![]() ![]() To make plays at the rim on offense and defense, they’re often, but not always, the tallest player on the court. The attitude of a power forward is, “I’m going to do whatever it takes for my team to be successful,” she said.Ĭenters, or the “5,” are usually positioned closest to the basket. But many power forwards now perform a “point forward” duty where they throw passes after a defensive rebound to start their team’s offense.īecause power forwards have so many responsibilities - shooting from far away and close up, passing, rebounding and setting screens to open up offensive opportunities for other players - Mitchell said that one of the most important characteristics of a great “4” is grit. When teams get a rebound on defense, it used to be that the ball always went to the point guard to transition to playing offense. Power forwards also must be great passers, Mitchell said. This pulls defenders away from the painted area between the lane lines, Howard said, so there’s more space for small forwards to slash in for layups or for the center to catch the ball and make short baskets. “ have the ability to handle the ball outside the blocks and the lane lines, and coaches now believe they should be able to shoot at a high percentage,” said Howard.Īn opponent defending a power forward can’t just hang around the basket - if the power forward backs away from the basket, they often can make jump shots. The main differences between a power forward and a center, Howard said, are that power forwards (also called “4s”) are generally better at ball-handling and longer-range shooting. They’re sometimes called “bigs,” because these players tend to be tall, enabling them to swat away shots from the opponent and catch rebounds to possibly score. The power forward and center are part of the “front court,” playing closer to the basket (no matter if they’re on offense or defense) than the point guard and wing players. (Related: Every Position in Soccer, Explained) And if your point guard doesn’t have command of the offense and the vision to distribute the basketball to open players, your team is not going to be very successful.” Your point guard is your coach on the floor. Knowing where players will be and what they will do - that’s “basketball IQ.” Because point guards need to do all of this, Howard said, “they have to be vocal. “Court vision” is the ability to assess the court to know where to pass, just like a football quarterback excels at scanning the field for open receivers. “Point guards need court vision, the ability to pass the basketball and a high basketball IQ,” said Howard. Once the play starts, point guards pass and distribute the ball to their teammates. These plays can be relayed to the point guard from the coaches on the bench, or they may be calling plays on the fly. ![]() Point guards traditionally dribble the ball up the court when their team goes on offense, meaning they call plays and touch the ball on almost every play. The point guard, also known as the “1,” is kind of like the quarterback of a basketball team’s offense. (Related: 5 Benefits of Playing Basketball, According to Experts)Įven as the game moves toward being positionless, Mitchell said, “you have to have a point guard.” Here, Mitchell and Howard explain the five traditional basketball positions, what makes them unique and how each is changing. While the game is trending toward less distinct labels for players’ positions, they do still exist. Increases in general skill levels across all positions, he said - and coaches teaching how to play all positions, Mitchell added - are moving the game toward positionless basketball. ![]() Part of the reason basketball positions have begun to blend, explained Mitchell and James Howard, Georgetown women’s basketball head coach, is because hoopers have become more skilled across all positions.Ĭenters, for example, are now expected to have more range than they once were, said Howard. Instead of trying to slot players into the 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 positions, Mitchell explained that today’s coaches tend to put their best players on the court and adapt their coaching to those players’ strengths. “, players know multiple parts on the court.” “In the past, the ‘1s’ did the ‘1’ job, the ‘2s’ did the ‘2’ job,” explained Terri Mitchell, associate head coach of women’s basketball at the University of Pittsburgh. In today’s game, that’s not always the case. ![]() Traditionally, the five positions on each side of the court - numbered from one to five - had strictly defined roles. ![]()
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