Tweener (basketball) - Shooting Guard / Point Guard (combo Guard)

Shooting Guard / Point Guard (combo Guard)

"Tweener" may also describe a player who combines the attributes of a shooting guard and point guard, but does not fit the prototype of either position. Such guards usually play a shooting-guard-type game (looking more to score than to pass) but lack the height to guard opposing shooting guards effectively and some of the skills to direct an offense that a "pure" point would display. Such players are also known as "combination (or combo) guards". But after the success of Dwyane Wade during the 2004-05 NBA season, there has been less of a stigma attached to the term and many current elite prospects are combo guards, such as Randy Foye, Eric Gordon, O. J. Mayo, and Russell Westbrook. Most commonly, shooting guards are called "tweeners" when considered too short for NBA-level starting competition at the position. This generally is applied to shooting guards that are 6'4" and below in height. Conversely, they are unable to play point guard successfully at the highest level of professional basketball due to a lack of the mental specialization and understanding of the game that this position requires. These players are often referred to as being "a shooting guard trapped in a point guard's body." Some good examples of this are Allen Iverson, Kirk Hinrich, Stephon Marbury, Delonte West, Monta Ellis, Gilbert Arenas, Jason Terry, Ben Gordon, Jamal Crawford, Juan Dixon, Steve Francis, Calvin Murphy, Eddie House, John Paxson, Steve Kerr, Danny Ainge, Aaron Brooks and Luther Head. This is in stark contrast to pass-first type point guards who traditionally play the position such as Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Andre Miller, Deron Williams and Steve Nash, among others.