Basketball Positions

The sixth man or Bench

Five players from the squad are part of the game at any time. Players on the bench need to be able to join the action and find their rythym quickly. Usually a team will have a specialist bench player who can come on and help change the teams pattern. The specialist player would be known as the sixth man. A substitute should have all round skills that can be useful anywhere on the court. The wider the range of skills, the greater the options for a tactical change.

A team member is a substitute when they are not playing on the court. Basketball is a fast paced game and players need to rest. A strong bench can be the key to any basketball team's success. He's able to do whatever is necessary to help his team win. The main substitute to come off the bench is called the "sixth man" and is a basketball player position that is important to the success of all teams.

Sometimes his role calls for him to score, play exceptional defense, or a combination of the two. Bench specialties may mean skills such as being a great long-range shooter, playing solid defense or being able to play two or three positions well. The player becomes a sub when the official allows the replacement to enter the court. Whatever he's capable of doing, the sixth man is an important component to the game. Since he doesn't start the game, the sixth man must study the game tempo and prepare himself mentally so he is able to adjust to flow of basketball the moment he steps on the floor. More than anything else, the bench can offer some extra quality minutes.