Progression Drills for Ball Screens and Utilizing the Pick & Roll

with Jamion Christian,
Bryant University Head Coach;
Pallacanestro Trieste (Italian LBA) Head Coach from 2023 to 2025;
2024 LNP Serie A2 Champions;
George Washington University Head Coach from 2019 to 2022;
Siena College Head Coach from 2018 to 2019;
Mt. St. Mary's Head Coach from 2012 to 2018;
2017 Ben Jobe Coach of the Year;
2017 Northeast Conference (NEC) Coach of the Year;
2017 NEC Regular Season Champions;
2x NEC Tournament Champions;
played college basketball at Mt St. Mary's (for Jim Phelan & Milan Brown)

Ball screen offense has been evolving every year and recently it's been utilized more in offensive game plans that spread the floor. If you have an outstanding group of guards that can attack the glass, then the use of ball screens can be one of the focal points of your offense.

Up-and-coming coach Jamion Christian has a track record of developing smart guards with a good basketball IQ. In this video, you will get a look at how he develops his players' vision and basketball IQ coming off of ball screens.

Ball Screen Progression

Guards must be able to pass the ball effectively in tight spaces and see the open player coming off of a ball screen. Teaching them to have their eyes on the paint helps perimeter players see the screen develop better.

Starting with simple early passing entries, Christian shows how to help players learn to get tight to the screen and look to hit the post player. From a bounce pass in the post to an overhead pass, guards learn to read the help side defender along with the post defense to take advantage of a mismatch. Making the right read will allow your guard to find the post player for a shot, attack the basket themselves or find a shooter for an open 3-pointer.

Twirl

A perimeter player is only as good as their basketball IQ. Guards must be put into game-like situations in the half court in order to practice their skills and passing progression.

In Twirl, point guards and combo guards will learn how to come off of a high ball screen, flat ball screen, or step up ball screen and create scoring opportunities for a post seal or skip to an open shooter.

This is a fantastic video for any coach that is looking to build their ball screen knowledge and help their players use the ball screen more effectively!

46 minutes. 2018.