What is passing in basketball
Passing in basketball is a fundamental skill and offensive action that occurs when a player in current possession of the ball throws it to a teammate with the typical objective of creating scoring opportunities near the basket or near the perimeter areas of the court.
Why is passing important in basketball
Passing is important in basketball because it promotes good teamwork, it can improve team chemistry, it could potentially help with overall skill development, and it could possibly increase the chance of defensive breakdowns.
Promotes good teamwork
Basketball passing promotes good teamwork because if an individual player were to hold possession of the ball most or all of the time, then that would rarely, if ever, lead to sustainable success for the team as a whole.
In other words, the game of basketball is a team sport so this effectively means that each member of the team should be able to give a contribution, regardless if it is small or large.
Passing the basketball is a simple way to achieve that contribution. When one teammate passes the ball to another, it could help both players as well as the entire team in general.
For example, let’s say that teammate A passes the ball to teammate B and because of that pass, it directly leads to teammate B scoring at the basket or near the perimeter.
As a result, teammate A would receive an assist, teammate B would receive points, and the team altogether would increase their overall total points against their opponent.
Improves team chemistry
Passing the basketball could improve team chemistry because the players will begin to build trust and at the same time, the players will be able to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
For example, let’s say that teammate A passes the ball to teammate B cutting to the basket and afterwards, teammate B is able to score through contact.
When that occurs, teammate A would essentially learn that finishing at the rim is most likely a strength of teammate B.
Therefore, every time teammate A has possession of the ball and at the same time, teammate A sees teammate B cutting to the basket, teammate A would more than likely be inclined to pass the ball to teammate B if it is feasible to do so.
It should be also mentioned that if a player in current possession of the ball rarely passes it, especially when a teammate is open to receive it, a term commonly known as a ball hog, then that could actually harm and decrease team chemistry.
This is yet another reason why passing is essential to increase team chemistry or at least keep it at an optimal level.
Potentially help overall skill development
Passing the basketball could also potentially help develop a player’s overall skill set, either as the passer in possession of the ball, or as a cutter, screener, shooter, or dribbler that could possibly receive the ball.
For example, let’s say player A has current possession of the basketball and then player B cuts to the basket. At that moment, player B potentially just increased their skill set of cutting, particularly to get open.
Furthermore, if player A was to pass the ball to player B, then player A at that time would potentially increase their skill set of passing as well.
So in this overall instance, player A more than likely would have improved the skill of passing while player B possibly improved the skill of cutting.
This would also generally apply to the other basketball skills of shooting, dribbling, and screening as well.
For example, if player A has possession of the ball, then player B could cut to get open, receive the ball, and then take a jump shot.
In that scenario, player A possibly improved their skill of passing while player B feasibly strengthened their skills of cutting as well as shooting.
As yet another situation, let’s say player A has the ball, player B sets a down screen for player C and then player C cuts to get open near the perimeter via that screen. Let’s also say that player B slips to the basket after setting the screen.
From that point, regardless if player A passes the ball to either player B or player C, all three players could potentially increase overall skills.
Player A, in possession of the ball, would most likely improve the skill of passing. Player B more than likely improves screening in addition to cutting (via the slip action). Also, player C most likely increases the skill of cutting and/or shooting if they were to receive the ball.
Possibly increase the chance of defensive breakdowns
Passing the basketball could possibly increase the chance of defensive breakdowns occurring on the strong side or the weak side of the court because the ball generally moves faster than the players.
In simple terms, when offensive players pass the basketball, this establishes ball movement, and as a result, the defense is essentially forced to react to that movement.
This is even more of a factor if the offensive team utilizes ball reversal from one side of the court to the other side.
When that occurs, it could become difficult for defenders, particularly near the perimeter areas to execute effective defensive closeouts, which could then lead to open jump shots or dribble penetration opportunities.
Furthermore, as continuous ball movement occurs, such as via a continuity offense, certain off-ball defenders could make a mistake by focusing too heavily on the ball (i.e ball-watching) while losing sight of their respective assignments that they are guarding.
When that occurs, the off-ball offensive players being guarded by those particular defenders could then sneak behind them and cut to the basket.
Following the cutting action, an offensive player in current possession of the ball could then pass it to the cutter for a scoring opportunity as mentioned in a previous section.
To summarize this point, if offensive players are able to pass the ball efficiently and effectively, then it is a very likely that this would lead to defensive breakdowns and offensive scoring possibilities.
What are the different types of basketball passes
The basic types of basketball passes include the chest pass, the bounce pass, and the overhead pass, which are also typically the most common passes used by offensive players within the game.
Moreover, there are also other types of passes such as the baseball pass, the dribble pass, and the skip pass, among others that are generally used in situations where it could be possibly ineffective to use one of the basic passes.
Chest pass
The chest pass is comprised of offensive action that occurs when a player in current possession of the basketball throws it with two hands from their own chest area towards the chest area of a teammate.
Bounce pass
The bounce pass consists of basketball offensive action that occurs when a player in possession of the ball throws it with a sufficient amount of strength and at a certain angle to the floor so that a teammate can receive it, preferably near their chest or waist area.
Advanced variations of the bounce pass include the between the legs pass and the behind the back bounce pass. Furthermore, the bounce pass is commonly used in combination with the backdoor cut to create scoring opportunities at the rim.
Overhead pass
The overhead pass is comprised of offensive action that occurs when a player in current possession of the basketball places it over their head before throwing it with two hands towards a teammate that is able to receive it.
Baseball pass
The baseball pass consists of offensive action that occurs when a player in possession of the basketball throws it to a receiver, typically using a throwing motion that is somewhat similar to a pitcher’s throw in the sport of baseball.
Behind the back pass
The behind the back pass consists of basketball offensive action that occurs when a player with the ball throws it behind their back to an open teammate for a possible scoring or playmaking opportunity.
A variation of the behind the back pass is the behind the back elbow pass, or simply the elbow pass, which was popularized by former NBA point guard Jason Williams, particularly during the 2000 NBA Rookie Challenge (now referred to as the Rising Stars Challenge), while he was a member of the Sacramento Kings basketball team.
Dribble pass
The dribble pass consists of offensive action that occurs when a player in possession of the basketball initially dribbles it and then immediately throws it, particularly with one hand, to an open teammate for a possible playmaking or scoring opportunity.
Essentially, the player will pass the ball off the dribble. This type of pass could be very useful in certain situations, particularly if a teammate is open for a scoring opportunity and it would take too long to pass the ball with both hands.
Drift pass
The drift pass is comprised of basketball offensive action that occurs when a player in possession of the ball generally dribbles towards the baseline on one side of the lane and quickly throws the ball to the opposite corner or opposite wing.
Fake pass
The fake pass consists of offensive action that occurs when a player in possession of the basketball effectively pretends to pass it to a teammate in an attempt to deceive a defender before executing the true action such as a dribble or pass.
Hook pass
The hook pass consists of offensive action that occurs when a player in possession of the basketball propels it through the air with a throwing motion that is somewhat similar to a hook, which could then lead to scoring or playmaking opportunities.
Furthermore, prior to executing a hook pass, the player in possession of the ball would typically dribble it, usually towards the basket.
Related: Ohio State Basketball Drill – Hook Passes – YouTube
Inbound pass
The inbound pass, also known as a throw-in, encompasses offensive action that occurs when a player with the basketball initially stands out of bounds at the sideline or baseline and then throws the ball to a teammate after an opposing team scores a basket or immediately following dead ball situations such as a timeout.
Jump pass
The jump pass is comprised of basketball offensive action that occurs when a player in possession of the ball jumps into the air and throws it to a teammate before touching the floor with their feet again.
This type of pass is generally not recommended for players that are still developing such as youth basketball players as it could cause unnecessary turnovers.
However, this pass could be useful in certain instances, particularly if the player that executes the jump pass has an above average offensive basketball IQ.
Related: How John Wall turned the jump pass from a cardinal sin to a deadly weapon – SB Nation
Kick pass
The kick pass, also known as the kick out pass, includes offensive action that occurs when a player in current possession of the basketball, already near the basket or at least moving towards it, throws it to a teammate that is near one of the perimeter areas of the court.
Lob pass
The lob pass contains offensive action that occurs when a player in possession of the basketball throws it with a high arc into the air, usually over the top of one or more defenders, to a teammate who could then catch the ball and potentially score.
For example, let’s say an offensive player is in possession of the ball on a wing and that same player would like to pass it to the team’s best offensive low post player on the strong side low post block.
However, let’s also say that the low post defender guarding the offensive low post player fronts the post in an attempt to take away the easy post entry pass.
If that occurs, then the player with the ball could throw a lob pass over the top of the fronting defender to the offensive low post player who could then possibly score near the rim.
Moreover, it should also be noted that an alley-oop occurs when a player with the ball throws a lob pass generally at or above the rim so that it could be caught while it is in the air by a teammate who will then commonly dunk it into the basket.
No look pass
The no look pass, sometimes referred to as a blind pass, consists of basketball offensive action that occurs when a player with the ball throws it to a teammate without looking at that same teammate.
The offensive player in possession of the ball will typically look away from their teammate slightly before or during the moment of the actual passing action.
In a basic sense, certain defenders may have a tendency to look at the eyes of the offensive player with the ball in an attempt to predict which teammate would receive the ball if a pass were to occur.
Therefore, although the no look pass is advanced, somewhat flashy, and generally not recommended for absolute beginners that have not yet mastered the basic types of passes, it could be utilized as a way to trick defenders momentarily into thinking the ball would be thrown to one particular target when in actuality, it is being thrown to a completely different target.
Outlet pass
The outlet pass is comprised of action that occurs when a player throws the basketball to a teammate, generally as a method to initiate and execute transition offense, typically after gaining possession of the ball via a defensive rebound or in certain instances, as a baseline inbound thrower.
Furthermore, when executing the outlet pass, the player with the ball can throw it as a long pass to a teammate in the frontcourt but that same player could outlet the ball to a teammate adjacent to them in the backcourt.
In most general cases, if the outlet pass is thrown to a teammate in the backcourt, that same teammate will usually be the point guard who would then initiate the transition offense such as a numbered fast break.
It should also be stated that when an offensive player in the backcourt throws an outlet pass to a teammate in the frontcourt who is then able to score quickly via a layup or dunk, usually within three seconds, this particular pass is generally known as a touchdown pass.
In addition to that, the baseball pass is sometimes used as a standard outlet pass during transition offense or as a touchdown pass for quick scoring purposes.
Pitch ahead pass
The pitch ahead pass is comprised of basketball offensive action that occurs when a player, particularly in the backcourt, throws the ball ahead to another player, typically in the frontcourt and usually near one of the wings or corners.
Pocket pass
The pocket pass consists of action that occurs when an offensive player in possession of the basketball throws it to a teammate, particularly between the open space of an on-ball primary defender as well as an adjacent off-ball secondary defender.
Skip pass
The skip pass features offensive action that occurs when a player in current possession of the basketball throws it to another non-adjacent player that is two or more passes away from the player with the ball.
Wrap around pass
The wrap around pass consists of offensive action that occurs when a player in possession of the basketball throws it around an opposing defender to a teammate, ultimately leading to a possible scoring opportunity or an additional playmaking option.
What is an air pass in basketball
An air pass is any type of pass that occurs when a player in possession of the basketball throws it via the air from a point of origin (i.e. the player with the ball) to a destination (i.e. a receiving teammate) without the ball touching the floor.
An air pass can be essentially thought of as a primary type for any pass that does not bounce on the ground. So, passes such as the chest pass, overhead pass, baseball pass, skip pass, among others are considered air passes.
Additionally, certain types of passes could be either an air pass or a bounce pass depending on if the ball bounces on the floor or not.
For example, if a player throws the ball behind their back via the air to a teammate, then that could be considered a behind the back air pass.
However, if that same player were to throw the ball behind their back to a teammate, but this time, the ball bounces on the floor between the time the passer throws it and their teammate receives it, then that would be considered a behind the back bounce pass.
Furthermore, there is a special type of pass known as a touch pass that happens during the time a player, initially without possession of the ball, briefly touches it with one hand typically while it is in the air and within that same time frame, the player immediately taps the ball with that same hand to a teammate.
In certain instances, a touch pass could be a much quicker and effective way of getting the ball to an open teammate for a potential scoring or playmaking opportunity before the defense has to time to properly react.
Basically, since the player executes the touch pass by tapping the ball with one hand to a teammate, this is generally much faster than grabbing the ball with both hands followed by a basic pass such as the chest pass or even a more advanced pass such as the behind the back pass to that teammate.
What is the general rule in reference to a self pass
The general rule in reference to a self pass in basketball is that once a player executes a pass, that same player cannot immediately touch the ball afterwards, unless it first comes into contact with another active player on the court, the backboard, or the basket itself.
If a player were to attempt a pass, particularly some type of air pass and then that same player touched the ball before it came into contact with another active player on the court, or the backboard, or the basket, then that player will almost certainly be charged with a traveling violation.
The most likely situation that a self pass would be utilized is during an inbound pass.
What commonly occurs is that a defender near the inbound player with the ball makes an error by turning away so that they can no longer clearly see the location of the ball.
After that, the inbound player capitalizes on that defender’s mistake by throwing the ball off their back, quickly stepping in bounds to grab the ball before the defender can react, and then swiftly scoring by way of a layup at the rim or jump shot near the perimeter.
What is a simple method to practice passing without a partner
A simple method for a player to practice and get better at passing without having a partner is to use a wall. Basically, the player could go to a local gym or any other location where it is possible to pass against a wall.
Next, the player could stand about four to six feet from the wall and then work on viable passes such as the chest pass or the bounce pass. Furthermore, the player could even incorporate dribbling into the workout, particularly for one handed passes.
Furthermore, the player could even incorporate dribbling into the workout, particularly for one handed passes.
Essentially, the player would execute dribble moves such as a crossover dribble and then quickly pass against the wall with one hand before catching the ball with either the opposite hand or both hands.
What is a basic explanation of pass and cut action
Pass and cut action is a commonly utilized basketball offensive tactic that occurs when a player with the ball, generally near the perimeter areas of the court, passes it to a teammate, and afterwards, that same player who threw the ball executes a cut, usually towards the basket.
Passing and cutting is typically beneficial for offensive teams because it involves the fundamental actions of player movement and ball movement, which could also result in potential defensive breakdowns and/or scoring opportunities.
What is a basic explanation of pass and screen away action
Pass and screen away action is a basketball offensive tactic that occurs when a player with the ball, typically near the perimeter, passes it to a teammate, and afterwards, the passing player sets a screen away from the ball for another teammate, in an effort to hinder the effectiveness of the defense.
Pass and screen away action is possibly beneficial for the offensive team because it promotes ball movement, player motion, and it also generates possible offensive scoring opportunities, especially against a man to man defense.
What is a basic explanation of the one pass away concept
One pass away is a general concept that basically means an offensive player in possession of the basketball only needs to pass it one time from its current area on the court such as the top to a new adjacent area on the court such as the wing.
What is a basic explanation of reverse pass action
Reverse pass action, also referred to as ball reversal, is an offensive tactic that is generally common within the game of basketball and it happens when players pass the ball from one side of the court to the other side.
What are examples of simple basketball passing drills
Example 1
This is an example of a simple passing drill that could be useful for any level of development, but it is most likely very beneficial for youth basketball players.
It is typically known as star passing because the passing angles between the players resemble a star symbol.
To set up the drill, 1 is at the top, 2 is on the right side wing, 3 and 4 are in the short corners, and 5 is on the left side wing.
To begin, 3 receives the ball from 1 and following that, 5 receives the ball from 3. Next, 2 receives the ball from 5 and then, 4 receives the ball from 2. Afterwards, 1 receives the ball from 4 and from that point, the drill could start over again.
Example 2
This is an example of a simple passing drill that emphasizes two pairs of players passing the ball to each other from one end of the court to the other end.
The players will generally work on hand and eye coordination alongside footwork. This drill could be useful for beginners to practice the chest pass, bounce pass, or overhead pass.
To set up the drill, the first pair of partners, 1 and 2, face each other while filling the right side corner and right side low post area, respectively.
Additionally, the second pair of partners, 3 and 4, face each other while filling the left side low post area and left side corner, respectively.
Furthermore, 1 and 4 have possession of a basketball for each pair. Also, the two pairs of partners will slide their feet while passing the ball to each other until they reach the half court line.
However, it should be noted that the partners could also slide to the opposite baseline for a slightly more advanced challenge.
To start, 1 and 2 begin sliding their feet towards the half court line. At the same time, 3 and 4 begin sliding their feet as well. Afterwards, 2 receives the ball from 1 while 3 receives the ball from 4.
Following that, 1 would receive the ball again from 2 while 4 receives the ball again from 3. This passing action would continue until both pairs of partners reach the half court line.
Example 3
This is a simple passing drill, commonly known as the three man weave, that could help players work on hand and eye coordination as well as shooting layups at the rim.
There is also a full court variation of this drill where the players would begin on one baseline and execute the drill towards the opposite baseline. Furthermore, the players generally should not dribble while executing this drill as well.
To set up the drill, 1 starts in the middle near the half court line while 2 and 3 begin near the sidelines. To begin, 2 runs ahead and receives the ball from 1. Afterwards, 1 follows behind 2 while 3 runs ahead of 2.
Next, 3 receives the ball from 2 and then, 2 follows behind 3. As that occurs, 1 runs ahead of 3 and receives the ball from 3. From there, 2 sprints ahead of 1, receives the ball from 1, and completes the drill with a layup at the rim.