Point guard

The point guard (PG), also called the one or point, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position. They are expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that it gets to the right players at the right time. Above all, the point guard must totally understand and accept their coach's game plan; in this way, the position can be compared to a quarterback in American football or a playmaker in association football (soccer).

A point guard, like other player positions in basketball, specializes in certain skills. A point guard's job is to create scoring opportunities for his/her team, or sometimes attack the basket. Lee Rose has described a point guard as a coach on the floor, who can handle and distribute the ball to teammates. This involves setting up plays on the court, getting the ball to the teammate in the best position to score, and controlling the tempo of the game. A point guard should know when and how to instigate a fast break and when and how to initiate the more deliberate sets. Point guards are expected to be vocal floor leaders. A point guard needs always to have in mind the times on the shot clock and the game clock, the score, the numbers of remaining timeouts for both teams, etc.

Ty Lawson

Tywon Ronell "Ty" Lawson (born November 3, 1987) is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Lawson played college basketball for North Carolina where he won a national championship his junior year. He was drafted with the 18th overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves and was immediately traded to the Denver Nuggets for a future first round pick. In 2015, Lawson was traded to the Houston Rockets.

Early life

Lawson attended sixth and seventh grade at Gwynn Park Middle School in Prince George's County, Maryland. In the eighth grade, he was recruited to the Newport School in Kensington, Maryland.

Lawson attended Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Maryland from 2003 to 2004. He later transferred to and graduated from Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, where he was a first-team USA Today and Parade All-American. He participated in the McDonald's All-American Game, Jordan Classic and the Nike Hoop Summit. During Lawson's senior year at Oak Hill Academy, he averaged 23.8 points, 9.1 assists and five steals. His highest scoring game in high school was 55 points.