The screen and roll (or pick and roll) is the most common play in basketball. Two players, one defender beat by setup. The screener sets a body. The ball-handler dribbles past. The screener rolls to the rim. Done right, two offensive players occupy three defenders.
What you need: A half court, two players.
Setup: Ball-handler at the top of the key. Screener at the wing. No defender for the first reps.
How to run it:
- Screener walks up to a spot beside the ball-handler’s defender (imaginary at first). Sets feet shoulder-width, hands by chest, body still. That’s the screen.
- Ball-handler dribbles past the screen, tight to the screener’s hip.
- Screener “rolls” by pivoting toward the basket and sprinting to the rim.
- Ball-handler reads the play: shoots if open, passes to the rolling screener, or kicks to another teammate.
- Do 6 reps. Rotate roles.
What to watch: The screen quality. The screener cannot move during the screen or it’s an illegal screen (offensive foul). Feet still, body still, take the contact.
If they’re struggling: Walk through the timing without dribbling. Just work on screen-and-roll footwork.
If they’ve got it: Add two defenders. Now the play has to actually beat someone.