Swingman?

What is a swingman in basketball?

A swingman is a player that can play two positions, normally SF/SG.

Person who plays two or more postions.

AKA Boris Diaw.

Someone who likes to throw punches.
Ex. Ron Artest

(Bad joke, I know)

Swingman ain't just two positions, it's any 'wing' player which would be a SG/SF. You qouldn't call someone who played PF/C a swingman.

Swingman also includes someone that can play point guard at times as well as shooting guard and small foward. Someone like Marquis Daniels, Jalen Rose, Joe Johnson as well.

Those guys are wing players, who sometimes play point. They're not called swingman because they can play the point, they're swingman because they can play SG/SF.

But yeah, those guys are good examples of what a swingman is.

I agree w/ Colin, it's specifically someone who can play as both a Guard & a Forward because those aren the two broad categories of players: Guards or Bigs.

I think it used to specifically mean guys that could drive past Bigs who tried to guard them and at the same time could post-up & shoot over guards who tried to guard them. I'm thinking Bernard King, Oscar Robertson.

But nowadays i think it means just the SG/SF position, since they're identical in most systems (wings).

EDIT: asdf

You may be right, but i'm not sure about the PG part. Barkley often handled the ball and initiated the offense for both Philly & Phoenix (even on the fast break) but I don't remember him being considered a Swingman. Same for Anthony Mason & C-Webb. Because while they can dribble, shoot, and pass...they never actually played either Guard position.

I think those guys who are pure forwards (ie you would never use barkley to guard Reggie Miller) but who initiate offense & pass the ball are Point Forwards.

I would say a swingman is somebody who can play two of the three general positions on the floor (Guard, Forward, Center)

"Swingman is a basketball term denoting a player who can play both the small forward and shooting guard positions. Whereas 6'9" (2.06 m) Larry Bird was a natural small forward and 6'7" (2.01 m) Reggie Miller was a natural shooting guard, some versatile players such as 6'7" (2.0 m) Kobe Bryant can "swing" between the two positions.

The "swingman" concept first came into vogue in the late 1970's and early 1980's, when star players such as George "Iceman" Gervin defied traditional pigeonholing into the 2 or 3 position. The best swingmen use their "in-between" height and athleticism to exploit defensive mismatches: they will run past bigger players, and post up or shoot over smaller players. Michael Jordan, was another notable swingman as was his teammate Scottie Pippen and some of the most popular players in the NBA today are natural swingmen, including All-Stars Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Paul Pierce.

A swingman who handles the ball and runs the offense--and thus combines the skills of point guard, shooting guard, and small forward--is called a point forward. Magic Johnson and Scottie Pippen are most celebrated point forwards of all time. LeBron James, who is a rising superstar, and Tracy McGrady can also be considered point forwards."


Thank you Wikipedia!

Who says wikipedia is right? Everybody can edit their articles.
It's about right though.

I have actually heard it used in reference to bigs who swing between power forward and centre but very rarely. I prefer the traditional F/G or G/F definition though, I don't think of bigs when I hear swingman.

this is what i think :

players that can play PG and SG are combo guard ex. Dwyane Wade...
players that can play SG and SF are swingman ex. LeBron James...
players that can play PF and C are bigman ex. Tim Duncan...

then what do you call KG?

this is what i think :

players that can play PG and SG are combo guard ex. Dwyane Wade...
players that can play SG and SF are swingman ex. LeBron James...

I agree with that, I've never heard of a power forward who can play a few positions refered to as a swingman.

I agree with that, I've never heard of a power forward who can play a few positions refered to as a swingman.

Yea I know. I call them big men when they play PF/C (Amare Stoudamire/Pau Gasol) and point forward when they play PF/SF (Lamar Odom/Shawn Marion)

Swingman is a player that can play PG/SG or SG/SF. Players like Kobe Lebron, Wade....etc. Big players aren't really called swing man, there just refferd to as big man that can play more then 1 position.

i am a swingman

I'm sure you've swung with plenty of men in your day

I'm sure you've swung with plenty of men in your day

yea..................................no

this is what i think :

players that can play PG and SG are combo guard ex. Dwyane Wade...
players that can play SG and SF are swingman ex. LeBron James...
players that can play PF and C are bigman ex. Tim Duncan...

That works for me. Tweeners are players who don't have specific strengths in the multiple of the positions they play (mainly used for those who are too short to play PF, but too slow to play SF), thus not having a defined position in the NBA.

That works for me. Tweeners are players who don't have specific strengths in the multiple of the positions they play (mainly used for those who are too short to play PF, but too slow to play SF), thus not having a defined position in the NBA.

IMO, the majority of tweeners are players who play like SGs but have the size of a PG. Ex; Damon Stoudamire, Salim Stoudamire, Allen Iverson, Ben Gordon...and numerous others

I think the perfect example is someone like Corey Maggette who plays both the 2 or 3 (SG or SF) spots.

Wikipedia i think out explained all of us, and Kevin Garnett doesnt do as much swinging as he used to, like when he was a SF back with Marbury, but i guess when he was younger he could be called a Swingman, i'm sure hes better at it now but i dont think he really does it as much.

kobe, lebron, tmac, vince, pierce are swingman
iverson, wade, and arenas are combo guards