Player profiles: Point guards

This is the first of a five-part series about specific basketball positions. We will show you some examples of players to watch at each position, starting with point guard.

Point guards have long been described as "floor generals" on the basketball court. They are in charge of bringing the ball up the court to initiate offense. Typically, the point guard will determine which plays are to be run, or the coach will relay the plays through the point guard. Some of the best point guards are the equivalent of another coach on the floor.

In player profiles, we will give you a few examples of players to watch if you are a point guard or would like to become one. There are dozens of players that set great examples on the floor, especially in the pros (which this series will primarily focus on). We will pick out a few of the best in the game, or maybe some older players if there is adequate footage.

Let's open up with the more traditional point guard style:

Pass-first point guards

In the age of the three point shot, perimeter players are often attempting to emulate the likes of Steph Curry. Historically, point guards have been less scoring-oriented and more concerned with facilitation and assist-to-turnover ratio.

Many of the best pass-first point guards have retired, such as Jason Kidd or Steve Nash. Their highlights are still worth watching as well as more general game footage. Their ability to keep their head up while dribbling allows them to see every passing angle available on the floor.

There are still a few pass-first PG's left in the NBA. Mike Conely of the Memphis Grizzlies has come into his own as a scorer, but is still defensive and passing-minded. Future Hall of Famer, Chris Paul is a pass-first guy that is a terrific example if you are on a team that plays at a fast pace.

 Another example is Rajon Rondo. Rondo has had an up-and-down career, but when he is locked-in, he may be the best example of a pass-first PG you can learn from in today's game.

Scoring point guards

Being a point guard means you will have the ball in your hands a lot. When you have a lot of touches and can score, it is a great benefit for your team. You will naturally get assists as well, but scoring guards are typically relied on by their team more for points.

There are many examples of scoring guards in today's game. Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving, and the combo guard James Harden are some big-name examples. An often underrated theme between these guards is their ball-handling ability that allows them to shake defenders on the perimeter and get to the rim at will.

Another great example to watch is Damien Lillard. Dame "Dolla" is a no-nonsense scorer that leads his team with a competitive fire.

Somewhere in-between

Not everything is black and white in terms of labeling a point guard's style. If you are interested in being a facilitating point guard that is also a capable scorer, there are plenty of those options as well.

The ultimate do it all guard today is Russell Westbrook. Coming off of his third season averaging a triple-double, Russ is a great one to watch as he overcomes his point guard size to ferociously attack the glass, the defense, and anything that stands in his way. Despite his tenacity, he always has his eyes open for teammates as one of the league's top assist men.

Who should you model your game after?

NBA, WNBA, and NCAA players both past and present give players plenty of templates to base their games after.

Naturally, each individual player needs to be just that: their own individual player. No one else has the exact same qualities and characteristics that you possess. There are so many aspects of basketball; shooting skill, ball handling, leadership, internal motor, and more add up to make a player.

Still, when it comes to the sport, there are still qualities and playstyles that you may want to emulate. Just because you are typically defense-oriented doesn’t mean that you cannot learn a thing or two by studying Carmelo Anthony’s turnaround jumper in the paint.

Positions in basketball are becoming more fluid, meaning that size does not necessarily dictate where you will be playing. For example, in the NBA, Ben Simmons plays point guard at 6 foot 10, where Draymond Green plays power forward at 6 foot 7.

So study who you want to, but just make sure that you are staying within yourself. Before you start chucking threes like Steph Curry or Damian Lillard, make sure that you have all of the basics down and then some. Before you start banging in the paint like Anthony Davis or Brittney Griner, you may need to hit the weight room.

A while back, The Basketball Movement highlighted some top players at each position to model your game after. Again, positions can be fluid, but it could still serve as a nice starting point for players to watch and model parts of your game after.

Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing these player profiles with you, starting with point guards. Make sure you are following us on social media so that you can be the first to receive these tips and more from your friends at Yanders Law!

Keeping your head in the game

Knowing and understanding various situations in the game of basketball can be the difference between winning and losing.

There is a lot that goes into understanding the sport of basketball. There is more to it than putting the ball in the hoop. Coaching and experience are two very important pieces involved in this understanding.

Yanders Law coaches will take you far. For individual help, The Basketball Movement can help to further a player's knowledge about many aspects of the sport. The nuances of ball-handling, shooting, and how to conduct yourself are a few examples.

Game-time situations come at you fast. Sometimes it is in those instances that you learn the most, whether you get it right or especially if you get it wrong.

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”

— Michael Jordan

Even the most experienced can still falter

For all of your coaching, practice, and game-experience, you will still make mistakes. Overplaying passing lanes, trying too hard to thread a pass into the post, the list of possibilities is very long.

A player must keep track of what they can control. Always being aware of the time on the game clock (or shot clock), how many fouls you have, and the score are simple, yet important facets of the game.

Even a grizzled NBA veteran like JR Smith can still make basic mistakes. Don't be a JR Smith.

Keep your head in the game and control as much of what happens as you can. Mistakes will happen; the best players often average the most turnovers.

Don't sweat the small stuff, but also do not assume that you will make the correct decisions at all times. Take deep breaths, analyze as much of each situation as time will allow, and play the game.

To continue taking your game to the next level, keep checking back here or get in touch with the guys over at The Basketball Movement!

Rob Yanders Founder / Owner

A program like Yanders Law is nothing without its fearless leader. Ours is great basketball mind and former pro, Rob Yanders.

About

Rob Yanders, owner and director of The Basketball Movement and Yanders Law, trains some of the best talent in the country. From top high school talent to NBA players, his training methods are sought after by elite players continually striving to get better. As lead director and head of player development, he has worked with multiple top-100 HS players in the country.

Notable names such as Mike Foster, Patrick Baldwin, Harlong Beverly, Charles Smith IV, Jabari Sibley, Emanual Miller, Anton Brookshire, Isaac Lindsey, Nobal Days, Desi Carton, Jalen Thomas, Chris Hodges, Adam Miller, Xzavier Jones, and Desmond Polk are among the players that look to coach Yanders for help in elevating their game.

As someone who has played at every level, his tutelage is an asset to these young men as they proceed with their dream of achieving the highest level of play available to them.

His workouts with NBA players Monte Morris, Deonte Burton, and Alize Johnson have become stories passed around from training camp to training camp, leading to more and more calls from current and prospective pros looking for help as they climb the ladder of success.

He has consulted with multiple NBA teams (including Lakers, Magic, and Pelicans) as they design and implement their own development programs.

Career

Yanders’ basketball career began in Milwaukee at Vincent High School, where he helped lead the Vikings to three State Basketball Championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998. Yanders went on to play at MSU – West Plains and is their only two time All-American.

Yanders was honored as a member of the 1999 USA National Team that toured New Zealand and was inducted into the MSU – WP Hall of Fame in 2007.

Yanders went on to play at Missouri State University in the Missouri Valley Conference under coach Barry Hinson, earning “All-Conference Honors.” He started every game he played from 2000-2002, averaging 11 points, 5.5 assists, and grabbing an impressive 6 rebounds per game.

He played 12 years as a pro, spending his first seven seasons playing in the BBL. As a pro, he started over 300 games, scoring 4,600 points with over 1,500 assists. He ranked 6th on the all-time BBL list. Yanders was a part of the 2009 Great Britain national team that earned the 2012 Olympic bid. After his first seasons playing abroad, Yanders was invited to the Milwaukee Bucks NBA free-agent camp.

During his time in the UK, Yanders won practically every individual and team honor available in the domestic game. Yanders won three European Championships, two regular season Championships, a National Cup, and Finals MVP. In France, Yanders was also voted team MVP with both VCB and KABCA teams and earned All-Star Team honors in 2012.

The Basketball Movement and Yanders Law

The Basketball Movement is the most explosive basketball training facility in the Midwest. Rob Yanders and his team of skilled trainers have developed a new type of basketball experience for youth on and off the court.

The Basketball Movement offers intense skill development, team training, mentorship, film analysis, motivational speaking, marketing, media coverage, and national exposure. With over four thousand athletes coming through the doors each year, the Basketball Movement has been proven to be the Mecca of basketball training in the Midwest.

Yanders Law was established to use the sport of basketball as a tool to assist young men and women in their athletic, educational, professional, and life skill development; to provide young men and women with a fraternity of brotherhood and sisterhood for life; and to promote good citizenship, discipline, teamwork, and physical health.

Even with such big dreams, Rob has managed to stay grounded and true to himself and his community as well. With free-of-charge clinics and leagues, The Angels of the Hardwood event, and more, he is dedicated to using basketball to better the lives of others.

Using size to your advantage

Basketball players come in many shapes and sizes. Each of these various sizes can be used to a player's advantage.

For a long time, basketball was closed off to only the biggest individuals at its highest levels. Throwing it into the post to let your bruiser back his/her way to the cup was the most effective form of offense. Times have changed.

The game itself has evolved, as has our understanding of what it takes to win. Foul-calling and the three pointer have been a pair of equalizers in addition to the knowledge of what it takes to succeed at smaller sizes.

It still certainly helps to be big, but now more than ever, smaller players have opportunities to compete as well.

Guards can use skill and speed

Perimeter players can be light and/or on the shorter side, while still achieving success. A great shot can go a long way in the sport of basketball. Ball-handling and passing as well. A taller player may be able to get a better view of the floor, but being lower to the ground often means improved ball-handling prowess and bounce pass options.

There are numerous examples of shorter players experiencing great success at all levels of the game. Yanders Law Founder, Rob Yanders played professionally with grit and savvy rather than overpowering opponents with strength and size - though quickness and toughness helped too.

Post players aren't going anywhere

Just because it is easier to be an undersized baller does not mean that post-play is out the door. A surplus of height, or even extra (managed) weight/muscle are always an intimidating factor on the court.

Manute Bol & Muggsy Bogues, team-mates and the tallest/shortest players in the history of the NBA at the time (1987) pic.twitter.com/7DQNBenb4v

— History Lovers Club (@historylvrsclub) May 2, 2018

The taller you are, the closer you are to the rim. Offense and defense both become a bit easier with height. The top rim-protectors have always been tall with an above-average wingspan.

Even if you are on the bigger side, but height isn't part of the equation, there are ways to succeed. The bigger you are, the more you will be able to impose your will on smaller players.

Not too big, but not too small?

You can definitely work with this too. Being somewhere in between means that you may be able to matchup with multiple positions.

A well-rounded skill set will help you to use your size on the perimeter or hang with the bigs down low.

For more help on how to take advantage of your size, whatever it may be, talk with you Yanders Law coaches. These individuals are in these positions because they know the game inside and out. Take advantage of this resource and pull out all the stops on the way to maximizing your potential.

Representing the colors

In sports, competition is a strong driving force, but it helps to have other motivators to play for as well.

Whether you are playing for your school or one of the greatest teams around (Yanders Law Basketball for example), you are going to be wearing unique colors and logos. These things do much more than distinguish one team from the other on the court; they stand for the unity of a team, entity, or community.

Playing for your school means wearing the same colors and the same words across your chest as many that came before you. You are representing not just the athletic team, but also your school as a whole, which is something you should take great pride in.

For Yanders Law, the blue, red, and white symbolize a brotherhood and sisterhood among a diverse group of people. You don’t go to the same school as all of your teammates, you aren’t always going to be from the same city or town, and you may have very little in common. You do have at least one thing in common however: a love for the sport of basketball.

Yanders Law Basketball is not some extracurricular obligation, it is a team that you chose to join to allow your passion for basketball to flourish.

Each year that you play, you will be reunited once more with teammates you know, but you may also get to welcome new members into our exclusive club. Your brothers and sisters in Yanders Law colors are just that. We are family.

Many have worn the words “Yanders Law” on their jersey and many more will again in the future. For all of these individuals, this represents family, commitment, and passion for hoops. Wear it proudly, and remember to respect those that wear it with you; have their backs. We do not have a school backing us or any one particular community. We are built on players, parents, coaches, and FAMILY.

Wear it proudly!!

Playing on either side of a blowout

In your basketball career, you will undoubtedly be a part of a few blowout games on one side or the other.

We hope that you will always be on the winning side, but that will likely not be the case. Sometimes you will be on a team that is heavily outmatched; maybe things just were not clicking for you at all.

Being down by so many points can be disheartening. No one wants to lose so badly in front of their fans and peers. The desire to not let this happen though is an important piece of competitive spirit. We are not saying that avoiding getting blown out should be top-of-mind entering a game, but if it starts looking that way, then it should probably click.

"Blown out" sounds a little subjective. It could mean different things to players at each level of the game. For the NBA it may mean 20 to 25-plus points or so. For NCAA, more like 15 to 20-plus, since the game is slower-paced. High school ball is played at many different levels, but that 15-20 range likely is not too far off depending on how early it happens.

What to do if your team is getting blown out

If you find yourself in this situation, there is no need to panic OR hang your head. Large deficits happen frequently, and occasionally, they are overcome. Check an example by the OKC Thunder earlier in the NBA Playoffs. The Thunder were down 25 in the third quarter.

The number one thing that you can do for your team in these situation is to continue playing hard. The fans will see it, the coach will see it, and your teammates will see it. Set an example for the rest of your team by playing through and attempting to come back.

Who knows, you may just pull an upset. Wins like that are often the most memorable, so do not pass up such an opportunity.

What if you are the team that is applying the beatdown?

Basketball is at its best when played between two evenly matched teams that take the contest down to the wire. It is more entertaining and more fun (though comebacks are pretty great).

When you are doing the thumping, how to proceed is usually dictated by the coach. Are the teams so mismatched that you could pour it on at will? Is the other team a threat to come back and needs to be kept a arm's length?

Continuing to play hard in a blowout is not a bad thing, but it is a better opportunity to play right. If you are up by so much that it ceases to be fun for either team, it is a great time to focus on fundamentals and run through your playbook in a game-time situation for excellent practice. Never pass up an opportunity to improve.

For more on the sport we all love, keep it locked to Yanders Law and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.