Basketball Plays

Coach Vonn Read has submitted several plays from his playbook series The Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays to the Coaching Toolbox.

Vonn is the assistant coach in the Women’s program at Houston.

He has also served as an assistant coach in the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury, Orlando Miracle, and San Antonio Silver Stars.

He was an advanced scout for the Orlando Magic as well as The Charlotte Sting.

Each of the diagrams below is a separate play.

 

 

 

 

PLAY A: 1 dribbles off a 4 pick. 4 rolls left. 5 sets a high screen for 3 who cuts to the post. 1 either passes to 4 in the corner or 3 in the low post.

 

 

 

PLAY B: 1 dribbles off a 4 pick. 4 rolls left. 3 moves from the wing to the corner. 5 comes out and sets a high screen for 2 who cuts backdoor. 1 either passes to 4 or 2.

 

 

 

PLAY C: 1 dribbles off a 5 pick. 5 then sets a screen for 3 who is running the baseline. 4 comes up and sets a high screen for 2, who moves to the off-side wing. 1 passes to 3 or 2.

 

 

 

PLAY D: 1 dribbles off a 5 pick. 5 moves into the lane and sets a pick for 3 as 3 runs the baseline. 4 sets a high screen for 2. 1 passes to either 3 for a 15-footer or 2 for 3-pointer.

 

 

 

PLAY E: 1 dribbles off a 5 pick. 5 then screens for 3 who is running the baseline. 4 sets a screen for 2. 4 then cuts into the lane. 1 passes to 4 on the cut.

 

 

 

PLAY F: 1 dribbles off a 5 pick. 5 rolls to the baseline. 4 cuts from the weak-side block to the center of the lane. 1 passes to 5 for a jumper or 4 for a close-range shot in the lane.
 

 

Coach Read has also put together The Basketball Encyclopedia of plays. You can check them out here: The Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays or read more about the books:

Any coach looking for the latest and innovative plays from the Professional, College, or High School levels can stop looking. With a compilation of over 7,700 different plays, you will never need to purchase another basketball playbook again. These playbooks can be used as a great reference tool for years to come. This 2 Volume Book includes plays from 19 different play categories, and they are the most extensive playbooks on the market.

The Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays (Platinum Series) contains over 7,700 Plays (Both Volumes combined) from the NBA, WNBA, USBL, and College levels from someone who has worked as an Advanced Scout or Coach on each level!!! This book has been intensely compiled over the last 21 years, with plays taken from a lot of NBA Coaches (past and present), WNBA coaches, and College coaches (Men’s and Women’s) from around the country.

Any coach that is serious about improving their knowledge of the game from an X and O standpoint will benefit tremendously from these books. These Books can be used to discover New Quick hitters, add a New Package to your playbook, or develop an entire Offensive System. There are a lot of new ideas and concepts in these books to study, and the Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays can be a great resource for coaches on all levels!!! This book is definitely for those X and O junkies who are always looking to improve as a Coach.

“THE GAME IS ALWAYS CHANGING? ARE YOU?” Vonn Read

Here is the link: The Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays

These options came from an old Arizona men’s basketball coaching newsletter.

Hope this gives you something to experiment with this summer and hopefully put to use during the season.

If you are interested in receiving the Arizona newsletter, email me:

1) Your name
2) Your school or team
3) Your coaching position

and I will pass the information on to their staff.

This play was contributed by Creighton Burns.

He has made coaching stops in four states including Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan at both the high school and college levels.

Coach Burns has coached both Men and Women.

 

Creighton has received numerous coaching honors including Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 1988.

 

 

As #1 brings the ball across the time line , #3 slides out toward the sideline as if to get open for an entry pass.

#1 enters the ball to #4 , who steps out from the elbow to the perimeter.

 

On the pass , #5 and #2 set a staggered double screen for #3.

#3 cuts hard to the ball side corner.

#4 passes to #3 and #2 then sets a second screen , this time screening for #5.

#5 flashes to the ball , and if open , #3 should get him the ball.

#1 and #4 screen for #2 and #2 cuts to the ball side wing.

After screening for #2 , #4 fills the back side wing , and #1 pops back out to the point.

If #5 is not open , #2 starts ball reversal by passing to #2 . If the timing is good and people have done a good job screening , #2 may have a shot opportunity.

If not , #2 will pass to #1 and #1 will swing the ball on to #4.

 

On the pass from #1 to #4 , #5 will back screen for #3 and #3 will run a flex cut to the rim.

After passing to #4 , #1 will down screen for #5 . #4 will look first to #3 and then out to #5 cutting hard to the point.

If #4 passes to #5 , #5 will swing the ball on to #2.

On the pass from #5 to #2 , #1 and #3 will set a staggered double screen for #4.

If #4 is open on his cut , #2 should get him the ball.

After passing to #2 , #5 will down screen for #1 and #3 will fill the back side wing.

#5 will fill the elbow.

 

 

 

This play is run against a man to man defense and is from Creighton Burns’ newsletters.

Click this link to see a listing of all of the animated plays and diagrammed plays posted on this site:

Animated Basketball Plays

If you are interested in being added to Creighton’s newsletter, let me know and I will forward your information to him.

 

 

 

#1 enters the ball to #2 and screens for #5.

#5 uses the screen and sprints to set a ball screen for #2.

#3 moves in to get a better position to set a screen.

 

#2 waits for the screener( #5) to get set before driving the ball.

When #5 is set, #2 will fake baseline and drive into the middle of the lane.

As #2 starts to drive off the screen, #3 will move across the lane to form a double screen with #4

#1 moves out to the wing position.

#2 will look first to score, to #5 cutting to the rim off the double screen, and then to #1 on the back side wing.

 

If #2 has passed to #1, #1 will look to #5, who should be posting hard.

If #1 passes to #5, #1 will run a “Laker cut” to the rim and then to the back side wing, if he does not receive the ball.

#2 and #3 would rotate and fill the vacated perimeter positions.

If #1 can not get the ball into #5, he will dribble out to the point.

#2 would fill the vacated wing position left by #1 and #3 would fill the opposite wing.

#4 and #5 would flash up to the high side posts.

 

 

The spots have been filled and the offense is reloaded.

 

 

This play is a quick hit to run against a man to man defense to post a player 1 on 1 on the low block.

This play is is a way to post a player by cutting him or her backdoor first and forcing the defense to get on the wrong side of where the feed is coming from.

It is from an old Xavier Men’s Basketball Newsletter. If you are interested in subscribing to their newsletter, you can do so at this link: Xavier Newsletter

The play is diagrammed to run for the 5 player, but you can put any player that you want to post in that spot for the play.

 

 

 

 

#1 passes to #4. #3 cuts off a screen from #2 at the right block.

 

 
 

 

#5 rejects coming off of #1’s screen and goes backdoor

 

 
 

#1 pops out. 4 passes to 1. 5 posts up on the left block.

 

 

 

This play is from an older version of the the Arizona Basketball Coaching Newsletter.

This play is designed to be a one or two times a game quick hitter to run against a 2-3 zone defense.

If you are interested in subscribing to their newsletter, email me and I will ask them to add you to their list.

Please include your name, school or team, and coaching position.

The newsletter is a monthly one.

 

 

 

#1 Dribbles at #2 and pushes #2 to the corner.

#3 replaces #1

 

 

 

 

#1 passes to #2

#3 and #1 interchange positions.

 

 

 

#2 dribbles up and passes to #3

#5 and #4 “x”

#3 quickly passes to #1

 

#4 screens the backside forward

#5 screens the ballside forward

#2 cuts for the lob

#1 throws the lob pass to #2 (DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A DUNK)