Mastering the Pick & Roll in Basketball: A Complete Guide

The pick and roll is one of the most versatile offensive plays in basketball. The play has many options. It relies on deception and split-second timing to disrupt the defenders, giving the offense a chance to shoot the basketball and score. Because there are so many choices for the players involved in the pick and roll, it can be one of the hardest plays to defend if executed properly.

It’s also an exciting play for fans to watch. Over the years, many teams, particularly in the NBA, have relied on the pick and roll as an integral part of their offense. 

In this article, we’ll examine how the pick and roll is constructed and what makes it effective.

What Is a Pick & Roll

The original pick and roll was a play that usually involved a center or forward and a guard. The center or forward is called the screener and the guard is called the ball handler in a pick-and-roll play. The play often starts beyond the free throw line with the center facing the opponent’s basket and the guard handling the ball in front of the center. Let’s go over the 5 basic options for the pick and roll:

• Roll: The screener sets a pick or steps in front of the ball handler’s defender. If the screener’s defender steps out to guard the ball handler, the screener turns and moves toward the basket. The ball handler then passes the ball to the screen, setting them up for a shot inside.
• Pick: The screener sets a pick on the ball handler’s defender. If the screener’s defender gets trapped briefly, the ball handler can drive inside for a possible layup. 
• Shoot: In this scenario, the screener sets a pick on the guard’s defender, and they get enough open space to shoot a jump shot, sometimes over the screener. 
• Pick & Pop: In the pick and pop, the screener doesn’t roll to the basket after setting a pick. Instead, they pop outside. In this situation, if the guard slips past their defender, they can either drive to the basket or pass it back to the screener, if they have an open shot. The pick and pop is effective for screeners who are good 3-point shooters. They can step beyond the 3-point line and often have an open shot.
• Pick & Slip: In this play, the screener fakes a pick and then cuts toward the basket or to the perimeter. The ball handler can pass the ball to the screener or keep it and try to create a scoring opportunity. 

The key for the ball handler to have a good chance to score, whether it’s from a layup after dribbling to the basket or getting an open jump shot, is to create separation from the defender. An effective pick by the screener also can create separation. It’s important for the screener to disguise setting the pick for as long as possible. If the screener steps out too early for the pick, the defender can adjust and avoid it. The pick and roll is effective because it forces the defense to try to guard 2 players simultaneously. Defenders must decide if they will switch which player they are guarding when the pick occurs or stay with their original player. If they switch, it could give the ball handler enough time to get open. If they don't switch, it could be hard to fight through the pick. The pick and roll can also cause uncomfortable matchups for the defense. For instance, a smaller defender who switches and guards the screener could be trying to defend someone with a sizable height advantage.

History of the Pick & Roll

It’s unclear exactly when the pick and roll was first used in basketball. One of the earliest mentions of the pick and roll was in the 1922 book “Scientific Basketball” by Nathan Holman, which describes “Execution Play No. 8.” Holman says it’s an “excellent play when two forwards work together harmoniously.” Holman’s version of the play had a forward who “cut off” the defender guarding the ball handler. The ball handler could either shoot the basketball or pass the basketball to the forward who set the screen. 

The pick and roll has become a central part of many National Basketball Association offenses. It’s also used extensively in college and high school. Some NBA teams used the pick and roll on more than half of their offensive possessions from 2017 to 2022. With the introduction of the 3-point line, the pick and roll play added more options. Ball handlers who get to the middle of the floor with a successful screen can pass the ball to players in the corner for 3-point shot attempts. These options usually involve screeners and picks with multiple players.

Defending the Pick & Roll

There are 4 basic ways to defend the pick and roll. You can choose to either switch, stay on the player you’re guarding, double-team the ball handler, or hedge. Below is an explanation for each strategy:

• Switch: If you switch, the player guarding the ball handler moves to defend the screener, and the player guarding the screener defends the ball handler. The key to switching is to anticipate the pick. Either one of the defenders will typically call switch if they see the play coming.

Pros: It works well with players who communicate well on the floor and who can react quickly.

Cons: If your timing on the switch is off, a good ball handler can get past the defender.

• Not Switching: With this strategy, each defender stays on the person they are guarding. For this to work, the player guarding the ball handler must fight through the pick.

Pros: This is the simplest way to guard the pick and roll because it requires very little communication. It’s good if you have rugged, quick defenders who can work through the screens.

Cons: You need to have superior, individual defenders.

• Hedging: When you hedge, the person guarding the screener pops out and fakes like they’re going to switch and guard the ball handler. The “hedger” recovers quickly and moves back and guards the screener.

Pros: This is one of the most common ways to guard the pick and roll. If it’s executed properly, it can be confusing for the ball handler, throwing the timing of the play off.

Cons: It requires defenders who can pop out and recover quickly, getting back to the player they were originally guarding.

• Double-Team: A double-team is when both defenders jump out and guard the ball handler as the pick is attempted.

Pros: If the double-team is executed correctly, it can disrupt the offense and create a turnover.

Cons: It’s a high-risk strategy that can lead to easy baskets for the offense if they get the ball past the double easily into the middle of the floor.

Whether a coach decides to switch, hedge, or double team might depend on the type of defensive players they have. Often, coaches will use all or more than one of the strategies in a game to try to keep the offense off balance.

The pick and roll is a play that is constantly evolving. Almost every basketball team from high school to college likely uses some version of the pick and roll in their offense. Learning how to use it effectively can make your offense harder to defend.