What Does A Center Do In Basketball? A Quick Look

The center’s position in basketball may be the most difficult position to play, So much is expected with little recognition, much of which goes unnoticed.

What does a center do in basketball? A center’s role has many responsibilities, such as rebounding, defending, and post scoring. The role of a center will also be dependant on the skill level of that player. It has become more common for centers to shoot three’s, pass, and dribble in transition with guard like moves than in past times. The game of basketball and it’s players are ever-evolving.

With a quick look at the center’s role, we can see what some important duties a center has. Use this as a guide if you are a center or a coach for reference.

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What Exactly Is The Center’s Role?

In simple terms, the center is a defensive presence who can rebound both offensively and defensively and score when necessary. A team relies on the center position for defense and rebounds more than any other player on the court.

But realistically the center’s role really depends on the ability and skill set of the player, every center has a different game and approach to basketball. The center’s game also will depend on the game plan of the coach and their teammates.

Here are are some specific roles the center will need to play in today’s game.

Defensively

Do not allow anything down the middle, foul hard if you have to this will help the player remember what potentially may happen coming down the middle the next time, I bet he passes.
Become defensively aware and anticipate every play, this takes hard and consistent work.
Be the floor general on defense you have the best spot on the court that sees everything that is developing, be very vocal it is contagious. Call out screens.
Grab every board you can by boxing out not out jumping your opposition, notice how certain players shoot and how the ball hits the rim. Shooters barely miss the basket which means the ball comes off the rim soft. Non-shooters shot the ball and it flys off the rim. Other players shoot terrible and can’t get the ball lined up with the basket causing the ball to miss left or right.
Be back down the court to prevent and fast breakpoints.
Be a defensive presence, you don’t have to block every shot even the best shot blockers average around 2 blocks shots a game.
Stay out of foul trouble.

Offensively

Learn to pick and roll.
Provide good spacing on the court and don’t always go to the ball.
Get position when possible.
Be a good passer especially when double-teamed down low.
Be able to shoot free throws consistently.
Rebound on offense and when to kick out and set up.
Be able to shoot the mid-range and have a variety of post moves.
Be able to play with your back to the basket and be comfortable.

Center’s Get No Love

Every year I coach I always have a conversation with a player after watching them missing shot after shot during a game, they come back to the bench with their heads down frustrated, nothing is going their way. I tell the players this “there is more to basketball than just scoring 1 basket”.

There is more to basketball than just scoring.

Coach Monez

The center knows this already and doesn’t need to be reminded as they are trying to grab every rebound and block every shot they can by the nature of their position.

The center can be held accountable by the players on his team to grab every rebound and to help on defense when their teammate gets beat off the dribble. Center’s have a lot of responsibility and little reward to go with it. The position can feel undervalued sometimes.

If you are tall you are expected to get every rebound and block every shot. The fact is center’s don’t come equipped with excellent footwork and athleticism to dominate the boards and send balls out to the crowds.

Soo much responsibility, so little reward. Center’s can go man possessions without the ball and expect to still play defense and rebound. It seems like nowadays if you want to get noticed you have to be an athletic big. As basketball fans, we love a scorer and just expect centers to do their job.

More Tips For Center’s

The game of basketball is ever-changing, it has become a game of guards. It is now common to see 7 footers play shooting guard which is incredible, never thought I would see the day. Centers are not just big anymore they are more agile and able to shoot the three. Dribbling and passing in transition isn’t a problem either.

But not all center’s are built alike, here are some more tips to help the struggling center.

Spacing And Movement

Moving without the ball is a skill in itself and is very hard to do when the ball is being penetrated by the guards the center needs to position himself in a way that he is open and able to score but at the same time, his teammate sees him if he needs to pass it to him. The positioning for the center is the difference between a contested shot or a very difficult shot.

If penetration happens down the middle center should be at one of the short corners.
If penetration happens baseline center should open to the middle near the basket.

Anticipation

Anticipation is key to rebounding, following the ball but not overcrowding the floor on offense. Defensively sliding over to help your teammates when they get beat by the offense you are there to help. Having great timing is crucial, if you are not there quick enough they score, if you are there too soon they pass.

Pick & Roll

Be patient on the pick and roll, many times it is rushed and not used properly, You must actively practice the pick and roll with your teammates and let them know to rub shoulder to shoulder with you.

After setting the pick you need to read the defense this is important along with spacing. There are a ton of variables that may happen in a single possession, this is why we communicate on the floor.

Diving To The Basket

If you don’t know what diving is, think of the hoop as the pool and the free-throw line as the diving board. There will be times from the wing the ball will enter while you decide to dive to the hoop for easy baskets. This is a great skill to have but difficult to master.

A quick story, my brother who started playing basketball late in life is an undersized big that does the dive often in games. He is much quicker than the players he guards. This can work in transition also and it can be a fake one way then go the other and dive to the basket.

Stamina, Hustle & Grit

Playing the center position can be very exhausting while running up and down the court to pushing and jockeying for position down low. Their position may require the farthest travel from baseline to baseline with each possession, a center requires great stamina and mental toughness.

Prepare for battle, lose weight if necessary, increase your endurance and stamina during the off-season be ready. the worse thing that can happen is the coach subbing you off prematurely because you’re exhausted.

This concludes the article I hope you enjoyed and feel free to check out my ultimate guide on shooting for some shooting hacks.