Step through it
The cue: “Face-guarded? Go behind him.” Only the defender who gives the read is drawn.
Read the three steps as text
- Five-out spacing. 1 has the ball at the top and 2 is on the left wing, with X2 guarding.
- X2 puts a hand and chest in the passing lane to deny the pass. That overplay has left the space behind X2 empty.
- 2 plants a foot and cuts behind X2 to the rim, and 1 passes to the cutter. The cue: Face-guarded? Go behind him.
Ask, don't tell
After the rep, ask one question: “Where was your defender's chest pointing when you cut?” Judge the decision, not whether the shot went in.
Why it is in this library
Every read here passes the same tests: it is a read, not a reaction; it has few moving parts; it fits five-out spacing; it transfers as a concept; and it falls back into normal play if the read is not there. Teach the roles (screener, cutter, passer), not the positions.
Unofficial fan-created resource. The read is distilled from published coaching playbooks, curated and reviewed by Ravi Sundram, and the diagram is a schematic drawn for this site. Not affiliated with any team, coach or league.