Chicago Action
A guard passes to the wing then cuts off a pin-down screen from the post to receive a dribble hand-off — a fast way to get a ball handler downhill or hunt a switch.
Motion OffenseAges 13–15, Ages 16+
The breakdown
Reads & options
- 1.If O1's defender fights over the pin-down, O1 can curl tighter to the rim instead of coming out for the hand-off.
- 2.If the defense switches the pin-down, O1 can reject the hand-off and cut backdoor instead.
- 3.This action is a fast way to get a combo guard moving downhill right off an inbound or early in a possession.
Coaching points
- The passer (who becomes the hand-off man) needs to catch on the move and be ready to hand off immediately, not stand and wait.
- The screener must set the pin-down with the same footwork and angle as any down screen — width matters more than exact position.
- Teach the cutter to read a switch immediately since Chicago action is often used specifically to hunt mismatches.
Running Chicago Action?
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Keep going
More motion offense
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Zipper Cut
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