Passing

Passing in basketball is a way for players to move the ball on the court between teammates. Passing is a two-step process that requires a minimum of two players on the same team to be effective. The passer must be accurate and must put the correct amount of velocity on the pass in order to reach their teammate in a timely fashion and in the right location.

In order to pass the ball, a player must throw or move the ball to a teammate and the teammate must catch the ball. Passing is the fastest way to move the ball on the court large distances since teammates can catch passes from anywhere, except if they are in the backcourt and their teammate passes to them from the frontcourt; this is a backcourt violation and a loss of possession.

Equally as important to passing the basketball is the ability to receive a pass from a teammate. Without this, passing does not work and the offense of a team will be stuck. The key to getting a pass in basketball is the ability to get open and away from the defense enough to have room to catch the pass then continue the offensive possession.

Any use of a cut, screen, or movement off the ball is essential to creating this space and getting a pass. Another key to catching a pass is moving toward the ball so the defender has less time to steal it in the air. Also, creating a good angle that leaves room to receive a pass is a big part of pass receiving too.

There are rules in basketball that describe how a player can pass the ball. Here is a list of passing rules in basketball:

• players can pass from anywhere on the court as long as they stay inbounds;
• you can use one or two hands to pass the ball;
• you can pass the ball using an overhand or underhand motion;
• there is no limit on how hard a player can throw the ball;
• you cannot pass the ball to yourself;
• players can’t pass from the frontcourt to the backcourt;
• players cannot take more than two steps without dribbling in order to complete a pass.

There are essentially two types of passes:

1. Air Pass – The pass travels between players without hitting the floor.
2. Bounce Passes – The pass is thrown to the floor so that it bounces to the intended receiver.

Each type of pass comes with its own variations.

Basic Variations:

• chest pass;
• bounce pass;
• overhead pass;
• wrap around pass.

Advanced Variations:

• baseball pass;
• dribble pass;
• behind-the-back pass;
• pick-and-roll pass.

Chest Pass

The chest pass is named so because the pass originates from the chest. It is thrown by gripping the ball on the sides with the thumbs directly behind the ball. When the pass is thrown, the fingers are rotated behind the ball and the thumbs are turned down. The resulting follow through has the back of the hands facing one another with the thumbs straight down. The ball should have a nice backspin.

When throwing a chest pass, the players should strive to throw it to the receiver’s chest level. Passes that go low to high or high to low are difficult to catch.

Bounce Pass

The bounce pass is thrown with the same motion however it is aimed at the floor. It should be thrown far enough out that the ball bounces waist high to the receiver. Some say try to throw it 3/4 of the way to the receiver, and that may be a good reference point to start, but each player has to experiment how far to throw it so it bounces to the receiver properly. Putting a proper and consistent backspin on the pass will make the distance easier to judge.

Overhead Pass

The overhead pass is often used as an outlet pass. Bring the ball directly above your forehead with both hands on the side of the ball and follow through. Aim for the teammate’s chin. Some coaches advise not bring the ball behind your head, because it can get stolen and it takes a split-second longer to throw the pass.

Wrap Around Pass

Step around the defense with your non-pivot foot. Pass the ball with one hand (outside hand). It can be used as an air or a bounce pass. You will often see the wrap-around, air pass on the perimeter and the wrap-around, bounce pass to make an entry into the post.

Here are some of the reasons why players should choose to pass the ball on the court:

• to create openings for players to take shots;
• to maintain control of the ball;
• to use time on the game clock;
• to test the defense and see what they are running;
• to keep the ball away from the defense;
• to move the defense.

An opening or gap is an area on the court that is not being guarded by the defense. Passing allows the offense to find openings on the court for easy shots to be taken. Players can also cut in order to get open for passes or to have lead passes that lead to immediate baskets.

The game clock keeps track of time in each quarter. Teams should choose to pass the ball if they want to let the game clock tick. This can be an effective method of controlling time late in the 4th quarter. This is a technique that is specifically used with the lead. When trailing it is important to make sure you manage the clock in order to give yourself enough time to get back in the game.

Passing helps the offense to control the ball and find weaknesses in the defense early in the game. As a coach, if you’re playing a new team, passing will help you discover what type of defense the other team is playing, like zone or man to man coverage. It can also help to understand which players they are most worried about defensively and whether they are double-teaming them or not. Good passing can take strong defenses off of their normal game plan.