Generally speaking, each team is made up of five designated positions: shooting guard, small forward, point guard, power forward and center. Team players are assigned their position based on a number of factors such as physique, ball handling, passing and shooting skills.

In the game of basketball, a lineup consists of five players who each specialize in a different key position on the court: center, power forward, small forward, point guard, and shooting guard. All five positions must work together as a cohesive unit for a team to operate at its highest level.

But what does each of these positions entail? A basketball player generally falls into one of five positions: point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and center. Pro Tips is here with a breakdown of these five positions. Take a look at the abilities, skills and qualities needed to be successful at each position.

Each player has a specific role on the team, so understanding your place on the court is crucial if you want to become better at playing basketball. The core basketball positions on the court are the point guard (PG), shooting guard (SG), power forward (PF), small forward (SF) and center (C).