Basketball Offense

Pick & Roll Reads

Basketball drill for offense training sessions

Ball handler and screener practise reading the defence after a pick and roll.

25 minDuration
8 playersGroup size
AdvancedDifficulty
Half courtSpace needed
Basketballs, conesEquipment

What This Drill Improves

This basketball drill is best for advanced players who need focused work on offense. It works well with 8 players and can be adjusted by changing the space, pressure, or scoring rules.

Setup

Ball handler at the top. Screener sets up at elbow. 2 passive defenders initially.

Instructions

  1. Screener sets pick on ball handler's defender.
  2. Ball handler reads: defender goes over — pull up; under — attack; switches — mismatch.
  3. Screener rolls to basket or pops to 3.
  4. Practise both sides.

Coaching Points

✓ Ball handler must wait for screen to be set.
✓ Reading the defence is the skill — not just running the play.
✓ Screener keeps hands to body when setting.

Common Mistakes to Watch For

  • Players losing focus on the main coaching point.
  • The drill area being too large or too small for the group.
  • Progressing the drill before the basic pattern is clean.

Progressions: Make It Harder

→ Add live defence.
→ Add a third offensive player as a skip pass option.
→ Time limit: score within 5 seconds of screen being set.

Regressions: Make It Easier

Reduce the number of defenders or make pressure passive for the first few rounds.
Increase the playing space so players have more time to make decisions.

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