Basketball is a sport of superstars. Big names run the NBA, and the most skilled players get the fanfare at every level. Despite that, it’s a team sport at heart. Every basketball team has 5 positions, and all of them are critical to its success.
Understanding those different positions is key to understanding basketball as a whole. All of them play a single role in a much bigger machine, which then gives meaning to the overall game. It’s impossible to see or learn the sport without knowing how they operate.
1. Point Guard (PG)
Perhaps the most important of the 5 positions is the point guard, also known as the one. Points are responsible for bringing the ball up the court, running the offense, and facilitating the scoring in a way where they can either find a good pass or create their own shot.
They also serve as the primary ball handler and playmaker, which often makes them the main scoring option. That’s because most high-end point guards in the current NBA are pure shooters like Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, or Russell Westbrook.
Good guards are typically skilled at dribbling, have a lot of speed, and are incredibly quick. That usually makes them the smallest or shortest players on the team. Even so, their high basketball IQ enables them to pressure the defense in a range of different ways.
2. Shooting Guard (SG)
The shooting guard acts like a point with the critical exception that they are a primary scorer much more than a primary ball handler. They aren’t completely helpless when dribbling, but shooting guards tend to center around a mix of long and midrange shots.
They have the ability to drive, pull up, or drop in a long three depending on the situation. That trifecta of skills is shown through some of the most famous shooting guards of all time, including Kobe Bryant, Klay Thompson, and Michael Jordan.
As those stars show, shooting guards also have a good amount of size. They are typically strong defenders who don’t mind being out on an island or needing to close out against other top scorers.
3. Small Forward (SF)
While shooting guards are larger players with a focus on scoring, small forwards are a perfect blend of offense and defense. The athletes tend to be strong enough to body up anyone outside, but have the skills needed to get the ball in the basket.
In the past, small forwards weren’t supremely skilled in any one aspect. Today, some of the biggest and most talented players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kawhi Leonard embody the position in order to bring much needed talent to the team.
While three shooting is not necessarily the first choice for small forwards, they can attack or defend however the team needs them to. That versatility is incredibly useful, as is the ability to block or rebound. They have a wide range of abilities that makes them tough to play against.
4. Power Forward (PF)
Power forwards typically sit down low and use their large size to set screens, rebound, and assert their presence in the paint. They are some of the biggest men on the court, which enables them to defend, score, and back down opponents with ease.
Though some forwards are able to shoot threes, most are known for being able to make use of their physical presence in a way that makes them excellent on both sides of the ball. They help on defense, crash the boards, and know how to score in the post.
Tim Duncan, Karl Malone, and Anthony Davis are all prime examples of versatile power forwards who did a lot for their teams. Good forwards aren’t just big, they know how to properly use their size to do a little bit of everything down low.
5. Center (C)
The center is usually the biggest man on the court, and tends to be the anchor that locks down the key on both sides of the ball. They typically tower over the opposition, which makes them excellent at grabbing rebounds and protecting the rim.
Centers excel when it comes to blocks and rebounds. However, some of the most well-known big men of all time, including Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, and Joel Embiid, also know how to use their incredible size to score.
A lot of offenses run through their centers, especially now with players like Nikola Jokic who can shoot outside. Being the largest person on the court is a huge advantage. Being able to properly take advantage of that size difference is what makes a center truly useful.
Hybrid Positions
Combo Guard
Point guards are an integral part of any successful team. Combo guards take that to the next level. The position, as the name suggests, refers to strong athletes who mix the ball handling and IQ of a traditional point with the strength and scoring ability of a shooting guard.
That combination is incredibly useful because it allows combo guards to attack the defense in a myriad of ways. They have the ability to pull up and shoot, but can use their power to blow by a defender and muscle into the lane.
Allen Iverson and Dwayne Wade are 2 of the biggest players to popularize that style of play, but many more have adopted it over the years. Many teams are used to taking advantage of smaller points, but combo guards break that mold by being strong on defense too.
Swingman
Another incredibly useful combo position is the swingman. That refers to a player who can attack the rim or pull up like a shooting guard, but who also has enough strength and size to play the role of small forward.
That makes them excellent scorers and defenders at the same time. The superior power gives swingmen the ability to attack the rim and muscle their way into the paint, but their guard-like agility also allows them to stand their ground on defense.
Swingmen can get big and defend down low. They also have the quickness to play on the perimeter. Tracy McGrady and Paul George are 2 of the most successful swingmen ever, who showed how useful a strong outside player can be.
Point Forward
Perhaps the rarest position in all of basketball, the point forward is a unique blend of big man and guard. That’s because they are taller or larger players who share many of the same skills as a point guard despite their size.
They are tall and strong, but have the ability to dribble, shoot, and score from the outside. That creates a nightmare for the opposing team on multiple levels. It generates mismatches on offense, and also makes it much harder for the opposing point guard to score.
LeBron James is the most famous point forward of all time, but Magic Johnson and Draymond Green played the position as well. They show that, while dribbling and scoring is important, nothing is more critical for a point forward than a high basketball IQ.
Stretch Four
When looking at “what are the positions in basketball?” it’s impossible to ignore the stretch four. Once rare, it’s now one of the most useful positions in the sport. That’s because it’s hard to guard or plan for a big man who can stretch the floor with deep shooting capabilities.
In traditional offenses, forwards stay down on the block where they can post up or work towards the basket. Stretch fours break that mold by being able to either post up or pop out to the three line when they can draw defenders out of the paint and open the key.
The position, popularized by players like Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Love, allows teams much more flexibility while on the offensive side of the ball. It’s also useful on defense, as lighter big men can move around more easily in a way that helps them close out or switch off screens.
Conclusion
Basketball is a game defined by its 5 positions. All of them are important and work together to make the game flow. Points bring the ball up, shooting guards and small forwards score, where power forwards and centers focus on rebounding, defense, and rim protection.
While those positions have long been locked in, they are steadily becoming more hybrid over time. Shooting is more useful than ever, which has caused big men to be lighter and guards to get taller. The 5 aren’t going anywhere, but they will continue to change with time.
