Baseball Pass: Basketball technique, drills and fixes

The baseball pass is a one-handed overhand throw, like a baseball or quarterback throw, used to get the ball deep in a hurry: an outlet or inbound to a teammate sprinting ahead of the defense, often more than half the court away. It covers distance that's hard to reach with a two-hand chest or overhead pass, but it hangs in the air long enough to be picked off if you force it. It's a coaching-only lesson: long-range accuracy and touch are the challenge, and a camera can't grade them.

Set up

Turn sideways like a quarterback so your non-throwing shoulder points at your target.

Front shoulder at the target.

Plant your back foot (the throwing-hand side) and keep your weight on it, knees slightly bent.

Bring the ball up above your shoulder, next to the ear on your throwing side, with your throwing hand spread behind the ball and your other hand on the front or side.

Ball at your back ear.

Lift your throwing elbow to about shoulder height, upper arm roughly level with the floor.

Keep both hands on the ball as long as you can, so you can still pull the pass back if a defender jumps the lane.

Two hands until you commit.

Pass

Step toward the target with the foot opposite your throwing arm (left foot for a right-handed throw).

Opposite foot steps.

Push off your back foot and turn your hips and shoulders until they face the target.

Throw overhand, not sidearm, letting your off hand drop away and extending your throwing arm fully toward the target.

Snap your wrist at release to put backspin on the ball so it flies straight.

Snap for backspin.

Follow through with your hand pointing at the receiver, letting your back foot come through in front.

Finish pointing at them.

Keep the flight fairly flat, not a high lob, and put it out in front of the runner so they catch it without slowing down.

Hit them in stride.

Feel it

A good baseball pass feels like one quick, fluid throw that starts in your back foot and finishes with your hand pointing at the runner. The ball comes off with backspin and flies straight, not curving or floating. If it feels like all arm, or the ball spins sideways, you've slung it sidearm or stepped with the wrong foot.

Fix-its

It curves or floats (sidearm sling) Start from the ear with your elbow up near shoulder height, throw overhand, and snap your wrist for backspin.
It's off target Point your front shoulder at the target, keep your throwing hand behind the ball (not beside it), and finish with your hand pointing at the receiver.
Not enough distance Step with the foot opposite your throwing arm, push off the back foot and turn your hips through. Don't throw with just the arm.
It gets picked off Throw it flatter and with more pace, not a high lob. If it's too hard to catch, take a little off; if a defender is in the lane, don't force it.
A defender jumps the pass late Keep both hands on the ball until you commit, so you can pull it back and hold it.

Drill

Wall form: start about 1 m from a wall, throw baseball passes at a target, and move back 50 cm at a time to 3 m. Check ear position, opposite-foot step and wrist snap each throw.
Partner long passes: throw to a stationary partner and back up a few steps at a time as long as the pass stays straight and on target. Build distance gradually rather than heaving full court cold.
Lead the runner: your partner sprints down the sideline and you land the pass in front of them so they don't have to slow down.
Outlet after a basket: grab the ball under the basket in quarterback position and hit a teammate sprinting the floor before the defense is set.
Late-game inbound: from the baseline with a couple of seconds left, throw deep to a cutter, then add a defender so you practise pulling it back when the lane closes.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-26.