How to Run the Pick and Roll in Basketball
To run the pick and roll, the screener sets a firm ball screen on the on-ball defender, the ball handler drives hard off the screener's shoulder, and then the screener rolls to the rim looking for a pass. Two offensive players and one simple screen create a numbers advantage that forces the defense to make a choice, and every choice they make gives you an open shot somewhere.
It is the most used action in basketball at every level for a reason. Teach the reads well and even a young team can pick apart bigger, more athletic opponents. Below is exactly how to set it up, coach the reads, and drill it so it works in real games.
What is the pick and roll and why does it work?
A pick and roll is a two-player action built from a ball screen. One player, usually a guard, has the ball. A teammate, often a post, steps up and sets a screen on the guard's defender. The guard uses the screen to turn the corner, and the screener rolls toward the basket. That is it. No complicated set, no ten seconds of movement, just two players and a screen.
It works because it forces two defenders to guard two players in a small space while the ball is moving downhill. The defense has to commit. If both defenders chase the ball handler, the roller is wide open at the rim. If both sink to protect the rim, the ball handler has a clean pull up jumper. There is no defense that takes away every option at once, so a patient offense always finds the crack.
How do you set up the pick and roll step by step?
The action lives or dies on the details. Rush the setup and the screen gets called for a foul or the defense slides right around it. Walk your team through these five steps until they are automatic.
A simple side pick and roll to teach first
Start on the wing so the sideline acts as an extra defender and the read is simpler. The guard (1) has the ball, the big (5) sprints up to screen, and once the guard turns the corner the big rolls to the block. Two shooters wait in the corner and the opposite wing so a help defender cannot leave anyone.
Solid arrow shows the ball handler's drive and the screener's roll. The orange bar is the ball screen. Shooters 2, 3, and 4 stay spaced so no defender can help off them.
What are the reads in a pick and roll?
The pick and roll is only as good as the ball handler's ability to read the defense. Teach these four reads in order and your guards will always find the open man.
If the screener's defender sags back to protect the rim, the ball handler has an open mid range pull up. Take it with confidence.
If two defenders jump the ball handler, the roller is now open. Split the trap with a pass and let the big finish at the rim.
Now a slower big is on your guard and a smaller player is on the roller. Attack the mismatch that helps you most.
When a third defender slides in to stop the roller, one of your spaced shooters is now open. Kick it out for a clean catch and shoot.
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Diagram the roll, the pop, and every read live in the huddle. A clean two sided board makes teaching the pick and roll stick far better than words alone.
When should the screener roll and when should they pop?
The choice comes down to the screener's shooting range and how their defender plays the screen. A big who cannot shoot should roll hard to the rim, where they threaten to catch a lob or a bounce pass and finish. A big who can knock down a jumper has the option to pop, stepping back into open space instead of diving.
Let the defender decide it for you. If the defender drops back to wall off the rim, popping into that empty space gives a wide open shot. If the defender hedges up near the ball, rolling behind them puts the screener on a straight line to the basket.
How do you drill the pick and roll in practice?
Start with no defense at all. Have the two players walk through the screen, the drive, and the roll until the timing and spacing look clean. Then add one defender on the ball, then a second on the screener, then finally a live help defender. Building it up slowly lets players feel each read before game speed takes over. Keep the reps short and frequent. A few minutes of two on two pick and roll every practice beats one long session once a week.
Pick and roll FAQ
In a pick and roll the screener dives to the rim after the screen. In a pick and pop they step back into open space for a jumper. Same screen, different finish based on the screener's shooting range.
Most players can learn the basic version around ages 10 to 12, once they can dribble under control and set a legal screen. Start with a simple side screen and no defense before adding reads.
The screener plants both feet, stays wide and still on contact, and gives the defender room to stop. Feet set and stationary is legal. Moving into the defender is an offensive foul.
Common coverages are switching, hedging or showing on the ball, dropping the big back, or trapping. Each has a weakness, which is exactly why a good ball handler reads the coverage and attacks the gap it leaves.
The wing and the top of the key are the easiest spots to teach. A side screen uses the sideline as help and simplifies the read for young guards learning the action.
Almost always because the screener is still moving on contact. Teach players to arrive early, get both feet set, and hold still. Set and stationary is the whole rule.
Teach the pick and roll on a board built for it
Players learn the reads faster when they can see them. Draw the screen, trace the roll, and show the open shooter in the huddle with a custom two sided board that has your team name and colors on it. Design yours today and make every timeout count.
