Basketball Positions

Before choosing the basketball positions that one plays, it helps to know what they are. Read up on basketball positions before taking on one. Be sure to pick the basketball positions that fit particular skills and personality well.

There are five different basketball positions that players take on in a game, the point guard, shooting guard small forward, power forward and center. The positions are divided into two groups called the backcourt and the frontcourt.

The point guard is the person on the floor that is usually the fastest and most coordinated with the ball. Their job is the set the pace for the speed of the game and possession of the ball. A point guard is doing a good job when he works to get the rest of the team involved in the game. The point guard is always usually one of the shorter players on the floor as shorter players can run faster than taller ones.

The shooting guard is the player that is the team’s most valuable shooter. This player is supposed to be able to hit shots the majority of the time when they take them. They also must be able to handle the ball well and they are experts at dribbling. The shooting guard should be able to make shots when he is in the air. Such as a fall away jump shot.

The point guard and shooting guard are backcourt positions. The other positions are front court positions. The small forward is one of the more versatile players on the floor. They will be able to handle the ball and they play the post well. This is the player that should be able to score when the points are needed the most. The small forward will end up taking more shots from the outside and they are often known as the swingman because they play at the 2 spot, occasionally.

The power forward is sometimes called the “four” because they play the opposite side of the key form the center. They also can be used as a center. They are typically a bit slower than centers and they work to set up plays in the backcourt. They are typically the bigger guys on the court.

The center is the player that kind of hangs around the free throw lane, this section of the court if referred to as the bottom of the key. The center is a big and strong player that has to often fight for positioning as the other team will try to push him out of the key. The center is the player that needs to be extremely well versed in both offensive and defensive play.