Transition Offense: Balance and Spacing

with Pat Baldwin,
UW-Milwaukee Head Coach from 2017 to 2022;
Northwestern Assistant Coach from 2013 to 2017;
Missouri State Assistant Coach from 2011 to 2013;
Loyola Chicago Assistant Coach from 2004 - 2011;
played for Northwestern University, ranking first in school history in career steals and second in career assists

Scoring in transition offense is one of the most exciting ways to play the game of basketball. Players and coaches alike love it, and it is becoming a mainstay of offensive systems around the country at every level. This clinic on transition offense featuring Pat Baldwin will give you the "why" and "how to" of transition offense, from securing the rebound to converting seamlessly into half-court offense without missing a beat.

Components of Transition Offense

Coach Baldwin explains his keys to an explosive transition offense that will get your players out wide, running hard, and scoring points. He outlines the importance of securing the rebound, having sprinters, spacing, flow and balance, and goes into detail with each as he progresses.

Building Your Transition Offense

Once the explanation of the components and essential elements of his transition offense are discussed, Baldwin dives into how you can begin to implement this fast-paced running style. He lists the three things that must happen when initiating the break after a rebound:

• No dribble
• Get wide
• The importance of the first two steps

He then talks about what each player should be thinking in transition, where to run, and what to look for. Coach Baldwin also shows how to get your post player in a favorable position to score by going under the defense. These components are shown in two drills that works on different progressions and scoring scenarios:

• Speed Drill: This drill is a continuous full-court layup drill that gets players running hard and looking up the floor to make the throw-ahead pass. It's a great conditioning drill as well.
• 3 on 0 Drill: This is where it starts to come together. Following the whole-part teaching method, the 3 on 0 Drill will make it easier for your players to see the options of the offense while running at maximum speed and effort. Baldwin slowly adds options as players go down and back in three and four trips. He also shows how to incorporate a ball screen within transition, along with multiple reads that players should practice.

Flow and Balance

If the break ends without any scoring options, Coach Baldwin wants his players to seamlessly flow into half-court offense and keep proper balance, which are the final two components of his offensive package. In this segment of the video, Baldwin shows multiple scoring options within several offensive sets that are a part of his Flow offense, plus how to keep proper balance.

This is a great video for any coach looking to speed things up this season and commit to an aggressive up-tempo transition offense!

52 minutes. 2019.