When a team plays defense for 30 seconds and then gives up a three point basket to the opposing team’s center, it can be a demoralizing experience. Yet that is the whole premise behind the swing offense. The offense moves players around using good cuts and smart passes to cause mismatches and wear down defenses.
Who Can Run the Swing Offense
The swing offense is a player driven offense. That means that not all players will fit into swing offense. The basic theory of the swing offense is that every position on the floor is interchangeable. Guards can play on the blocks and forwards and centers should be comfortable shooting from outside the arc.
The swing offense also relies on players who are patient and will play in the system. The offense requires good screens and players who can make sharp cuts to the basket without the ball and are not afraid to make the extra pass.
Setting Up the Swing Offense
The basic set up of the swing offense is similar to a 4-1 offense look. Four players start lined up outside the arc with one player on the block.
The point guard brings the ball up the court and initiates the offense with a pass to one of the players on the wing. While this is happening the two players on the opposite side of the play exchange positions to keep the backside defenders active and keeping them from double teaming or even resting.
Moving in the Swing Offense
The swing offense is designed to keep defenders moving and force them to play defense the entire possession. To reach that goal, players on offense must keep moving as well.
After the point guard makes the pass to the wing, the player who lined up on the block, will set a pick for the point guard at the elbow. The point guard will then cut to the block.
If the point guard is open for the easy lay up, the wing player will pass him the ball.
If not, the ball should be passed to the player that set the pick.
While this is happening, the two players on the other side of the ball are active. The player farthest away from the ball will set a screen for the player closer to the ball. The player closest to the ball, will then cut to the wing, while the player setting the screen will slide out to take the pass from the center.
The idea here is that the defense will pay less attention to the player setting the screen than the cutter, giving the offense an easy pass to swing the ball to the opposite side of the floor.
There is also a variation here, where the screen could cut to the basket if the defense is giving an open lane. Players should be taught to look for any open lanes and exploit them whenever possible when running the swing offense.
As the ball is swung to the opposite side of the floor, the point guard, who is now down on the block, picks for the wing player. That player then cuts to the basket on the baseline, looking for the pass, or clearing through to the block. The point guard will then flash to the free throw line. If he does not receive the pass, he floats back to the wing and the offense can start again.
Who Runs the Swing Offense
The swing offense has been made popular by Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan, who has used this offense to lead the Badgers to eight consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. He also won two national championships while coaching at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in Division III.
The offense has been gaining in popularity due to Ryan’s success and the difficulty it gives teams who try to defend the swing offense.
Constant movement and solid discipline make this offense popular with high school coaches as well as those on the college level.
Bryan Rose - I have always had a passion for sports and history. Basically they were the two things that got me through high school and ...
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