Swingman

Swingman is a basketball term denoting a player who can play both the small forward and shooting guard positions. Whereas 6'9" Larry Bird was a natural small forward and 6'6" Michael Jordan was a natural shooting guard, some versatile players such as 6'8½" LeBron James can "swing" between the two positions.

Related Topics:
Small forward - Shooting guard - Larry Bird - Michael Jordan - LeBron James

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The "swingman" concept first came into vogue in the late 1970's and early 1980's, when star players such as George "Iceman" Gervin defied traditional pigeonholing into the 2 or 3 position. The best swingmen use their "in-between" height to exploit defensive mismatches: they will run past bigger players, and post up or shoot over smaller players. Scottie Pippen was another notable swingman, and some of the most popular players in the NBA today are natural swingmen, including All-Stars Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Manu Ginobili.

Related Topics:
George "Iceman" Gervin - Post up - Scottie Pippen - All-Stars - Tracy McGrady - Vince Carter - Kobe Bryant - Manu Ginobili

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A swingman who handles the ball and runs the offense--and thus combines the skills of point guard, shooting guard, and small forward--is called a point forward. Scottie Pippen is the most celebrated point forward of all time. LeBron James, who is a rising superstar, and Tracy McGrady who can also be considered a point forward.

Related Topics:
Point guard - Shooting guard - Small forward - Point forward - Tracy McGrady

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