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Faizan
A player can make one of many different types of basketball passes depending on the situation. Being able to execute these passes is crucial at every level of the sport, from grade school basketball to the professional ranks. Here are the different types of basketball passes and a guide as to when they should be used.
Types
The most basic pass in basketball is the two-handed chest pass. The player holds the ball in front of him close to his chest with his elbows extended outward and throws the ball forward with his hands facing away from his body. The baseball pass is executed by throwing the basketball with one hand, much like you would a baseball. The bounce pass is a basketball pass that is sent from one player to another that bounces once. A no-look pass is a deceptive pass meant to fool an opponent. An outlet pass is one that goes to a player streaking down the court after you have gained control of a rebound. An overhead pass is one when you have the ball held over your head before throwing it to a teammate. The behind-the-back pass is another pass that is made when the defender is not ready for it.
History
The chest pass and overhead pass were used almost exclusively when the game of basketball was in its infancy. As the players became more skilled they started to experiment with different types of passes in practice and then began to implement them in the actual games. The lob pass was "invented" during the early 1970s when UCLA under Coach John Wooden used the pass to get the ball to center Bill Walton. A player would lob the ball up high in Walton's direction and he would leap and catch it by the basket and lay the ball in. The behind-the-back pass was brought to prominence by players such as the Boston Celtics guard Bob Cousy, who would fake throwing a conventional pass and then send the ball behind his back to a waiting teammate for an easy basket. The greatest outlet passer ever is generally regarded as Wes Unseld, who would rebound the ball and fire it on a line to another player for a fast-break lay-up. Players that brought fancy passing into the spotlight include the Lakers' Magic Johnson and the Celtics' Larry Bird. Perhaps the greatest no-look passer ever was Pete Maravich, who made basketball passes without looking at his teammate, who many times were as startled by the pass as the opposition was.
Significance
Another pass used in special situations is the length-of-the-court pass. It is needed when time is running out in a quarter and a team is inbounding the ball under the opponent's basket. With just a few ticks left on the clock, the ball needs to be thrown to a player who can turn and get a good shot off. The pass must be accurate enough to land in the hands of a teammate and far enough so that he or she can get off a high-percentage shot. One of the most famous of this type of basketball pass was thrown to Duke's Christian Laettner, who caught the ball thrown by Grant Hill against Kentucky and turned and hit a foul-line jumper to win the game and send Duke to the 1992 NCAA title game.
Benefits
Guards that handle the ball need to be able to have the ability to throw every type of basketball pass. It will allow them to get the ball to a teammate in a position to score. A pass that leads to a basket is called an assist. The all-time NBA leader in this category is John Stockton, formerly of the Utah Jazz, who finished his career with 15,806 assists.
Expert Insight
Providence College's Ernie DiGregorio threw one of the most acclaimed passes of all time in the collegiate sport during the 1973 Final Four against Memphis State. Ernie took the ball and threw a pass from the opposing foul line to teammate Larry Costello between two defenders on the other end of the court. Costello caught the ball and in one motion laid it in for two points. What was so amazing was that DiGregorio threw the ball three-quarters of the court behind his back right on the money.
Types
The most basic pass in basketball is the two-handed chest pass. The player holds the ball in front of him close to his chest with his elbows extended outward and throws the ball forward with his hands facing away from his body. The baseball pass is executed by throwing the basketball with one hand, much like you would a baseball. The bounce pass is a basketball pass that is sent from one player to another that bounces once. A no-look pass is a deceptive pass meant to fool an opponent. An outlet pass is one that goes to a player streaking down the court after you have gained control of a rebound. An overhead pass is one when you have the ball held over your head before throwing it to a teammate. The behind-the-back pass is another pass that is made when the defender is not ready for it.
History
The chest pass and overhead pass were used almost exclusively when the game of basketball was in its infancy. As the players became more skilled they started to experiment with different types of passes in practice and then began to implement them in the actual games. The lob pass was "invented" during the early 1970s when UCLA under Coach John Wooden used the pass to get the ball to center Bill Walton. A player would lob the ball up high in Walton's direction and he would leap and catch it by the basket and lay the ball in. The behind-the-back pass was brought to prominence by players such as the Boston Celtics guard Bob Cousy, who would fake throwing a conventional pass and then send the ball behind his back to a waiting teammate for an easy basket. The greatest outlet passer ever is generally regarded as Wes Unseld, who would rebound the ball and fire it on a line to another player for a fast-break lay-up. Players that brought fancy passing into the spotlight include the Lakers' Magic Johnson and the Celtics' Larry Bird. Perhaps the greatest no-look passer ever was Pete Maravich, who made basketball passes without looking at his teammate, who many times were as startled by the pass as the opposition was.
Significance
Another pass used in special situations is the length-of-the-court pass. It is needed when time is running out in a quarter and a team is inbounding the ball under the opponent's basket. With just a few ticks left on the clock, the ball needs to be thrown to a player who can turn and get a good shot off. The pass must be accurate enough to land in the hands of a teammate and far enough so that he or she can get off a high-percentage shot. One of the most famous of this type of basketball pass was thrown to Duke's Christian Laettner, who caught the ball thrown by Grant Hill against Kentucky and turned and hit a foul-line jumper to win the game and send Duke to the 1992 NCAA title game.
Benefits
Guards that handle the ball need to be able to have the ability to throw every type of basketball pass. It will allow them to get the ball to a teammate in a position to score. A pass that leads to a basket is called an assist. The all-time NBA leader in this category is John Stockton, formerly of the Utah Jazz, who finished his career with 15,806 assists.
Expert Insight
Providence College's Ernie DiGregorio threw one of the most acclaimed passes of all time in the collegiate sport during the 1973 Final Four against Memphis State. Ernie took the ball and threw a pass from the opposing foul line to teammate Larry Costello between two defenders on the other end of the court. Costello caught the ball and in one motion laid it in for two points. What was so amazing was that DiGregorio threw the ball three-quarters of the court behind his back right on the money.
Posted in: basketball
