Line defense is a strategy used in basketball. It is referred to as the "line defense" because of its formation on the court, which consists of two lines of defense. Three players at the front of the defense (at the half-court center line) and two players behind (between the center line and the team's own key). The line was the first zone concept to be used in basketball. The line defense was developed to counter the fast break plays that were being developed, and adopted, at the time. The line defense was the catalyst of the future 3-2 zone defense. Read more...

A jump ball is a method used to begin or resume play in basketball. It is similar to a face-off in ice hockey and field lacrosse and a ball-up in Australian rules football. Two opposing players attempt to gain control of the ball after an official tosses it into the air between them.

In the NBA, WNBA, and competitions operated by Euroleague Basketball, a jump ball occurs at the start of the game (called the opening tip or tip off), the start of any extra period, to settle special situations where penalties cancel out and neither team is previously entitled to the ball, and to settle any held balls. Held balls occur when two opposing players both lay equal claim to the ball, and after trying to wrestle it from each other, end up in a stalemate. A jump ball may also be called if there are different calls by two or more referees. Read more...

The UCLA High Post Offense is an offensive strategy in basketball, used by John Wooden, head coach at the University of California, Los Angeles. Due to UCLA's immense success under Wooden's guidance, the UCLA High Post Offense has become one of the most popular offensive tactics, and elements of it are commonly used on all levels of basketball including the NBA. Wooden sought the advice of Press Maravich, then coach of NC State, whether to implement it into his offense.

The UCLA High Post Offense is flexible in its ability to use the strengths of most players on the floor. This man-to-man offense is designed to take full advantage of a center with good passing, shooting and one-on-one skills out of the high post, but it can also take advantage of the post up abilities of either guard and forward. It is commonly run out of the 2-2-1, 4-out/1-in set (also known as a two-guard front), but can also be initiated out of a 1-4 set with a variety of entries. The two-guard front keeps the pressure off a team's playmaker from having the ball in his hands all the time, as well as allowing the offense to be initiated from either side of the floor and giving either guard an opportunity to run the side-post game. Read more...

Basketball is a ball game and team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules. Since being developed by James Naismith as a non-contact game that almost anyone can play, basketball has undergone many different rule variations, eventually evolving into the NBA-style game known today. Basketball is one of the most popular and widely viewed sports in the world. Read more...

In the National Basketball Association (which is the American professional basketball league), shootaround is an informal practice session.

While the practice session must be attended by the players, it does not involve all the formal elements of a regular practice. Especially absent will be normally routine conditioning drills; probably absent also will be run-throughs of plays and extensive chalk-talks by the coaches. The practice may consist largely of players practicing their shooting in an unstructured manner, with five or six players shooting at one basket, rebounding others' shots and continuing this informal type of practice — hence the term "shootaround." Read more...

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules. Basketball is one of the most popular and widely viewed sports in the world.

Following is an alphabetical index of basketball articles: Read more...

The Athletic Amateur Union Tournament (AAU) is the annual American amateur basketball championship series for the AAU teams. It started in 1897 and has continued until present. Most of the Finals have been played in a single final format, apart from some occasions that the winner's tournament had been decided by a round robin format.

Later professional players like David Robinson, Larry Brown, Gregg Popovich were crowned champions of the AAU. Popovich and Robinson represented the US Armed Forces All-Stars. Between 1920 and 1950, some of the strongest basketball teams in the United States were sponsored by corporations, including Phillips 66, 20th Century Fox, Safeway Inc., Caterpillar Inc., and others. Read more...

In basketball, dribbling is the legal method of advancing the ball by oneself, as opposed to passing it to another player or shooting for the basket. It consists of bouncing the ball on the floor continuously with one hand while walking or running down the court.

James Naismith's original rules said nothing about dribbling, merely stating that passing the ball was the legal way of advancing it. Players soon developed the strategy of "passing to themselves", which Naismith himself both endorsed and admired for its ingenuity, and which evolved into the dribble as it is known today. The first known team to dribble was Yale University in 1897. Read more...

A jump ball is a method used to begin or resume play in basketball. It is similar to a face-off in ice hockey and field lacrosse and a ball-up in Australian rules football. Two opposing players attempt to gain control of the ball after an official tosses it into the air between them.

In the NBA, WNBA, and competitions operated by Euroleague Basketball, a jump ball occurs at the start of the game (called the opening tip or tip off), the start of any extra period, to settle special situations where penalties cancel out and neither team is previously entitled to the ball, and to settle any held balls. Held balls occur when two opposing players both lay equal claim to the ball, and after trying to wrestle it from each other, end up in a stalemate. A jump ball may also be called if there are different calls by two or more referees. Read more...

In basketball, a flagrant foul is a personal foul that involves excessive or violent contact that could injure the fouled player. A flagrant foul may be unintentional or purposeful; the latter type is also called an "intentional foul" in the NBA. However, most intentional fouls are not considered flagrant and fouling intentionally is an accepted tactic to regain possession of the ball with minimal time off the game clock. Read more...

A full-court press is a basketball term for a defensive style in which the defense applies pressure to the offensive team the entire length of the court before and after the inbound pass. Pressure may be applied man-to-man, or via a zone press using a zone defense. Some presses attempt to deny the initial inbounds pass and trap ball handlers either in the backcourt or at midcourt.

Defenses not employing a full-court press generally allow the offensive team to get halfway down the court (a half-court press) or near the basket before applying strong defensive pressure. Read more...

Variations of basketball are games or activities based on, or similar in origin, to the game of basketball, in which the player utilizes common basketball skills. Some are essentially identical to basketball, with only minor rules changes, while others are more distant and arguably not simple variations but distinct games. Other variations include children's games, contests or activities intended to help the player practice or reinforce skills, which may or may not have a competitive aspect. Most of the variations are played in informal settings, without the presence of referees or other officials and sometimes without strict adherence to official game rules. Read more...

Zone defense is a type of defense, used in team sports, which is the alternative to man-to-man defense; instead of each player guarding a corresponding player on the other team, each defensive player is given an area (a zone) to cover.

A zone defense can be used in many sports where defensive players guard players on the other team. Zone defenses and zone principles are commonly used in basketball, American football, association football, ice hockey, lacrosse, Australian rules football, netball and ultimate among others. Read more...

Air Jordan is a brand of basketball shoes, athletic, and casual clothing produced by Nike. It was created for former professional basketball player Michael Jordan. The original Air Jordan I sneakers were produced exclusively for Jordan in early 1984, and released to the public in late 1984. The shoes were designed for Nike by Peter Moore, Tinker Hatfield, and Bruce Kilgore. Read more...

The finger roll is a specialized type of basketball layup shot where the ball is rolled off the tips of the player's fingers. The advantage of the finger roll is that the ball can travel high in the air over a defender that might otherwise block a regular jump shot or dunk, while the spin applied by the rolling over the fingers will carry the ball to the basket off the backboard. The shot was pioneered by center Wilt Chamberlain in the 1960s.

The finger roll is notorious for being very difficult to master, and few players use it as their primary shot. Another disadvantage is that the shot is one-handed, and therefore harder to protect the ball while executing. One famous exception was San Antonio Spurs forward George Gervin, who turned the shot into a nearly invincible weapon when he led the National Basketball Association in scoring between 1978 and 1980. Read more...

A three-point field goal (also 3-pointer or informally, trey) is a field goal in a basketball game made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc surrounding the basket. A successful attempt is worth three points, in contrast to the two points awarded for field goals made within the three-point line and the one point for each made free throw.

The distance from the basket to the three-point line varies by competition level: in the National Basketball Association (NBA) the arc is 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) from center of the basket; in FIBA and the WNBA the arc is 6.75 metres or 22 feet 1 ³⁄₄ inches; and in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) the arc is 20 feet 9 inches (6.32 m). In the NBA and FIBA/WNBA, the three-point line becomes parallel to each sideline at the points where the arc is 3 feet (0.91 m) from each sideline; as a result the distance from the basket gradually decreases to a minimum of 22 feet (6.71 m). In the NCAA the arc is continuous for 180° around the basket. There are more variations (see main article). Read more...

Informally, the 50–40–90 club is the group of National Basketball Association (NBA) players who have had a shooting percentage at or above 50% for field goals, 40% for three-pointers, and 90% for free throws during an entire NBA regular season while also achieving the NBA minimum number of makes in each category (300 field goals, 82 three-pointers, and 125 free throws). A total of seven players have had 50–40–90 seasons.

50–40–90 indicates a great all-around shooting performance and is considered the ultimate standard for shooters. Only Steve Nash (four times) and Larry Bird (twice) have repeat 50–40–90 seasons. Nash's lifetime 49–43–90 regular season average is the closest anyone has come to achieving a career 50–40–90 mark. Nash's lifetime 47–40–90 playoff average is the closest anyone has come to achieving a career 50–40–90 mark in the playoffs. Dirk Nowitzki is the only member that falls short of the updated minimum requirement for three-point makes implemented since 2013, finishing with 72 threes in 2007. Read more...

In basketball, small ball is a style of play that sacrifices height, physical strength and low post offense/defense in favor of a lineup of smaller players for speed, agility and increased scoring (often from the three-point line). It is closely tied to the concepts of pace and space, which pushes the speed of the offense and spreads out the defense with extra shooters on the court. Many small ball lineups feature a non-traditional center who offers skills that are not normally found from players at that position.
Teams often move a physically dominant player who would typically play the small forward position into the power forward position. Examples of players who have been used in this role include Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and LeBron James. That individual would play alongside either a traditional power forward (shifted into the center position), or alongside a center.

The advantage of using small ball is that the power forward position is occupied by a faster, more agile player who can outrun and outmaneuver the opposing power forward. In many cases the player may have a better three-point shooting percentage than a traditional power forward, which (as well as increasing points from three-point plays) can help spread the opposition defense. The opposing defender will come out to mark the player on the perimeter of the three point line, allowing space for teammates to run in and score around the basket. A player occupying this position, with a high three-point shot success percentage, is coined a "stretch 4". Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra employed this style of play starting in 2011–12, labeling it as "pace and space". Early in the playoffs, small forward LeBron James filled in at power forward after the Heat lost starter Chris Bosh to injury. James remained at that position for the remainder of the playoffs, as Bosh was moved to center when he returned. Read more...

The triangle-and-two defense is a particular type of defense used in basketball.

The triangle-and-two defense is a hybrid between a man-to-man defense in which each defensive player is responsible for marking a player on the other team, and a zone defense in which each defensive player is responsible for guarding an area of the court. Read more...

The Grinnell System, sometimes referred to as The System, is a fast-tempo style of basketball developed by coach David Arseneault at Grinnell College. It is a variation of the run-and-gun system popularized by coach Paul Westhead at Loyola Marymount University in the early 1980s. The Grinnell System relies on shooting three-point field goals, applying constant pressure with a full-court press, and substituting players frequently. Read more...

The Princeton offense is an offensive basketball strategy which emphasizes constant motion, passing, back-door cuts, picks on and off the ball, and disciplined teamwork. It was used and perfected at Princeton University by Pete Carril, though its roots may be traced back to Franklin “Cappy” Cappon, who coached Princeton in the late 1930s, and Bernard "Red" Sarachek, who coached at Yeshiva University from 1938 to 1977. Read more...

The Amateur Athletic Union Men's Basketball All-Americans were players who competed in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) between 1920–21 and 1967–68 and were chosen as the best players in the league during their respective seasons. Founded in 1888, the Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit, volunteer, sports organizations in the United States. It is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.

The era between 1921 and 1968 is referred to as the "Golden Era" of AAU basketball while companies began vying for players to compete on their teams. There was a great allure to playing AAU basketball besides job security; by remaining in the AAU as opposed to the National Basketball League or American Basketball Association, players were able to retain their "amateur" status. Only amateurs were allowed to compete in the Olympic Games, and many AAU basketball alumni went on to compete for the United States during their careers. Read more...

A slasher is a basketball player (typically a guard, but also possibly a forward) who primarily drives (slashes) to the basket when on offense. A slasher is a fast and athletic player who is looking to get close to the basket for a layup, dunk or teardrop shot (this style of high-percentage two-point play is commonly referred to as slashing).

Slashers usually take more free-throw shots than other players due to the increased amount of contact made on them as they constantly and aggressively run towards the basket (many gain extra free-throws by "drawing fouls", which is deliberately causing contact with a defending player), and they may spend many hours working on increasing their free-throw percentage. Read more...

This is a list of current and defunct basketball leagues. Read more...

Player tracking is a new technology being used in the NBA to increase basketball statistical data collection and enhance advanced metrics. It began use in the NBA at the start of the 2013–14 season, and it is now in use in all 29 arenas, following trials during the previous season in 15 arenas. USA Today said that "for fans who want to understand the game on a deeper level, this is a huge development". Read more...

In basketball, a four-point play is the rare occasion when an offensive player shoots and makes a three-point field goal while simultaneously being fouled by a defensive player, resulting in a shooting foul and one free throw attempt, or a two-point field goal and is intentionally or flagrantly fouled on the shot and is awarded two free throws. If the player makes his/her free throws, they will have scored four points on a single possession. The short-lived American Basketball League first introduced the four-point play to the game of basketball, and it was later adopted by the American Basketball Association during its inaugural season. The National Basketball Association (NBA) introduced that rule in 1979; FIBA in 1984; the NCAA in 1986 (men only) and 1987 (women); middle and high schools in 1987; and the WNBA in 1997.

Sam Smith of the Chicago Bulls completed the first four-point play in NBA history on October 21, 1979, in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Dale Ellis was the first player in NBA history to complete two four-point plays in the same game when he did so in a win against the Sacramento Kings on January 26, 1988. On April 29, 2009, James Jones completed two four-point plays in a span of eleven seconds. , Jamal Crawford is the league's career leader in regular-season four-point plays with 54, and 59 when including postseason play. Read more...

Basketball, like any other major sport, has its own unique words and phrases used by sports journalists, players, and fans Read more...

Man-to-man defense is a type of defensive tactic used in team sports such as American football, association football, basketball, and netball, in which each player is assigned to defend and follow the movements of a single player on offense. Often, a player guards his counterpart (e.g. center guarding center), but a player may be assigned to guard a different position. However, the strategy is not rigid, and a player might switch assignment if needed, or leave his own assignment for a moment to double team an offensive player. The term is commonly used in both men's and women's sports, though the gender-neutral 'player-to-player' also has some usage.

The alternative to man-to-man defense is zone defense, in which the defender is assigned a specific area of the floor, and then guards whatever offensive player enters his area. Read more...

The Flex offense is an offensive strategy in basketball invented in 1967 by Rene Herrerias while coaching at Cal-Berkeley. It was utilized to bring UCLA's star center, Lew Alcindor (a.k.a. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), away from the basketball. The offense was originally called the "Cha Cha". It is a patterned offense relying on cuts across the key (called a "flex cut") and down screens to create a "pick-the-picker" action. This offense is most effective against a man-to-man defense, though some ambitious coaches have used it against odd front zones. It is the favored offense of many high school programs because it requires players to be in constant motion and the patterns of screens and cuts are easy to remember. Though dismissed by many coaches at the college level for its predictability, some notable programs still rely on it. It has been run by many NCAA teams, including by Gary Williams of the University of Maryland. Williams used the flex offense to lead the Terrapins to the 2002 NCAA National Championship. Also, Gordie James of Willamette University used the flex offense to lead the Bearcats to the 1993 NAIA Division II National Championship. Additionally, Jerry Sloan ran his variation of it for years with the Utah Jazz.

The flex is a type of continuity offense, similar to (and in fact derived from) the earlier shuffle offense. Read more...

In basketball, goaltending is the violation of interfering with the ball while it is on its way to the basket and it is (a) in a downward flight, (b) entirely above the rim and has the possibility of entering the basket, and (c) not touching the rim. In NCAA basketball, (W)NBA basketball, goaltending is also called if the ball has already touched the backboard while being above the height of the rim in its flight, regardless of whether it being in an upward or downward flight or whether it is directly above the rim. Goaltending in this context defines by exclusion what is considered a legal block of a field goal. In high school and NCAA basketball, goaltending is also called when a player interferes with a free throw at any time in its flight towards the basket.
If goaltending is called for interference with a field goal, the shooting team is awarded the points for the field goal as if it had been made. In high school and NCAA basketball, if goaltending is called on a free throw, the shooting team is awarded one point and a technical foul is called against the offending player.

Goaltending is commonly confused with the related violation of basket interference (also called offensive goaltending) which occurs during an attempted field goal when a player touches the basket, the rim, or the ball when it is on the rim or directly above it. Like goaltending, basket interference when committed by the defending team results in an award of points to the shooting team as if the attempted field goal had been made. Read more...

In basketball, the five-second rule, or five-second violation, is a rule that helps promote continuous play. There are multiple situations where a five-second violation may occur. Read more...

A layup in basketball is a two-point shot attempt made by leaping from below, laying the ball up near the basket, and using one hand to bounce it off the backboard and into the basket. The motion and one-handed reach distinguish it from a jump shot. The layup is considered the most basic shot in basketball. When doing a layup, the player lifts the outside foot, or the foot away from the basket. It is a foul if, during your layup, you hold the other person's hand or push it away to avoid him or her from defending. On the other hand, it is considered a foul if the defender jumps in front of you in the middle of nowhere and you both crash, in this case the defender causes a foul. A layup is very handy and to defend it, you just basically need to stand in front of the opponent with your arms stretched out.

An undefended layup is usually a high percentage shot. The main obstacle is getting near the rim and avoiding blocks by taller defenders who usually stand near the basket. Common layup strategies are to create spaces, release the ball from a different spot, or use alternate hands. A player able to reach over the rim might choose to perform a more spectacular and higher percentage slam dunk (dropping or throwing the ball from above the rim) instead. Read more...

In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor with baskets at either end. In professional or organized basketball, especially when played indoors, it is usually made out of a wood, often maple, and highly polished and completed with a 10 foot rim. Outdoor surfaces are generally made from standard paving materials such as concrete or asphalt. Read more...

The five basketball positions normally employed by organized basketball teams are the point guard (PG), the shooting guard
(SG), the small forward (SF), the power forward (PF), and the center (C).

Typically, the point guard is the leader of the team when on the court. This position requires substantial ball handling skills and the ability to facilitate the team during a play. The shooting guard, as the name implies, is often the best shooter and is probably capable of shooting accurately from longer distances. Generally, they also have good ball-handling skills. The small forward often has an aggressive approach to the basket when handling the ball. The power forward and the center are usually called "low post" players to the basket, often acting as their team's primary rebounders or shot blockers, or receiving passes to take inside shots. The center is typically the larger of the two. Read more...

A basketball playbook, like any sports playbook, involves compilation of strategies the team would like to use during games. The playbook starts as a canvas picture of the basketball court with all its boundaries and lines. On top of that, the playmaker can draw O's for players on offense, and X's for players on defense. Specifically however, the playmaker will need to number them for different positions. They are: Read more...

This is a list of notable winning streaks in basketball. Read more...

The 1–3–1 defense and offense is a popular strategy used in basketball.The 1-3-1 zone defense is a defensive basketball formation. It was originally utilized by legendary basketball coach, Red Sarachek. This defense is named for its formation since there is one defender at the point, three defenders at the free throw level, and one defender at the base line. The main focus of this defensive strategy is to force turnovers. This is done by using quick, pestering defense and anticipating any passes to attempt a steal. A two-man trap is implemented in this defense. The defense attempts to guide the ball handler towards a corner and quickly close in and double team the offensive player creating a trap with the defenders and side lines. This trap often forces the ball handler to get rid of the ball prematurely taking the offense out of their set up. This often results in poor passes or shots. These poor passes are meant to be taken advantage of in this defense so the weak side defenders must anticipate passes to create turnovers. Read more...

In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action(s). This can be done by deflecting and controlling, or by catching the opponent's pass or dribble of an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called.

Steals are credited to the defensive player who first causes the turnover, even if he does not end up with possession of the live ball. To earn a steal, the defensive player must be the initiator of the action causing the turnover, not just the benefactor. Whenever a steal is recorded by a defensive player, an offensive player must be credited as committing a turnover. Read more...

The shuffle offense is an offensive strategy in basketball, developed in the early 1950s by Bruce Drake at the University of Oklahoma. It was later used by Bob Spear, who was the first head basketball coach of the United States Air Force Academy in 1957–71. The shuffle offense has all five players rotate in each of the five shuffle positions. This offense would be an option for a team that has good ball-handlers but is not blessed with height or a strong dominant post player (which may be why Spear used it at Air Force, which has a height restriction).

Coach Dean Smith of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill also taught the shuffle offense. Read more...

In basketball, a block or blocked shot occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player to prevent a score. The defender is not allowed to make contact with the offensive player's hand (unless the defender is also in contact with the ball) or a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot is traveling upward or at its apex. A deflected field goal that is made does not count as a blocked shot and simply counts as a successful field goal attempt for shooter plus the points awarded to the shooting team. For the shooter, a blocked shot is counted as a missed field goal attempt. Also, on a shooting foul, a blocked shot cannot be awarded or counted, even if the player who deflected the field goal attempt is different from the player who committed the foul. If the ball is heading downward when the defender hits it, it is ruled as goaltending and counts as a made basket. Goaltending is also called if the block is made after the ball bounces on the backboard (NFHS excepted; the NCAA also used this rule until the 2009–10 season).

Nicknames for blocked shots include "rejections," "stuffs," "bushed", "fudged", or notably "double-fudged" (two-handed blocks), "facials," "swats," "denials," and "packs." Blocked shots were first officially recorded in the NBA during the 1973–74 season. Read more...

An alley-oop in basketball is an offensive play in which one player throws the ball near the basket to a teammate who jumps, catches the ball in mid air and puts it in the hoop before touching the ground.

The alley-oop combines elements of teamwork, pinpoint passing, timing and finishing. Read more...

A combo guard is a basketball player who combines the attributes of a point guard (1) and shooting guard (2), but does not necessarily fit the standard description of either position. Such guards are usually within the 6' 2" (1.88 m) and 6' 4" (1.93 m) height range. Most combo guards tend to be between point and shooting guards in terms of height although some possess height of a point or shooting guard specifically which effects how each guard plays (taller guards tend to go inside more and get more rebounds, for instance.)

Combo guards became prominent in the 1990s, when players such as Allen Iverson and Penny Hardaway were switched between playing point guard and shooting guard, depending on offensive and defensive situations. Combo guards use their ball-handling skills to bring the ball up the court and set up teammates, while also having the ability to shoot well.
The best combo guards use their "in-between" height and athleticism to their own advantage: smaller point guards will use speed and agility to run past bigger players, while bigger shooting guards will shoot over the top of smaller players with their jump shots. Read more...

The point guard (PG), also called the one or point, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position. Point guards are expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that it gets to the right players at the right time. Above all, the point guard must totally understand and accept their coach's game plan; in this way, the position can be compared to a quarterback in American football or a playmaker in association football (soccer). While the point guard must understand and accept the coach's gameplan, they must also be able to adapt to what the defense is allowing, and they also must control the pace of the game.

A point guard, like other player positions in basketball, specializes in certain skills. A point guard's primary job is to facilitate scoring opportunities for his/her team, or sometimes for themselves. Lee Rose has described a point guard as a coach on the floor, who can handle and distribute the ball to teammates. This involves setting up plays on the court, getting the ball to the teammate in the best position to score, and controlling the tempo of the game. A point guard should know when and how to instigate a fast break and when and how to initiate the more deliberate sets. Point guards are expected to be vocal floor leaders. A point guard needs always to have in mind the times on the shot clock and the game clock, the score, the numbers of remaining timeouts for both teams, etc. Read more...

The shooting guard (SG), also known as the two or off guard, is one of the five traditional positions in a regulation basketball game. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team and steal the ball on defense. Some teams ask their shooting guards to bring up the ball as well; these players are known colloquially as combo guards. A player who can switch between playing shooting guard and small forward is known as a swingman. In the NBA, shooting guards usually range from 6' 3" (1.91 m) to 6' 8" (2.01 m) and 5' 9" (1.75 m) to 6' 0" (1.83 m) in the WNBA. Read more...

A head coach, senior coach, or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in association football and professional baseball. In other sports such as Australian rules football, the head coach is generally termed a senior coach.

Other coaches are usually subordinate to the head coach, often in offensive positions or defensive positions, and occasionally proceeding down into individualized position coaches. Read more...

The small forward, (SF), also known as the three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but typically taller and larger than either of the guard positions.

The small forward is considered to be perhaps the most versatile of the five main basketball positions. In the NBA, small forwards usually range from 6' 6" (1.98 m) to 6' 10" (2.08 m) while in the WNBA, small forwards are usually between 5' 11" (1.80 m) to 6' 2" (1.88 m). Read more...

In basketball, an official (usually called a referee) enforces the rules and maintains order in the game. The title of official also applies to the scorers and timekeepers, as well as other personnel that have an active task in maintaining the game. Basketball is regarded as among the most difficult sports to officiate due to the speed of play, complexity of rules, the case-specific interpretations of rules, and the instantaneous decision required.

There is one lead referee and one or two umpires, depending on whether there is a two- or three-person crew. In the NBA, the lead official is called the crew chief and the other two officials are referees. In FIBA-sanctioned play, two-man crews consist of a referee and an umpire, and three-man crews contain a referee and two umpires. Read more...

The center (C), also known as the five, or the big man, is one of the five positions in a regular basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well. In the NBA, the center is usually 6' 10" (2.08 m) or taller and usually weighs 240 lbs (109 kg) or more. Read more...

Point forward is a nontraditional position in basketball, with a small forward - or sometimes a power forward or combo forward - adding the responsibilities of point guard to his or her play. Read more...

A tweener in basketball is a term, sometimes used derisively, for a player who is able to play two positions, but is not ideally suited to play either position exclusively, so he/she is said to be in between. A tweener has a set of skills that do not match the traditional position of his physical stature.

NBA.com's definition of "tweener" is as follows:
:"This word is derived from the word 'between', as in a player is between the height of a guard and a forward. 'Tweeners' often have the skills of a big man, but the height of a guard. Though only six foot six, Charles Barkley, a tweener, was one of the NBA's greatest rebounding power forwards." Read more...

In basketball, a stretch four (sometimes called combo forward or stretch big) is a player who plays in the power forward position. "Stretch" describes the effect such a player has on the opposition defense, and the power forward position is also known as the "four position"; hence "stretch four". The stretch four is a fairly recent innovation in the NBA (with an "explosion" of players coming through since the 1999–2000 season), but is still becoming increasingly common in today's game, as many NBA coaches now use the "small-ball" line-up/tactical play. Read more...

The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center. They typically play offensively with their backs towards the basket and position themselves defensively under the basket in a zone defense or against the opposing power forward in man-to-man defense.
The power forward position entails a variety of responsibilities, one of which is rebounding. Many power forwards are noted for their mid-range jump-shot, and several players have become very accurate from 12 to 18 feet (3.7 to 5.5 m). Earlier, these skills were more typically exhibited in the European style of play. Some power forwards, known as stretch fours, have since extended their shooting range to three-point field goals.

In the NBA, power forwards usually range from 6' 8" (2.03 m) to 7' 0" (2.13 m) while in the WNBA, power forwards are usually between 6' 1" (1.85 m) and 6' 4" (1.93 m). Despite the averages, a variety of players fit "tweener" roles which finds them in the small forward or center position depending on matchups and coaching decisions.^{[citation needed]} Some power forwards often play the center position and have the skills, but lack the height that is usually associated with that position. Read more...