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Wraparound Pass

Wrap the ball around a defender to reach a teammate they're blocking — step through and pass around their body from the post or on a drive.

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Coaching onlyA phone camera can't grade this one reliably, so TrueForm teaches it step by step instead of pretending to score it.

What the camera readsNot measuredTaught step by step in the lesson

The wraparound pass gets the ball past a defender who is guarding you closely. You keep your pivot foot down, stride around the defender's side with your other foot, and pass one-handed from your hip, under their arm. It's a passing skill: the read, the timing and the accuracy are yours, not something a camera grades.

Set up

1

Use it when a defender is up close and their body or arm blocks a straight pass to your teammate.

Too close for a chest pass.

2

Keep your pivot foot planted. Only your other foot moves.

One foot glued down.

3

Fake a pass the opposite way first, for example an overhead pass fake, to move the defender and open space.

Fake a pass to make a pass.

Pass

4

Take a long stride with your non-pivot foot around the defender's side, toward where you want to pass.

Step around, not into them.

5

Move the ball to the same side as that stride, on the side of your body away from the defender.

6

Reach the ball out to the side, low, at about the defender's hip level, under their arm.

Under the arm.

7

Pass with one hand from your hip, flicking your wrist for speed. Throw it direct or as a bounce pass.

8

Finish with your hand and fingers pointing where you want the ball to go.

Fingers to target.

9

Feeding the post, use a bounce pass to your teammate's hip on the side away from their defender.

Feel it

It should feel like one move: fake one way, stride around the other, and the ball comes off your hip under the defender's arm. The ball stays on the far side of your body the whole time, so the defender never has a clean reach at it.

Fix-its

  • The defender pokes it away (ball exposed) Get the ball to the side of your body away from the defender before you pass, and release from your hip, low, under their arm.
  • They read it coming (telegraphing) Don't stare at your receiver. Fake the opposite way first with a pass fake, head bob or look, then step and pass.
  • You always go the same way Practise stepping and passing in both directions so the defender can't sit on one side.
  • Your pivot foot slides or lifts as you stride Keep the pivot foot planted and make the long stride with the other foot only.
  • The defender still closes the gap Switch pivot feet and step out so your back is to the defender, then make the same arm and hand movement.

Drill

  1. Partner plays a close, passive defender. Step around and pass from the hip to a third player. Alternate directions every rep.
  2. Same set-up, but add a pass fake the opposite way before each step-around. Defender reacts to the fake.
  3. Wing-to-low-post feeds against two defenders: fake, step-around bounce pass, hit the post player's hip away from their defender.
  4. Once it's reliable, let the defender play live and try to deflect. Switch roles after a few possessions.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-26.

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