Passing is an area not as heavily addressed as we think it should be in youth basketball. I personally didn’t learn the value of passing until college, where we spent dedicated time each practice working on passing. The guys on my team were standout players in high school and future pros, but we were in practice doing things you might see kids at a summer camp do. If passing was that important to a college coach, shouldn’t it be important to youth basketball players? Passing is a skill that must be developed with practice, quality coaching and quality training, but here are some reasons that passing is important in the game of basketball. Maybe after reading you’ll ask your trainer to begin developing you as a passer, so you can develop into the best player you can possibly be.

The Importance of Passing in Basketball:

• Passing is the language of teamwork. The ball is the most precious thing in the game, so delivering that ball safely to teammates is very important. The delivery of the ball safely to teammates can be as precious as delivering a message to a loved one outside of the court. Passing is the way we connect to our teammates in basketball as spoken language is the way we connect with others in life. With good basketball communication (passing), a good team cannot stand. But with it, a team can thrive on the offensive end.

• Good passing leads to easy buckets. The easiest way for a team to score is not to have a player make the greatest dribble move or make an outstanding post move, although those things are great. Arguably the easiest way to score is for a player to find an open teammate with a pass. Now a teammate can get open when his defender helps on a drive or a post move, but a good pass can turn that sequence into two easy points via the assist.

• Passing makes offense easier. Teams that pass well, like the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA, have an advantage over defenses because of their passing ability. When the ball moves quickly and frequently, the defense has to move as well. When a team has 5 capable passers on the floor, the ball can move until an opening is found because the defense did not rotate well or quickly enough. The Spurs use their passing to eventually get open 3 point shots. Youth basketball teams can use team passing as an effective weapon against zone defenses.

• Passing can make up for deficiencies in other areas. Players who are great passers can stay on the floor because of this one quality alone. Former NBA player Mark Jackson was able to play professionally for 17 years because he had standout court vision and passing ability. He was not considered a great athlete by NBA standards. Current NBA players Steve Nash and Andre Miller are examples of players extending their careers because they possess elite passing ability. Remember that a basketball on the move is the fastest moving thing on the court – it is faster than any player. So if you can control it well with passing, you can make up for a lack of athletic quickness or speed.

• Without passing, basketball would be an individual sport. Passing is a big part of what allows for 5 players to play as a unit offensively and defeat a more individually talented opposition. Passing, along with screening and cutting, are the three tools that allow 5 players to play “bigger than the sum of their parts”. Teams that understand this give themselves a shot to win against anybody they’re up against.

Train your game to place appropriate importance on your basketball passing.

3 Underutilized Ways to Score the Basketball

Everyone loves to score. It’s the most fun part of the game for many. And since the team with the most points wins 100% of the time, scoring is at the core of what competitive basketball is. When players score points, they feel good about themselves because they are helping their team win. And frankly, it just feels good to put the ball in the basket. While a lot of us would love to be 20 point per game scorers, scoring is not always easy. That being the case, players need to learn how to score and help their teams in various ways. Here are 3 underrated ways to score the basketball.

1. Setting Screens

When you think about screening, you might naturally think about one player sacrificing his body to help his teammate get open. But smart players know that screening does more than that, and that setting a screen is a great way for the player who screens to get open. The reason for this is that when you set a screen, the defense has to figure out how they’re going to defend the two offensive players involved. This requires good communication and quick decision making between the defenders. In many cases, the time it takes for the defense to figure out what to do is time enough for you the screener to make a strong play for the basketball. After setting an off-ball screen, the screener can make a cut to the rim for a layup or a flash to the ball for a potential catch-and-shoot or catch-and-drive opportunity. After setting an on-ball screen, the screener can make a hard roll to the rim for a finish at the basket or pop to the side for a catch-and-shoot opportunity. Smart players know that setting screens can get them easy scoring opportunities in one of these ways.

2. Beating Your Man up the Floor

This sounds simple, but do you know a lot of players who put this into practice? There are probably not as many as you would think who are doing this effectively. When you beat the player defending you down the floor on a change of possession from defense to offense, you can get easy shot or layup opportunities. This can happen off either a made or a missed basket. On a missed basket, the big man who did not secure the rebound can “run the pipe” to get up the middle of the floor quickly. If he beats his defender up the floor, he can receive a pass from a teammate for an easy layup. This is one of the reasons why big men who run the floor are so valuable. These are easy points to get, but they require hustle. Guards and wings who run the floor hard and wide during the fast break can get layup opportunities as they cut in towards the basket and look to receive a good pass from the ball handler. And outside of the fast break, the simple practice of beating the defender down the court can lead to pass-ahead wing and corner three point shots for guards and wings.

 3. Offensive Rebounding

This can really pay off for players of all positions. An offensive rebound is a rebound secured on a shot at your basket, shot by someone on your team. Coaches love offensive rebounds because it extends offensive possessions for their team and usually leads to another shot attempt. Players who secure offensive rebounds many times have free license to shoot the ball, especially if the rebound is secured in the paint. If you really want a shot opportunity that your coach won’t be mad at, go grab an offensive rebound. When you shoot the ball afterwards, remember that it’s a free possession for your team, so it’s like a bonus shot. Also, shots taken off of offensive rebounds are usually high percentage looks because of the proximity to the rim and the position of the defense. I recommend big men having a goal of grabbing three offensive rebounds per game, and guards and wings grabbing at least 1. And as you’re fighting for these, remember that these are like your golden ticket for another shot attempt.

Scoring is a beautiful thing. It’s fun for individuals and it helps teams win. Put some of these habits into practice the next time you’re playing and see the positive results. If you need help developing and refining some of these skills, contact your local basketball trainer. We can help you find one that would love to help you. Have fun scoring!