Basketball Point Guard
In basketball, the point guard position is comparable to the quarterback position in football. The point guard is responsible for organizing and initiating the offense by dribbling the ball up the court, calling plays, passing to teammates, and much more. Point guards are usually the smallest players on the court.
Role and Responsibilities
Point guards have many roles on the floor during a game. For example, the point guard coordinates play calls by telling his teammates where to move on the court. Players are constantly transitioning between offense and defense during a basketball game and so are their roles.
Point Guard Offense
When his team is on offense, the point guard is responsible for:
- Bringing the ball up
- Directing the offense
- Driving into the defense
- Making quality passes and assists
- Scoring open shots
Point Guard Defense
When his team is on defense, the point guard is responsible for:
Point Forward
The point forward refers to a player who can play both the small forward and point guard positions. A point forward brings the ball up the court and plays as a point guard, even though they fit the prototype of a forward. You may notice that some players have played multiple positions. Basketball player positions are interesting because the roles on the court often overlap. It is not uncommon for a player to be good at multiple positions.
Point Guard Statistics
The following stats are often used to measure the success of a good point guard:
Although point guards are historically used for passing more than anything else, shooting point guards are becoming increasingly common in today's NBA - players like Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, and Kemba Walker often command their teams' offenses while hitting three-pointers and getting to the basket to score.
Top NBA Point Guards Of All Time
Here are some of the best point guards of all time to play basketball in the NBA:
- Isiah Thomas
- Steve Nash
- Jason Kidd
- Oscar Robertson
- John Stockton
Top NBA Point Guards Today
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Chris Paul, Houston Rockets
- John Wall, Washington Wizards
- Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
- Damian Lillard, Portland Trailblazers