Passing: Every Type Your Kid Needs to Know
Passing is just as important as dribbling and shooting — and there are way more types of passes than most kids realize. A great passer controls the game.
The basic passes (master these first)
Chest pass
A hard, direct pass from your chest to your teammate’s chest. Two hands on the ball, thumbs behind it, snap the wrists on release. This is the bread-and-butter pass in basketball.
Bounce pass
Same motion, but aim for the floor about two-thirds of the way to your teammate. The ball bounces up to their waist or hands.
- Soft bounce pass — a gentle, slower pass good for short distances and avoiding a defender’s hands.
- Hard bounce pass — a fast, firm bounce that gets through traffic. The ball should hit the floor hard and reach the teammate quickly.
Overhead pass
Hold the ball above your head with both hands and throw it forward. Used for outlet passes after rebounds and for passing over defenders.
Advanced passes (once the basics are clean)
The fake pass
Pretend to throw to Player A — eyes, shoulders, and arms all commit to that direction — then snap the ball to Player B at the last second. The key is selling the fake with your eyes. Defenders watch your eyes more than your hands.
Behind-the-back pass
- From the right hand, wrap behind your back and release to the left.
- From the left hand, wrap behind your back and release to the right.
This is harder than it looks. Practice against a wall first before trying it with a partner.
The english pass (spin pass)
Put heavy spin on the ball so it looks like a straight pass, but when it hits the ground, the spin causes it to bounce left or right to a different player. This is a high-level deception move. Start by practicing spin on the ball against a wall to get a feel for how much english changes the bounce angle.
Related pages
- Dribbling Fundamentals — ball control feeds into passing
- Court Movement & Spacing — passing works when players are in the right spots
- Start Here: 14-Day Jumpstart — passing is part of the Week 2 plan