The power forward (PF), also known as the four or strong forward, is a

position Position often refers to: * Position (geometry), the spatial location (rather than orientation) of an entity * Position, a job or occupation Position may also refer to: Games and recreation * Position (poker), location relative to the dealer * ...

in basketball. Power forwards play a role similar to centers. When on

offense Offense or offence may refer to: Common meanings * Offense or crime, a violation of penal law * An insult, or negative feeling in response to a perceived insult * An attack, a proactive offensive engagement * Sin, an act that violates a known m ...

, they typically play with their backs towards the basket. When on

defense Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense industr ...

, they typically position themselves under the basket in a zone defense or against the opposing power forward in man-to-man defense. The power forward position entails a variety of responsibilities, one of which is rebounding. Many power forwards are noted for their mid-range jump-shot, and several players have become very accurate from . Earlier, these skills were more typically exhibited in the European style of play. Some power forwards known as stretch fours, have since extended their shooting range to three-point field goals. In the

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

, power forwards usually range from 6' 7" (2.01 m) to 6' 10" (2.08 m) while in the WNBA, power forwards are usually between 6′ 0″ (1.83 m) and 6′ 3″ (1.91 m). Despite the averages, a variety of players fit "

tweener Tweener may refer to: In sports: * A shot in racket sports that is performed by hitting the ball between the legs: ** Tweener (tennis) ** Tweener (pickleball) * Tweener, a basketball player able to play two different positions * Tweener, a pro ...

" roles which finds them in the small forward or center position depending on matchups and coaching decisions. Some power forwards often play the center position and have the skills, but lack the height that is usually associated with that position. Power forwards who have been inducted in the

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...

include Dirk Nowitzki, Karl Malone, Denise Curry, Dolph Schayes, Kevin McHale, Charles Barkley, Dennis Rodman, Elvin Hayes, Bob Pettit, Jerry Lucas, Dave Debusschere, Tim Duncan, Vern Mikkelsen, and Kevin Garnett.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Power Forward (Basketball) Basketball positions Basketball terminology