Shooting guard

From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids

Shooting guard (SG), also known as “two guard” or “off guard”,^[1] is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for their team.^[1] 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.

[edit] Shooting guard characteristics

Shooting guards, like all player positions in basketball, have specific characteristics that are essential for them to help guide their team to a victory. "The Basketball Handbook" by Lee Rose describes a shooting guard as someone, whose primary role is to score points. Typically, shooting guards are bigger than typical point guards, but size does not preclude smaller players from playing the position. One such notable player is Allen Iverson, a shooting guard who plays for the Philadelphia 76ers. While shooting guards are sometimes the best jump-shooters on the floor (hence the "shooting" part of the position name), most can also drive to the basket well. One good example is Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs.

Other characteristics a shooting guard should have are: A good catch-and-shoot skill set, (being able to line up at a designated spot, catch the basketball and make a shot without dribbling). Shooting guards also typically show an ability to penetrate into the basketball lane, and finish at the rim, by either a dunk or layup.

[edit] Styles of play

Shooting guards can be known for excelling at certain skills that shooting guards should be able to exhibit. Such as having a great shooting touch like Ray Allen, strength and size like LeBron James, (who can be considered a point forward) being able to dunk in an athletic or powerful way like Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant, or Jason Richardson. On the other side of the ball, some shooting guards, including notables such as Morris Peterson are known for their defense.

A shooting guard should be a good ball handler and be able to pass reasonably well — although passing is not their main priority, it is often a bonus. Since a good shooting guard may attract double-teams, shooting guards are frequently the team's back-up ball handler to the point guard. Most shooting guards, however, focus primarily on scoring, allowing the point guard to worry about distributing the ball. Many bigger shooting guards can also play small forward. Size at the position varies; most shooting guards in the professional game are between 6 ft 3 and 6 ft 8 in, or 1.91 to 2.03 m.

[edit] Notable shooting guards

Michael Jordan, perhaps the best-known basketball player in history, played primarily as a shooting guard, and helped define the role of the modern position. That said, his skills, especially his ability to cut to the basket, were features that made him as much of a small forward as a shooting guard. Reggie Miller, on the other hand, is a more classic display of what the shooting guard position prototypically demands: lankier than Jordan, he moved very well off screens without the ball, and was a deadly jump shooter with a lightning-quick release.

There are many high profile shooting guards still active in professional basketball including Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Manu Ginobili, Richard Hamilton, Ray Allen, Diana Taurasi (WNBA player), and Dwyane Wade.

Famous shooting guards of the past include Clyde Drexler, George Gervin, Hal Greer, John Havlicek, Sam Jones, Pete Maravich, Earl Monroe, Mitch Richmond, Bill Sharman, and Jerry West.