by Shannon Savard

Created on: May 21, 2009   Last Updated: May 26, 2009

On the basketball court the point guard is the leader. Every other player on the court looks to him or her for passes, plays to run, support, and even motivation. Point guards need to develop both physical and mental skills in order to become successful. This makes this position one of the most important and difficult in the sport.

One of the most important skills a point guard needs is dribbling. They need to be comfortable with the ball in both hands. In order to accomplish this a right-handed player must practice dribbling with their left hand until it becomes natural for them to use it and vice-versa for a left-handed player. Eventually that player becomes practically ambidextrous and can use both hands equally well. This ability allows the point guard to bring the ball up the court without looking at it because they do not need to worry that it will bounce away from them. Once they have taken the ball up the court they can try to drive past a defender to the basket which requires them to use their other hand to protect the ball.

Another option for the point guard would be to pass the ball to a teammate. Their passes need to be crisp, accurate, and well-timed in order to maintain possession and get the ball into shooting range. Not only does the player need good passing skills, they need to acknowledge the positions of all of his or her teammates and opponents. A good pass is useless if it is thrown to a covered player and intercepted by a defender. When a pass is made the player should get into a supporting position so his or her teammate can return it if need be.

Sometimes the coach will called a play from the sidelines and it is the point guards responsibility to run it properly in order to potentially score a basket. Other times they are instructed to analyze the situation and decide for themselves which play will be most effective. It is also their responsibility to be able to improvise if something goes awry. For example, if the forward they are supposed to pass to is being double-teamed they need to locate the open player and get them the ball. If they try to force the play it usually results in a turnover.

The pace and intensity of a game is determined by the point guard. A team can only move up the floor as fast as the ball does. In a situation where the team is beginning to panic and play too fast the point guard should bring the ball up slower to relax them. Likewise if a team is down in the fourth quarter and needs a couple quick baskets the players should try to use the fast break as often as possible. The team follows the example set by the point guard and feeds off their energy and attitude so it is vital to remain positive and strategically change the speed of play. Though the point guard may be a key factor on the floor, the rest of the team needs to keep on their toes and focus on the game.

Any player who concentrates on these simple guidelines and hones their skills can have the potential of becoming an outstanding point guard.

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