the inside skills of power forwards. NBA small forwards will commonly have excellent ball handling capabilities and be one of the strongest defenders on the team. Some small forwards, such as LeBron James, will commonly fill the role of “Point Forward” and take the place of the point guard in initiating or running a team’s offense.
Power Forward (PF)
The power forward basketball position is commonly referred to as the “4” or “four” spot. They will commonly be the best rebounder and post defender on the team. The difference between a power forward and center has been blurred in recent years; however, they will commonly be a tad shorter than the center and have a better mid-range jump shot. It has been more common for European power forwards to have range on their jump shot out to the “three” where American power forwards will focus more on the inside game.
Center (C)
Of all of the five classic basketball positions, the center is supposed to be the biggest guy or gal on the team. Also referred to as the “5” or “five” spot, their primary job is to defend the low post, block shots, and rebound. Centers who can regularly block shots help their teams by forcing players from other positions to significantly alter their offensive shots to avoid getting blocked. In modern offensives, it has become more common for the center to be used to set screens and an entry point for the offense at the high-post or near the free throw line.
Sixth Man
The “sixth man” is the term commonly used to refer to the primary substitute used on a basketball team. This person could be a guard, forward, or post player and commonly plays an equivalent number of overall minutes as the starters during a game. The majority of good high school, college, and pro basketball teams will typically have an above average sixth man or woman that plays a key role on the team.
Famous Point Guards
For all of the basketball positions, good point guards are best known for making their teams and teammates better. They will generally increase overall team efficiency and have a high number of assists as compared to their overall turnover rate. Some of the better known point guards in the NBA today include the New York Knicks Jeremy Lin, Derrick Rose (D-Rose) of the Chicago Bulls, Jason Kidd for the Dallas Mavericks, Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics, and Chris Paul of the L.A. Clippers. Famous point guards from earlier in the league’s history include John Stockton, Bob Cousy, and Magic Johnson.
Famous Centers
Probably the most famous center in American pro basketball is Wilt Chamberlain. Other top centers that are now retired include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Shaquille O’Neal. In the modern game, Paul Gasol and Dwight Howard.
Famous Shooting Guards
Every great team will also have a strong to great shooting guard. Michael Jordan is the best known shooting guard from the modern era with Reggie Miller being another famous one from the same time of play. Some of the best known shooting guards of today’s era include Kobe Bryan, Dwayne Wade, Ray Allen, and Kevin Durant. Although Allen Iverson proved that NBA shooting guards did not have to be tall, in the modern game they will typically range in height from 6’4” to 6’7 or in Durant’s case, 6’9” in height!
Famous Small Forwards
The small forward basketball position has undergone the most change in the modern basketball game. No longer are they tied to sitting on the wing, or the mid-range area in the offense. Today’s small forwards are hybrids between guards and post players. The position was made famous by Larry Bird, Dr. J (Julius Erving), James Worth, Scottie Pippen, and Dominique Wilkins. Some of the better known small forwards in today’s game include LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and even World Meta Peace (aka Ron Artest). On many teams, the small forward can serve as the “Point Forward” where the coach uses the position to initiate the offense and even bring the ball up the court in some circumstances.
Famous Power Forwards
The power forward position shares a lot of responsibilities with the center position. Although today’s power forwards are typically at least 6’9” in height, Charles Barkley proved during his hall of fame career that you could be a success without quite as much height. Other famous power forwards from the NBA game include Karl Malone, Kevin McHale, Elgin Baylor, Bob Pettit, Kevin Garnett, and Dirk Nowitzki.
