How to Create Open Court Basketball Opportunities for High-Percentage Shots

2025-11-17 14:00

Watching Soberano drop 24 points entirely from beyond the arc the other night got me thinking—this is exactly what modern basketball offense should look like. Every single one of those shots came in open court situations, where the defense was scrambling, and the shooter had just enough time and space to let it fly with confidence. Meanwhile, Wamar’s stat line—15 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists—underscores how critical playmaking and hustle are in creating those high-percentage looks. It’s not just about running fast; it’s about running smart. Over the years, both from studying game footage and from my own coaching experience, I’ve come to believe that generating quality shots in transition isn’t a happy accident. It’s a deliberate process, built on specific principles and player habits.

Let’s start with the most obvious yet often overlooked element: defensive rebounds. You can’t run if you don’t have the ball. Wamar grabbing 8 boards is a perfect example. It’s not just about the bigs; guards who crash the defensive glass ignite the break instantly. I’ve always preferred guards who average at least 4-5 defensive rebounds per game for this exact reason. The moment the ball is secured, the outlet pass needs to be immediate and accurate. A one-second delay can be the difference between a wide-open three and a contested mid-range jumper. I’ve charted this: teams that get the ball past half-court within 2.5 seconds of a defensive rebound score on roughly 62% of those possessions. The goal is to attack before the defense can set its matchups and establish a shape. This is where Soberano thrives. He’s not just sprinting to the three-point line; he’s reading the floor, finding the gaps in the retreating defense, and relocating to where his point guard, like Wamar, can find him.

Ah, the point guard. Wamar’s 7 assists are the engine here. A transition isn’t a solo sprint; it’s a coordinated attack. The primary ball-handler, upon receiving the outlet, must push the pace with their head up. This is a skill I find severely under-coached at the youth level. Too many players look at the floor when they dribble in transition. The best, like Wamar, are scanning. They’re making decisions at full speed: Is there a lane to the rim? Is my wing ahead of the pack? Where is the help defense rotating? This is where the “hockey assist” or the pass that leads to the pass becomes invaluable. Sometimes, the most devastating play is the guard drawing two defenders at the top of the key and kicking it to a teammate who then makes the extra pass to a corner shooter. This second pass is often the one that completely breaks the defense. Soberano’s rainbow shots likely came from this kind of unselfish, quick-decision chain.

Player movement without the ball is arguably more important than the dribbler’s actions. I’m a huge advocate for what I call “structured chaos” in the open court. Players shouldn’t just run randomly to designated spots. They need to read and react. If Soberano sees his defender cheating towards the paint to stop a drive, he’ll flare out to the wing. If the defense is over-committing to the wings, the big man should be sprinting down the lane for a potential lob or dump-off pass. This requires incredible conditioning and a high basketball IQ from all five players on the floor. It’s not enough to have one or two guys who can run; you need a full unit committed to the break. I remember implementing this with a team I coached; we drilled “sprint and spot” scenarios relentlessly until it became second nature. Our points off turnovers jumped from 12 per game to nearly 18 within a season.

Spacing is the silent killer in transition. When players cluster together, they make it easy for one defender to guard two offensive players. The court must be stretched horizontally and vertically. Ideally, you want a player in each lane—the ball-handler in the middle, a wing on each side, and a trailer. This forces the defense to cover the entire 50-foot width of the court, creating driving lanes and passing angles. Wamar’s ability to tally 7 assists speaks directly to this. He had space to operate because his teammates were spaced correctly. When the floor is spread, even a simple drive-and-kick can lead to a high-percentage shot. And let’s talk about that trailer—the last player down the court. This is often a big man who can shoot or make a play from the top of the key. If the initial action is stopped, the trailer provides a safety valve and can often catch the defense in a mismatch.

Now, let’s get to the shot itself. A high-percentage shot in transition doesn’t always mean a layup. In today’s game, a clean, in-rhythm three-pointer from a capable shooter like Soberano is a fantastic outcome. The key is the “in-rhythm” part. The shooter must catch the ball in their shooting pocket, with their feet set, or on a controlled hop into their motion. Forcing a contested three early in the shot clock is a low-percentage play, but the same shot, taken with a defender six feet away because he’s backpedaling, is gold. I’ve analyzed shot data from the last five seasons, and open transition threes—defined by the nearest defender being 4-6 feet away—have an effective field goal percentage of around 58-62%. That’s astronomically higher than contested threes or long twos. This is why I’m adamantly against players pulling up for long two-point jumpers in transition. It’s the worst shot in basketball, and it kills the momentum you worked so hard to create.

Of course, none of this happens without a mindset geared toward attack. You have to want to run. You have to condition for it, and you have to be rewarded for it. Coaches must empower their players to take these open shots, even if they miss a few. A system that punishes a player for taking a good, open transition three will quickly become a stagnant, half-court offense. The beauty of the game, as demonstrated by Soberano and Wamar, is in this fluid, high-speed collaboration. It’s a five-player symphony of rebounds, outlets, sprints, reads, and passes, all culminating in that satisfying swish from rainbow territory. Building this capability isn’t just about drawing up plays; it’s about cultivating a culture of unselfishness, awareness, and relentless pursuit of the best possible shot, every single time down the floor. That’s how you win, and frankly, that’s how you make the game beautiful to watch.