Finger Roll: Basketball technique, drills and fixes

The finger roll is an underhand layup: at the top of your jump your shooting hand is under the ball, palm up, arm extended, and the ball rolls off your palm and then your fingertips onto the backboard. Coaches teach it because it is a softer release that gives more control when you finish at speed, and a fully extended version reaches the ball forward, away from a taller shot blocker. The move is closely associated with George Gervin. We read your takeoff and landing; the touch on the ball isn't camera-visible.

Set up

Attack the basket on a normal layup line, under control. The underhand release pays off most when you arrive at speed.

Fast feet, calm hands.

Gather the ball, then take your two steps: a half step with your outside foot, then a full stride with your inside foot that pushes you up. Under NBA rules you get two steps after the gather; check your league's rule.

Short, long, up.

Carry the ball up with two hands. Keep your head up and your eyes on the top corner of the box on the backboard, not on the ball.

Eyes on the target.

Finish

Jump up, not out, and drive the knee on your shooting-hand side up as the ball rises.

Hand and knee rise together.

At the top of the jump, let the guide hand come off and turn your shooting hand under the ball: palm up, fingers pointing toward the basket.

Extend your shooting arm fully toward the basket and let the ball roll off your palm, then your fingertips, softly onto the backboard.

Long arm, soft hand.

If a taller shot blocker is challenging, reach the ball well forward, out of their reach. Use your off arm as an arm bar to ward off a reaching hand. You can't push off with it.

Land softly: bend your knees and hips and keep your knees over your toes.

Quiet landing.

Feel it

Your arm is long and your palm faces the ceiling. The ball doesn't get thrown; it rolls off your palm, then your fingertips, and kisses the glass. You land softly with your knees bent.

Fix-its

Hard, flat release off the glass Turn your palm up under the ball and let it roll off your palm and fingertips. Don't push or flick it at the board.
It gets blocked Extend your shooting arm fully and reach the ball forward, away from the shot blocker. A bent arm keeps the ball inside their reach.
Pushing off with the off arm Hold the off arm as a bar to ward off a reaching hand. Don't extend it into the defender to create space.
Watching the ball Pick up the top corner of the box early and keep your eyes there through the release.
Stiff landing Land softly, bend your knees and hips, and keep your knees over your toes.

Drill

Standing finish: start one step from the block, no dribble. Two hands up, then release palm up off the glass. Work both sides of the basket.
On the run: approach without dribbling, gather, take your two steps and finish palm up. Both sides.
Off the dribble: full approach at game speed with a dribble into the gather.
With a defender: a partner contests from the side while you reach the ball forward and use the arm bar. Coaches note this finish takes lots of reps with and without a defender.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-26.