Featured courses
- Core Basketball Principles That Dallas Mavericks Coach Sean Sweeney Teaches by Grant Young
- How To Teach The ‘I’ Generation of Basketball Players by Grant Young
- How to Build a Championship-Winning Basketball Team Culture by Grant Young
- Clever Basketball Coaching Tactics to Steal Your Team Wins by Grant Young
- Pat Summitt’s Top Tips on Coaching Women’s Basketball by Grant Young
- How to Replicate A Modern NBA Offense by Grant Young
- 10 Creative Ways Athletic Programs Can Use a Video Board to Raise Money by Coach Williams
- How to Use 3 on 3 to Improve Your Basketball Team by Grant Young
- How to Defend the Pick and Roll by Grant Young
- Mastering Basketball Defense: Techniques, Drills, and Strategies for Success by Justin Tran
- Three Tips From The Coach Who Developed Giannis Antetokoumnpo by Grant Young
- 2023 NBA Draft: Skills and Technique from Top Prospects by Justin Tran
- From College to the Pros: Transitioning the Dribble Drive Offense by Justin Tran
- Positionless Basketball: Redefining Roles on the Court by Justin Tran
- Revolutionize Your Offense: Proven Concepts to Elevate Your Basketball Game by Justin Tran
- 5 Essential Fastbreak Drills Every Basketball Coach Should Know by James Locke
- How to Run a Circle Offense in Basketball by Grant Young
- Game-Changing Strategies: ATO Plays in the EuroLeague and Olympics by Justin Tran
- How Baylor Basketball’s Scott Drew Develops Elite Guard Play by Grant Young
- Off-Ball Movement Tips and Strategies: Lessons From the NBA Finals by James Locke
- Player Development: Scott Drew’s Tips for Producing NBA Guards by James Locke
- How to Execute a Spread Offense in Basketball by Grant Young
- Four Quality Quotes From Four Final Four Coaches by Grant Young
- A Guide to the Pack Line Defense by Alex Martinez
- 3 Defensive Build Up Drills to Improve Team Basketball Defense by Grant Young
- Battle of Two Great Coaches: Best Plays from the NBA Finals Contenders by Justin Tran
- Zone Defense In the NBA Eastern Conference Finals by James Locke
- Mastering Court Mobility: Tips for Effective Movement in Basketball by Justin Tran
- 5 Basketball Shooting Drills: How to Develop a Sharpshooter by James Locke
- 6 Points of Emphasis for a Successful 5 Out Offense by Jaycob Ammerman
- Effective and Efficient Methods to Practice During the Basketball Season by Justin Tran
- 5 Components to Creating a Winning Basketball Program by Justin Tran
- Guide to Becoming a Lethal Scorer in Basketball by Justin Tran
- 4 Defensive Technique Drills from Boston Celtics Assistant Coach Brandon Bailey by Marek Hulva
- 5 Drills to Improve Ball Handling by Tyler Linderman
- 13 FUNNY BASKETBALL GIFS by Alex
- BASKETBALL SPEED AND AGILITY: 8 QUESTIONS FOR COACHTUBE EXPERT RICH STONER by Jaycob Ammerman
- Defensive Strategies for Basketball by Ryan Brennan
- 4 Keys To Turning Your Program Into Championship Contender By Dallas Mavericks Coach Sean Sweeney by Marek Hulva
- What You Need to Know About the 2 Side Break by Lason Perkins
- 5 Out of Bound Plays vs. the 2-3 Zone by Marc Hart
- Repeat after me: Shooting is about practice, practice, practice by Brandon Lawrence
- 3 Keys To Shooting Better Off The Pass by Tyler Linderman
- 10 Shooting Tips That Will Increase Your Shooting Percentage by Brandon Ogle
- The Best Ways to Practice Dribbling by Brandon Lawrence
- How Coaches Can Help Build Team Chemistry by Criag Haley
- 2021 Men's NCAA Tournament Teams Courses & Playbooks to Study by Jaycob Ammerman
- 3 Actions from Southern Utah's Highly Ranked System by Jaycob Ammerman
- Coaching Analysis of Thursday NCAA Men’s Tournament Games by Jaycob Ammerman
- How the point guard is basketball's quarterback by Craig Haley
- Full Court Press Drills by Emily Reich
- 3 Transition Offensive Drills to Play Fast by Jaycob Ammerman
- Running Inbounds Plays in Youth Basketball by Craig Haley
- New Favorite Actions from Around the World by Lason Perkins
- How to Create a Pick-and-Roll Offense by Brandon Ogle
- Improving Your Three-Point Shot by Ryan Brennen
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Coaches….And People, Too by Lason Perkins
- 5 Spain PNR Plays for Your Playbook by Lason Perkins
- Three Skills Every Guard Needs by Derek Brown
- Top 4 Pre-Season Basketball Drills by Derek Brown
- 3 Plays From Zipper Actions To Create Open Looks by Coach Lason Perkins
- Favorite Plays From Around The World: The Argentina Cross Screen Action by Coach Perkins
- Throwing A “Grenade” Into Your Offense!! by Coach Perkins
- More Zipper Plays From Around the World by Coach Perkins
- 3 Phases Coaches Are Studying by Coach Perkins
- MARCUS GINYARD TALKS AAU BALL, ROY WILLIAMS, AND PLAYING PROFESSIONALLY by Brandon
- My Failure as a Coach by Tom Kelsey
- How can I improve as a coach? by Tom Kelsey
- 3 Reasons Steph Curry Has Separated Himself in the NBA by Derek Brown
- 3 REASONS STEPH CURRY HAS SEPARATED HIMSELF IN THE NBA by Chris
- 4 Basketball Offenses You Need to Start Running by Derek Brown
- How to Get the Most Out of Your Team Practice by Derek Brown
- 5 THINGS I WISH I KNEW AS A YOUNG COACH by Jamy Bechler
- Communication Between Coaches and Players by Kyle Ohman
- 56 GREAT BASKETBALL COACHES AND TRAINERS TO FOLLOW ON TWITTER by Alex Kirby
- Drills To Improve Speed And Endurance With And Without The Basketball by Fran Kilinski
- 5 Strength Training & Plyometric Methods to Improve Rebounding by Alli Williams
- Text from Parent to Coach by Derek Brown
- Game Day Guide: How to Prepare for a Basketball Game by Brandon Ogle
- Coaching Generation Z by Derek Brown
- 5 Strength Training & Plyometric Drills to Improve Rebounding by Alli Williams
- Tips for Running and Handling the Ball in Transition by Brandon Ogle
- The Art of the Outlet Pass by Frank Kilinski
- How To Play Off-The-Ball At A Young Age by Brandon Ogle
- 4 Tricky Basketball Moves That'll Keep You On Your Toes by Fran Kilinski
![](https://images.prismic.io/coachtube/ZoMtAR5LeNNTwscm_18CURRY1-videoSixteenByNine3000.jpg?auto=format,compress)
How to Execute a Spread Offense in Basketball
- By Grant Young
Spread offenses are all the rage in the football world right now. Then again, while the term might not hold the same meaning on the basketball court, the truth is that spread offenses have also taken over the basketball world.
Consider the effect that Steph Curry has had on the sport. If you watch a youth basketball game or practice, kids are shooting the ball from further and further away, realizing that, if they can become lethal from three-point range, then their potential skyrockets. And the Caitlin Clark effect is revolutionizing the sport of women’s basketball right now because of her ability to drain the deep three-pointer with ease.
Even big men’s value in the NBA is about them being able to at least threaten a three-point shot in order to free up space in the paint and allow their guard teammates driving opportunities.
But a team full of players who are chucking up threes with reckless abandon is not conducive to success. This is why the basketball community needs coaches like Charlie Henry to harness the game’s evolution into a winning offense.
Coach Henry is currently the head men’s basketball coach at Georgia Southern University, where he has been since 2023. During his first season at the helm, Henry guided the Eagles to an 8-10 record in Sun Belt play and a quarterfinal appearance in the Sun Belt Tournament for the third consecutive season. Under his tutelage, the Eagles set program records in three-pointers (309) and free-throw percentage (.732), finishing the season 27th in the NCAA in three-pointers per game.
Before Georgia Southern, Henry spent four seasons at the University of Alabama and brings to Statesboro over 10 years of coaching experience that includes stops at the Chicago Bulls, Windy City Bulls, and Iowa State, among others.
Coach Henry’s offensive strategy is all about spreading the floor. And his ‘Spread Offense’ course is a perfect way for a basketball coach at any level to learn how to turn their team’s three-point shooting tendencies into a consistent, tried and true offense that doesn’t have to rely on a hot hand to win.
Eliminate Catch
One of the most crucial aspects of succeeding as a spread offense is movement. This means both moving off of the ball and moving with the ball.
Having shooters stationed behind the three-point line is great. But if there’s no dribble penetration, cutting, screening, or passing, then those shooters will have no hope of getting open enough to receive a high-quality look.
Hence why the ball must be in constant motion. Coach Henry discusses this by saying that he wants his players to “eliminate catch”. What he means by this is that he doesn’t want a player to be catching the ball and holding on to it for any longer than .5 seconds before they either shoot, dribble, or pass.
This might sound easier than it is. In truth, it will require the player already predetermining what their initial action (their ‘Plan A’) is going to be if and when they get passed the ball at wherever on the court they’re standing.
Hence why this .5-second rule must be practiced for it to be effective in games. And while there’s no way that your players won’t ever hold a ball for longer than half a second, having this timer in their heads will help produce fast and efficient basketball that will create open looks.
Aggressive Coverage
If your team has proven an ability to shoot and make three-pointers consistently, then that will force opposing defenses to play you aggressively.
This means that defenses will be prioritizing having everybody guarded along the perimeter, with a special focus on the person with the ball in their hands (especially if that’s a guard who is a strong perimeter shooter). This type of aggressive coverage also makes it so two defensive players will briefly be focused on the ball handler in a pick and roll (or fake pick and slide) situation.
With two players focused on the ball at once, this means a player is open elsewhere. And if the ball handler is able to recognize that (which comes through practice and repetition) they should be able to take advantage by making a quick pass to the open player.
Depending on that open player’s skillset, they’ll ideally want to be either driving to the basket or behind the three-point line. Or they can just head to an open pocket of the floor.
Reverse to Wide
Another crucial component of a successful spread offense is what Coach Henry calls a “pop and slash concept”.
This essentially means that, either in a pick-and-roll package or in another typical half-court offensive set, the ball handler should always be conscious of potentially reversing it behind them to a player that has become open on the other side of the wing.
This typically occurs when the ball handler slashes to one side of the court, which opens up space on the wide side of the court.
And when the ball handler is able to recognize this opening, it will create opportunities for open three-pointers and easy slashes into an overly-exposed paint if that ball is made in time.
The important point to note with all of these specific plays and packages is that they’ll take a lot of practice time to master. Because the ball moves so quickly and scoring is dependent on fluid, fast decisions by the person with the ball in their hands, having team chemistry and players understanding each other is paramount to success.
Which is to say that these packages must be drilled just as much as shooting during practices. While players may not like it at first, they’ll be thanking you for all the open looks these reps provide when it matters most.