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I remember watching a basketball game last season where Salvado demonstrated textbook shooting form, sinking 15 points with that incredible 4-of-5 shooting from downtown. That performance wasn't just luck—it was the result of countless hours perfecting fundamental passing techniques that created those open shots. As someone who's coached youth basketball for over a decade, I've seen how proper passing separates good teams from great ones. The truth is, most players spend 80% of their practice time on shooting while neglecting the very skill that creates scoring opportunities.

Passing isn't just about getting the ball from point A to point B. It's about understanding angles, timing, and perhaps most importantly, your teammate's capabilities. I always tell my players that a great pass does half the work for the shooter. When you deliver the ball exactly where your teammate wants it, at the precise moment they're ready to shoot, you're essentially setting them up for success. Think about Salvado's performance—those five three-point attempts didn't happen in isolation. Someone had to read the defense, identify the opening, and deliver a perfect pass that allowed Salvado to catch and shoot in rhythm.

Let me share something I learned the hard way during my playing days. We were facing a tough zone defense, and nothing seemed to work until our point guard started using bounce passes through the gaps. The way the ball skipped past defenders created just enough time for our shooters to get set. This brings me to my first essential drill—the two-minute passing circuit. You'll need a partner and a wall. Stand about 10 feet apart and practice chest passes for 30 seconds, then immediately switch to bounce passes for another 30, followed by overhead passes. The key is maintaining perfect form even when you're tired. I've found that doing this drill at the end of practice, when players are fatigued, builds the muscle memory needed for late-game situations.

Another technique that's often overlooked is the art of the pass fake. I can't count how many times I've seen a simple ball fake create enough separation for a clean look. The best passers in the game—players like Chris Paul and LeBron James—master this deception. They'll look right while passing left, or pump fake a shot before delivering an assist. It's not just about where your hands are, but where your eyes are looking. I personally love incorporating pass fakes into our scrimmages, awarding extra points for successful deceptive passes that lead to scores.

Now let's talk about something more advanced—the skip pass. This is particularly effective against zone defenses where you need to move the ball quickly from one side of the court to the other. The technique requires both strength and touch. You need enough power to get the ball across the court, but enough finesse to ensure your teammate can handle it comfortably. We practice this with what I call the "three-spot skip drill," where players rotate between three positions around the perimeter, firing skip passes to each other. It's demanding, but I've seen it improve court vision dramatically within just a few weeks.

The behind-the-back pass often gets criticized as flashy and unnecessary, but when used properly, it can be devastatingly effective. I remember teaching this to a particularly hesitant point guard who eventually used it to break down a pressing defense in our championship game. The secret isn't the flash—it's about understanding when conventional passes won't work and having the creativity to find alternatives. We practice this by setting up cones to simulate defenders and having players decide in split-seconds which pass to use.

What many coaches don't emphasize enough is footwork in passing. The power and accuracy of your pass comes largely from your lower body. I always watch players' feet during passing drills because proper stance and weight transfer make all the difference. We do a simple but effective drill where players must complete passes while moving laterally, focusing on keeping their feet active and balanced. It's boring work, but the results show during games when players can deliver accurate passes while on the move.

Reading the defense is perhaps the most challenging aspect of passing. This isn't something you can learn from drills alone—it requires actual game experience and film study. I make it a point to review game footage with my players, pausing at critical moments to ask what passing options they see. Over time, they start recognizing patterns and anticipating defensive rotations. Salvado's 4-of-5 three-point shooting performance happened because his teammates recognized how the defense was overplaying the paint and made the extra pass to the perimeter.

The chemistry between passer and receiver is something magical when it clicks. I've had teams where players could practically read each other's minds, anticipating cuts and openings before they even happened. This kind of connection only develops through repetition and trust. We build this by having the same players work together in drills throughout the season, developing an almost intuitive understanding of each other's preferences and tendencies.

At the end of the day, great passing comes down to decision-making under pressure. All the technique in the world won't help if you can't make the right read in game situations. That's why we incorporate what I call "decision-making drills" where players have multiple options and must choose the best one in real-time. The improvement in their court vision and passing IQ has been remarkable—we've seen assist numbers increase by an average of 35% after implementing these exercises consistently.

Looking back at that game where Salvado shone with his 15 points, it's clear that those open looks came from systematic practice of fundamental passing skills. The beautiful thing about basketball is that while scoring gets the headlines, it's often the subtle, well-executed passes that truly determine the outcome. I firmly believe that dedicating just 20 minutes of each practice to focused passing drills can transform any team's offensive efficiency. The drills and techniques I've shared have worked for my teams, but the real secret is consistency and understanding that every pass carries intention—it's not just moving the ball, it's orchestrating the offense.