Pocket Pass & Kick-Ahead
Master the pocket pass to the roller and the kick-ahead in transition.
- Duration
- 14 min
- Steps
- 4
- Equipment
- 3 items
- Difficulty
- Advanced
How to run it
- 1
Use a ball screen; as you drive, the defender tags the roller.
- 2
Deliver a pocket pass (one-handed, off the dribble) to the rolling big.
- 3
Then practice the kick-ahead: on a break, lead the running wing with a long pass.
- 4
8 reps each pass type.
Coaching points
- Pocket pass is off the dribble, no gather — speed is key.
- Place it where only the roller can catch it, away from the defense.
- Kick-ahead: lead the runner up the floor, not behind.
Equipment
- Basketball
- Roller
- Defenders
Why it works
The pocket pass and kick-ahead are the two passes that create the easiest baskets in the modern game — the roller's layup and the transition three. The nugget: mastering both unlocks elite offense. In a game, the pick-and-roll pocket pass is an automatic basket if the defense tags the roller, and the kick-ahead turns a rebound into a transition three. A kid who masters both is a complete playmaker.
Pocket Pass & Kick-Ahead
Purpose: Master the pocket pass to the roller and the kick-ahead in transition.
▶How to run it
- 1Use a ball screen; as you drive, the defender tags the roller.
- 2Deliver a pocket pass (one-handed, off the dribble) to the rolling big.
- 3Then practice the kick-ahead: on a break, lead the running wing with a long pass.
- 48 reps each pass type.
✓Coaching points
- ✓Pocket pass is off the dribble, no gather — speed is key.
- ✓Place it where only the roller can catch it, away from the defense.
- ✓Kick-ahead: lead the runner up the floor, not behind.
▢Equipment
★Why it works
The pocket pass and kick-ahead are the two passes that create the easiest baskets in the modern game — the roller's layup and the transition three. The nugget: mastering both unlocks elite offense. In a game, the pick-and-roll pocket pass is an automatic basket if the defense tags the roller, and the kick-ahead turns a rebound into a transition three. A kid who masters both is a complete playmaker.