Players
While Dirk Nowitzki, for example, is not noted for his strong inside game or his physical post play, many of his skills, particularly his strong reliance on the jumper, compare favorably to those of a typical small forward. Other power forwards who add 3 point shooting to their skillset include Kevin Love, Charlie Villanueva, Rashard Lewis, Antawn Jamison, Rasheed Wallace, Ersan Ilyasova, Mehmet Okur, Channing Frye, Troy Murphy, Andrea Bargnani, Lamar Odom, LaMarcus Aldridge, Chris Bosh, Al Harrington, and many others.
One example of an effective power forward who does not fit the standard template is Dennis Rodman, who was able to out-rebound and defend rival power forwards despite reaching only 6 feet 7 inches (2 m). Likewise, Charles Barkley was one of the most dominating power forwards, despite also reaching only 6 feet 4 3/4 inches (1.95 mt). Barkley's playing weight of roughly 260 pounds (120 kg) was typical for the position. Likewise, relatively short-statured Shawn Marion ranks among rebounding leaders; he is often listed as a small forward, but defends against many power forwards. Power forwards are not necessarily undersized; the duos of Andrew Bynum / Pau Gasol, David Robinson / Tim Duncan, & Ralph Sampson / Hakeem Olajuwon are notable pairs that could play either Power Forward or Center, and are often called Center-Forwards. Teams who possess two Center-Forwards have the advantage of having more possible lineups, thus enabling them to adjust better during the season (when one player is injured, for example).
Players who were named to the NBA's 50 Greatest Players list include Charles Barkley, Dave DeBusschere, Elvin Hayes, Wes Unseld, Jerry Lucas, Kevin McHale, and Karl Malone.
Read more about this topic: Power Forward (basketball)
Famous quotes containing the word players:
“People stress the violence. That’s the smallest part of it. Football is brutal only from a distance. In the middle of it there’s a calm, a tranquility. The players accept pain. There’s a sense of order even at the end of a running play with bodies stewn everywhere. When the systems interlock, there’s a satisfaction to the game that can’t be duplicated. There’s a harmony.”
—Don Delillo (b. 1926)
“The whole idea of image is so confused. On the one hand, Madison Avenue is worried about the image of the players in a tennis tour. On the other hand, sports events are often sponsored by the makers of junk food, beer, and cigarettes. What’s the message when an athlete who works at keeping her body fit is sponsored by a sugar-filled snack that does more harm than good?”
—Martina Navratilova (b. 1956)
“The players have often mentioned it as an honour to Shakespeare, that in his writing, whatsoever he penned, he never blotted out [a] line. My answer hath been, “Would he had blotted a thousand.””
—Ben Jonson (c. 1572–1637)