Shaka Smart: Using Ball Screens in Your Offense

with Shaka Smart, Marquette University Head Men's Basketball Coach;
2023 NABC Coach of the Year;
2023 AP Coach of the Year;
2023 Henry Iba Award;
2023 Big East Coach of the Year;
University of Texas Head Coach from 2015 to 2021;
2021 Big 12 Tournament Champions;
2019 National Invitation Tournament champions;
2016 USA Basketball U18 National Team Head Coach;
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Head Coach from 2009 to 2015;
2012 CAA Tournament and 2015 A-10 Tournament Champions;
2011 NCAA Regional Champions - Final Four;
2010 CBI Champions;
2011 Clarence Gaines National Coach of the Year;
in each of his six seasons as head coach at VCU, Coach Smart led VCU to over 26 wins

Shaka Smart, known for his Havoc Pressure Defense, switches to the offensive end of the floor to demonstrate how he imposes offensive havoc on his opponents by incorporating ball screens into transition and half-court offense. This potent offensive strategy is used throughout basketball and has become one of the best tools to get players open looks at the basket. In this presentation, Coach Smart demonstrates seven types of ball screens and effective situations for using them in your half-court offense. He includes defensive strategies that are used against the screens and how to counter each defensive strategy.

These ball screens will:

• Force your opponents to guard disadvantage situations
• Create roles for other players on your team
• Exploit your opponent's weak defenders

Many teams choose to defend ball screens one way, and if your team has an effective counter for that defense, they can easily score. Whether it's the common hedge, the switch or the trap, Coach Smart shows how the defense will defend the ball screen and how to beat it.

Coach Smart breaks down some of the most important aspects of using ball screens: spacing, timing and screening angles. He demonstrates a variety of screening angles, and he highlights spots on the floor that are most effective for using ball screens. He then shows seven ball screen reads that players must know in order to make good choices within the offense.

A unique aspect of this video is the "Endings." These side ball screens create movement to help players get in the proper positions to create the best scoring opportunities using the ball screen. This allows you to counter defensive strategies and exploit weaknesses from the same basic ball screen. Coach Smart ends the presentation with a five-minute Q&A session to address most common questions.

Add another dimension to your half-court offense by incorporating part of Shaka Smart's ball screen offense into your system.

Produced at the Fall 2013 Birmingham (AL) Clinic.

75 minutes. 2014.