Women Wednesdays: Basketball Positions Pt. 1

  As a woman that loves sports I am all too familiar with the assumption that we just "pretend" to be a fan for males attention. With all the slack I've gotten from that, I decided I wanted to feature something on The Rundown that was especially for my ladies. A lot of you might not know much about sports, and don't profess to, so in this 6-week series I'm going to educate you all on something new about sports. Hopefully the way I break it down can help you to digest and apply what you've read. Don't turn away fellas. I wouldn't dare assume that every one of you knows all of this information as well so feel free to read and participate.
  This week I'll explore the 2 of the 5 different positions in basketball. These positions are also known as the Backcourt. An easy way to remember this is to remember that when they properly traditionally set up, are closest to the backcourt which is the point past the line that divides the two sides of the court. See diagram below for further explanation

Point Guard: This position is also known as "The 1". You will find this position at the top of the key (the semicircle in front of the basket)
Main duties and Characteristics:

• Facilitate the ball and as a result "guard" the points. 
• Team's best ball handler and passer. They touch the ball very frequently to set up the plays for the team to run. 
• Should be able to move fast. Speed is very important when guarding other point guards and efficiently handling the ball. 
• Should be able to shoot with range (from any point on the floor). 
• Generally “The 1” is the smaller/shorter player. 
• In the NBA, point guards height range from about 6 feet to 6 foot 4 inches.

 Imagine a player like Steve Nash, who is one of the best point guard's to ever play the game, as he is offensively skilled (a good shooter) in addition to being an excellent passer (playmaker). Every point guard's skills and style aren't the same however. Lets compare the Clippers Chris Paul and the Celtics Rajon Rondo. Both are excellent point guards but for different reasons. Chris Paul fits the description above, like a Steve Nash point guard, being that he is a very talented scorer and passer. Paul can score and actually do damage from any point on the floor. Rajon Rondo on the other hand does not have the same talent when it comes to shooting. You may hear people refer to Rondo as a "pure" point guard meaning he fits the description above but doesn't add so much more to the actual scoring of the ball (although he has improved over the years) but rather the handling of it. Rondo is known for the unbelievable passes he makes, plays he creates, and instincts in reading what a defense is going to do.

Shooting guard: This position is also known as "The 2". This player is relied upon to bring in a lot of the points.
Main duties and Characteristics:

• Usually the team's best/most consistent shooter and can score from a longer range than other positions
• Usually anywhere from 6 foot 4 inches to 6 foot 7 inches tall.
• Like the point guard, the shooting guard also needs to be able to handle the ball well as they may do a lot of driving to the basket, dribbling while isolating a defender, etc

 For my Florida Gators students, fans and followers, think of a player with the size and skill set of Kenny Bonyton. A good shooting guard will also have a good ability to pass as well also making them able to play the 1. Dwyane Wade is a good example of a player like this as he spent a lot of time earlier in his career playing point guard as well as shooting guard for Miami. You can still catch him going in between the two positions, though its not as often.
  Below I have a diagram of how each position would be traditionally set up on the floor so that you can get an idea of what I've described. I also have a little quiz. I will feature a few NBA players of both of the positions that I explained and the first woman to tweet me back the position that the players play will be recognized. Please don't cheat. At the end of the series the woman with the most wins will receive a prize! ( @iDreamofJaylee)