The Pick and Roll Offense · Complete course
Teach players to read the coverage and punish it
A complete pick and roll course for teams that are learning or already using ball screens. 11 modules, 254 lessons, 50+ filmed practices and 200+ small-sided games, with a module for switch, show, blitz, drop and ice.
$499one-time payment
Or 3 monthly payments of $175. Lifetime access.
Built from 50+ practices filmed for the course. Created by Alex Sarama, former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach.
Course language: English. Lessons and included materials are currently in English.
Real reviews
What coaches tell us
Rated 4.7/5Implementing the conceptual offense is…
Implementing the conceptual offense is true basketball. It puts the players in position to make decisions. Sometimes they make great decisions and other times they don't, but that is what learning looks like. This is the way basketball coaching needs to move.
Implementing the Constraints Led Approach
… Our statistical data comparing our first 11 games this year with the first 11 games last year are undeniable as we have increased our per game scoring by 12 points, our overall field goal percentage by 8% our 2 point field goal percentage has increased by 11% and our free throw percentage has increased by 23%. While last year we won 3 games out of our first 11, this year we have gone 5 and 6 with 3 games lost by a total of 5 points. …
CLA transformed our girls u16 team.
… The girls played teams they had been blown out by in late Aug and they put on a show. The passing, off-ball movement, varied screen setting and energy was incredible to see. They won 2 games and lost 1 (which was amazing because this was a high level tourney). The game they lost was in overtime to a team who had beaten them by 45 points earlier in the season!!! …
Why it works
A scripted read stops working when the coverage changes
Most teams teach the pick and roll as a list of reads. If they switch, post up the mismatch. If they go under, shoot. But no two coverages are the same. A switch looks different depending on who is guarding, the spacing and the score, so the read you practiced often isn’t there.
This course teaches coverage solutions instead. A coverage is how the two defenders guard the pick and roll, such as a switch, show, blitz, drop or ice. A coverage solution is how the offense punishes it, for example a reject (going away from the screen), a short roll or a relay pass. Your team agrees on a few for each coverage, and players choose the one the defense leaves open.
Players learn them in small-sided games where the defense plays a real coverage, often with a short shot clock. You watch what works for your players, then name it. The course also shows how to prevent a coverage before it happens, for example by flipping the screen.
Free practice activity
Try one activity at your next practice
This is how the course teaches: first the theory of each coverage, then small-sided games where players learn to beat it. Here is one 2-on-2 game to run this week.
Groups of four: a ball handler and a screener against two defenders. Use cones to mark an imaginary wall slightly wider than the lane lines. Going outside the wall is out of bounds.
- 1
2-on-2 wall pick and roll
Start with a pick and roll in the middle of the floor. The play is live once the screen is set. The screener’s defender plays drop, staying back to protect the rim. Players know no third defender will help on the roller, so they can focus on creating an advantage from the screen.
- 2
Add a constraint
Give the offense 6 seconds to score, or only count gold medals (finishes at the rim). Each rule changes what the handler and screener look for.
- 3
Make it harder
Make the defense go over the screen. Then move to 3-on-3: add a third offensive player in the weak side corner and have the defense switch. Now a defender can help on the roller, so the skip pass and the short roll (the screener stops short and catches behind the defense) start to open up.
- Scoring
- 2s and 3s. First team to 11 wins.
- Rotation
- The offense stays on for four reps, then swaps with the defense or the next pair. Mix the pairs so every handler plays with every screener.
Inside the course
From the first screen to a full pick and roll offense
Every coverage gets theory lessons and a module of small-sided games, so you always know what to run next.
- 01
Learn the language
Start with how the handler and screener work together, the names for each coverage and spacing, and the principles behind every solution.
- Sample lessons
- ▸ Pick and Roll Partnerships
- ▸ The Pick and Roll Matrix
- ▸ Coverages and Spacing Names
- 02
Read a mix of coverages
Introduce defensive coverages in 1-on-1 and 2-on-2 games, then have the defense change coverage so players must read it, not guess.
- Sample lessons
- ▸ 2-on-2 Introducing Defensive Coverages
- ▸ 1-on-1+1 PNR Set-Ups Live
- ▸ 2-on-2 ABC Punish Switch, Show or Blitz
- 03
Punish each coverage
Work through one module per coverage: switch, show, blitz, drop and ice, plus how to prevent aggressive coverages before they happen.
- Sample lessons
- ▸ 2-on-2 Introduce Show and Punish It
- ▸ 2-on-2 Introduce Drop, Must Roll
- ▸ 2-on-2 Introducing Ice: Weak
- 04
Connect it to your offense
Combine the pick and roll with other triggers, such as stacks and double drags, and flow into your spacings on a neutral possession.
- Sample lessons
- ▸ Stack PNR
- ▸ 3-on-3 Introduce Double Drag
- ▸ 5-on-5 Flow into Rub, Side, Clear or Angle on Neutral
See all 11 modules and 254 lessons
The complete curriculum
Every module.
Every lesson.
Explore all 11 modules and 254 lesson titles. Select a module to browse its lessons, or search for a topic.
Full course contents, including resources and quizzes. Watch the four free preview videos above ↗
Modules 11
Module 01 / 11
Introduction
5 lessons in this module- How to Use this Course
- Explaining Punish, Prevent, Avoid
- Coverage Solutions as Affordances
- How to Flow into Pick and Roll Offense?
- Pick and Roll Partnerships
Coach reviews
In their own words
Neil Houghton on the Pick and Roll Offense
“The transforming basketball pick and roll offence course is perfect for youth coaches and youth teams. The course dives deep and coaches at higher levels will also find insights that will complement your approach to conceptual offence. The Pick and Roll Offense course is very practical, with loads of videos and CLA activities to help your players develop their understanding of pick and roll defensive coverages, as well as coverage solutions. If you're after more advanced concepts, then they're covered.”
Neil HoughtonYouth coach, Melbourne, AustraliaIs it right for you?
Who this course is for
A good fit if
- Your players are learning ball screens or already use them in games.
- You want players who read the coverage instead of running a scripted pick and roll.
- You can give the pick and roll a focused block at practice, with handlers, screeners and defenders.
Not the right fit yet if
- You want a set of pick and roll plays to copy this week. The course teaches players to read the defense, not a playbook.
- You coach beginners who are still learning to beat a defender 1-on-1. Build that first, then add ball screens.
- You want a smaller set of games before a full course. Start with the Pick and Roll Small-Sided Games Collection, 40 games for handlers, screeners and defenders. See the collection ($49)
Not sure? Compare every resource and price.
Alex Sarama
- Founder of Transforming Basketball
- Head Coach of the WNBA’s Portland Fire
- Former Assistant Coach and Head of Player Development for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers
- Author of the Amazon bestseller Transforming Basketball
- Coach developer for multiple federations and clinician in 40+ countries
Alex Sarama has been featured in
Everything included
The complete Pick and Roll Offense
- 11 modules, including the concluding quiz (254 lessons)
- 50+ unique practices filmed for the course
- 200+ small-sided games
- Email support
- Lifetime access, including updates
$499one-time payment
Or 3 monthly payments of $175. Lifetime access.
For courses and workshops, refunds apply if you’ve completed less than 30% of the content.
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Questions
Before you buy
Is this a set of pick and roll plays?
No. It teaches players to read and punish the coverage. Each coverage has theory lessons and a module of small-sided games, and the last module shows how to combine the pick and roll with other triggers.
Is there video, or only diagrams?
The course is on video, with 50+ practices filmed for it. You can watch the trailer and a complete sample lesson on this page.
Will I understand the terms?
The Theory module starts with the language, including the Pick and Roll Matrix and a lesson on coverages and spacing names, before you get into the games.
Which coverages does it cover?
Switch, show, blitz, drop and ice each have their own module. There is also a module on preventing aggressive coverages and one on beating a defense that mixes coverages.
What level is it for?
Teams that are learning or already using ball screens. Developing and senior teams can use the same spacing and partnership principles. If your players are new to screens, begin with the foundations.
What if I can’t start right away?
You keep lifetime access, including updates, so you can start when your season allows. Email support is included.
Is there a payment plan?
Yes. Pay $499 once, or 3 monthly payments of $175 ($525 total, USD). Select “Payment Plan” in checkout.
What if it isn’t right for me?
14-day money-back guarantee. If it’s not right for you, email info@transformingbball.com within 14 days of purchase and we’ll refund you in full. For courses and workshops, refunds apply if you’ve completed less than 30% of the content.
Build a pick and roll offense your players can read
Lifetime access to all 11 modules, 254 lessons, 50+ filmed practices and 200+ small-sided games.