hatsoever, they have evolved as part of basketball.

During the early years of basketball's evolution, two guards, two forwards, and
one center were used. In more recent times specific positions evolved, but the current trend, advocated by many top coaches
including Mike Krzyzewski, is towards positionless basketball, where big players are free to shoot from outside and dribble if their
skill allows it.[62] Popular descriptions of positions include:

Point guard (often called the "1") : usually the fastest player on the team, organizes the team's offense by controlling the ball and
making sure that it gets to the right player at the right time.

Shooting guard (the "2") : creates a high volume of shots on offense, mainly long-ranged; and guards the opponent's best perimeter
player on defense.

Small forward (the "3") : often primarily responsible for scoring points via cuts to the basket and dribble penetration; on defense
seeks rebounds and steals, but sometimes plays more actively.

Power forward (the "4"): plays offensively often with their back to the basket; on defense, plays under the basket (in a zone defense)
or against the opposing power forward (in man-to-man defense).

Center (the "5"): uses height and size to score (on offense), to protect the basket closely (on defense), or to rebound.

The above descriptions are flexible. For most teams today, the shooting guard and small forward have very similar responsibilities
and are often called the wings, as do the power forward and center, who are often called post players. While most teams describe
two players as guards, two as forwards, and one as a center, on some occasions teams choose to call them by different
designations.

Strategy
Main article: Basketball playbook

There are two main defensive strategies: zone defense and man-to-man defense. In a zone defense, each player is assigned to
guard a specific area of the court. Zone defenses often allow the defense to double team the ball, a manoeuver known as a trap. In
a man-to-man defense, each defensive player guards a specific opponent.

Offensive plays are more varied, normally involving planned passes and movement by players without the ball. A quick movement
by an offensive player without the ball to gain an advantageous position is known as a cut. A legal attempt by an offensive player to
stop an opponent from guarding a teammate, by standing in the defender's way such that the teammate cuts next to him, is
a screen or pick. The two plays are combined in the pick and roll, in which a player sets a pick and then "rolls" away from the pick
towards the basket. Screens and cuts are very important in offensive plays; these allow the quick passes and teamwork, which can
lead to a successful basket. Teams almost always have several offensive plays planned to ensure their movement is not
predictable. On court, the point guard is usually responsible for indicating which play will occur.

Shooting

Player releases a short jump shot, while her defender is either knocked
down, or trying to "take a charge".
Shooting is the act of attempting to score points by throwing the ball through the basket, methods varying with players and
situations.

Typically, a player faces the basket with both feet facing the basket. A player will rest the ball on the fingertips of the dominant hand
(the shooting arm) slightly above the head, with the other hand supporting the side of the ball. The ball is usually shot by jumping
(though not always) and extending the shooting arm. The shooting arm, fully extended with the wrist fully bent, is held stationary for
a moment following the release of the ball, known as a follow-through. Players often try to put a steady backspin on the ball to
absorb its impact with the rim. The ideal trajectory of the shot is somewhat controversial, but generally a proper arc is
recommended. Players may shoot directly into the basket or may use the backboard to redirect the ball into the basket.

Basketball falling through hoop

The two most common shots that use the above described setup are the set shot and the jump shot. Both are preceded by a
crouching action which preloads the muscles and increases the power of the shot. In a set shot, the shooter straightens up and
throws from a standing position with neither foot leaving the floor; this is typically used for free throws. For a jump shot, the throw is
taken in mid-air with the ball being released near the top of the jump. This provides much greater power and range, and it also
allows the player to elevate over the defender. Failure to release the ball before the feet return to the floor is considered a traveling
violation.

Another common shot is called the layup. This shot requires the player to be in motion toward the basket, and to "lay" the ball "up"
and into the basket, typically off the backboard (the backboard-free, underhand version is called a finger roll). The most crowd-
pleasing and typically highest-percentage accuracy shot is the slam dunk, in which the player jumps very high and throws the ball
downward, through the basket while touching it.
 Slow-motion animation of a dunk

Another shot that is less common than the layup, is the "circus shot". The circus shot is a low-percentage shot that is flipped,
heaved, scooped, or flung toward the hoop while the shooter is off-balance, airborne, falling down or facing away from the basket. A
back-shot is a shot taken when the player is facing away from the basket, and may be shot with the dominant hand, or both; but
there is a very low chance that the shot will be successful.[63]

A shot that misses both the rim and the backboard completely is referred to as an air ball. A particularly bad shot, or one that only
hits the backboard, is jocularly called a brick. The hang time is the length of time a player stays in the air after jumping, either to
make a slam dunk, layup or jump shot.

Rebounding
Main article: Rebound (basketball)

A player making an offensive rebound

The objective of rebounding is to successfully gain possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw, as it
rebounds from the hoop or backboard. This plays a major role in the game, as most possessions end when a team misses a shot.
There are two categories of rebounds: offensive rebounds, in which the ball is recovered by the offensive side and does not change
possession, and defensive rebounds, in which the defending team gains possession of the loose ball. The majority of rebounds are
defensive, as the team on defense tends to be in better position to recover missed shots; for example, about 75% of rebounds in the
NBA are defensive.[64]

Passing
See also: Assist (basketball)

A pass is a method of moving the ball between players. Most passes are accompanied by a step forward to increase power and are
followed through with the hands to ensure accuracy.

A staple pass is the chest pass. The ball is passed directly from the passer's chest to the receiver's chest. A proper chest pass
involves an outward snap of the thumbs to add velocity and leaves the defence little time to react.

Another type of pass is the bounce pass. Here, the passer bounces the ball crisply about two-thirds of the way from his own chest to
the receiver. The ball strikes the court and bounces up toward the receiver. The bounce pass takes longer to complete than the
chest pass, but it is also harder for the opposing team to intercept (kicking the ball deliberately is a violation). Thus, players often
use the bounce pass in crowded moments, or to pass around a defender.

The overhead pass is used to pass the ball over a defender. The ball is released while over the passer's head.

The outlet pass occurs after a team gets a defensive rebound. The next pass after the rebound is the outlet pass.

The crucial aspect of any good pass is it being difficult to intercept. Good passers can pass the ball with great accuracy and they
know exactly where each of their other teammates prefers to receive the ball. A special way of doing this is passing the ball without
looking at the receiving teammate. This is called a no-look pass.

Another advanced style of passing is the behind-the-back pass, which, as the description implies, involves throwing the ball behind
the passer's back to a teammate. Although some players can perform such a pass effectively, many coaches discourage no-look or
behind-the-back passes, believing them to be difficult to control and more likely to result in turnovers or violations.

Dribbling
Duration: 59 seconds.0:59A demonstration of the basic types of dribbling in basketball

A U.S. Naval Academy ("Navy") player, left, posts up a U.S. Military

Main article: Dribble

Dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball continuously with one hand and is a requirement for a player to take steps with the ball. To
dribble, a player pushes the ball down towards the ground with the fingertips rather than patting it; this ensures greater control.

When dribbling past an opponent, the dribbler should dribble with the hand farthest