Modern basketball talks about "positionless" lineups, but the five classic roles still describe the jobs that must be done on every possession.
The five roles
- Point guard — organises the offence and guards the ball.
- Shooting guard — primary perimeter scorer and secondary creator.
- Small forward — the versatile two-way wing.
- Power forward — size, screening and switchable defence.
- Center — rim protection, rebounding and finishing inside.
The modern twist
Today the labels describe defensive assignments more than offensive ones: a "center" who shoots threes and a "guard" who posts up are normal. The jobs remain; the bodies doing them have diversified.