What Is The Least Important Position In Basketball? (Explained!)

Introduction

Basketball is a game where there are many factors that a player needs to be good at to become a good player. The perimeter positions such as the guard or the point guard, the forward, and the Center are available in basketball.

A perimeter player plays on the side of the court where the basket is located. Perimeter players are usually guards or forwards. Other positions also like the power forward and the Center, but those are the two most important positions. A big man is another name for a center. The guard or the point guard is the position that starts the play for either team.

What are the 5 different positions in basketball?

The 5 positions available in basketball are the following:

Point Guard:

This is the position that starts the offense for the team. He is the one who makes the pass to get the ball moving. Usually, this player is the fastest and has the best vision. He has to see the entire court because he has to know where his teammates are on the floor at all times. The point guard must have excellent passing skills. He must be able to see the whole court and make a perfectly timed pass. When he does this, he will allow his teammates to score. If he makes a bad pass, it could result in a turnover or a missed scoring opportunity for his team. A turnover occurs when the offensive player loses the ball while not directly defending the ball.

- Strength:

1. 1. Great passer: Excellent passer; makes excellent passes to open teammates.
  2. Vision: Excellent vision; can see the entire court; knows where his teammates are at all times.
  3. Stamina: Can withstand contact; great endurance; able to play 60 minutes plus.
  4. Ball Handling: Can handle the ball with either hand; can make a high percentage of his passes with either hand.
  5. Creativity: Can think outside the box; can be creative; can improvise on the spot.
  6. Leadership: Is a natural-born leader; can get people going in the right direction.

Shooting Guard:

A shooting guard’s primary responsibility is to score the ball while making plays for his team. He needs to have excellent ball-handling skills and the ability to read the defense and make a good decision on whether or not to shoot the ball. He needs to be able to see the entire floor and make an accurate pass when his teammate is open.

- Strength:

1. 1. Great Scorer: Great ability to put the ball in the hoop; he can make a high percentage of his shots from inside and outside the arc.
  2. Ball Handling: Can handle the ball with either hand; can make a high percentage of his passes with either hand.
  3. Stamina: Can withstand contact; great endurance; able to play 60 minutes plus.
  4. Creativity: Can think outside the box; can be creative; can improvise on the spot.

Small Forward:

A small forward’s primary responsibility is to get his teammates involved in the offense by passing to them and drawing fouls. He is usually the third-fastest player on the team and is generally ready for the fast break. He has to be able to shoot the ball with accuracy from all over the court. This means he must have excellent hand-eye coordination and a very high basketball I.Q. A small forward also needs to know when to pass the ball and when to take it himself.

- Strength:

1. 1. Great Scorer: Can score in a variety of ways, both inside and outside the arc. He can make a high percentage of his shots from both inside and outside the arc. He can make a high percentage of his passes with either hand.
  2. Ball Handling: Can handle the ball with either hand; can make a high percentage of his passes with either hand.
  3. Stamina: Can withstand contact; great endurance; able to play 60 minutes plus.

Power Forward:

A power forward’s primary responsibility is to score the ball and to rebound and defend the opposing power forward or Center. He is usually the slowest player on the team and is typically the anchor of the defense. He has to be able to post up against smaller opponents and still hold his position when double-teamed. He has to rebound and defend with great strength and technique. A power forward also needs to have great basketball instincts and the ability to make the right play at the right time.

- Strengths:

1. 1. Strength: A power forward has to have the strength to hold his position in the paint and keep opponents from getting to the rim.
  2. Rebounding: A power forward has to rebound the ball and collect rebounds that his teammates miss.
  3. Defense: A power forward has to be able to play defense. In some cases, they will have to guard the opposing team’s Center.

Center:

A Center is the most important player on the court. He is usually the tallest player on the court and does most of the blocking. He is usually the leader of the defense and is the anchor of the entire team. He is the guy that everybody else looks to for advice and for him to make a play. Centers are usually very skilled at scoring in a variety of ways. They need to be very strong and very skilled at body contact and boxing out their opponent. They also need to be very instinctive with the ball and very unselfish. They are the primary rebounder on the court. His primary job is to come back after a miss or an offensive rebound and put the ball back in play. This is his way of giving his team an opportunity to score.

- Strengths:
  1. Strength: A Center has to have the strength to hold his position in the paint and keep opponents from getting to the rim.
  2. Rebounding: A Center has to rebound the ball and collect rebounds that his teammates miss.
  3. Defense: A Center has to be able to play defense. In some cases, they will have to guard the opposing team’s Center
  4. Tallest: A Center has to be tall enough to see the basket and reach it. He also has to be tall enough to block out opposing players.
  5. Skilled at the post: A Center has to be skilled at playing in the post. This includes being able to score with either hand, using both hands to create space for himself, using a hook shot, having a soft touch around the basket, putting the ball on the floor, and scoring with contact.
  6. Instinctive: An instinctive player is one who makes plays without thinking. This is especially important for a Center. If he doesn’t have the ball, his teammates are going to look to him for the play.
  7. Unselfish: A Center needs to be unselfish. He should always think of the team first. He should not worry about individual stats. For example, if he has two teammates open on the wing, he should pass the ball to them instead of getting a higher percentage shot for himself. This is especially important for a young Center who is just learning the game. He will get much better as he matures and gains experience.

What Is The Least Important Position In Basketball?

The least important position in basketball is the Center seeing how the current games have less and less emphasis on the Center and more and more on the perimeter players.

This is changing because of rules changes, the popularity of the 3-pointer, and all kinds of other factors as players are getting more proficient in scoring away from the basket as we see more Big men having skillsets in perimeter scoring.

In addition, as the NBA continues to change and add rules that are favorable to small players, we will continue to see a shift back to the basket. However, it is still true today that the Center is the least important position in basketball.

What Is The Most Important Position In Basketball?

The most important position on the court is the definite Point Guard; Any offense is dead without a Point Guard.

He is the player who makes the plays, distributes the ball, calls the plays for his teammates, creates offense, and makes it flow. He also has to be able to score, rebound, defend and handle the ball.

On top of all that, he should be a great leader and have great intangibles like being a good student of the game. In other words, he should be the player who can do it all.

Why is it important to know the different positions in basketball?

It is important to know how different positions function as each position has certain skills and responsibilities that the others don’t have. For example, a Center is usually the one who scores near the basket, but if he doesn’t, it’s the Point Guard who makes the play for the outlet pass or for an open jumper. Also, a Point Guard has to know when to pass, when to shoot, when to drive and when to kick out to an open man.

It’s very important for all players, especially young players, to learn these concepts and understand they are true no matter what position you play. This will serve them well in all aspects of their lives.