Over the past few years, through discussion and observation, I have attempted to improve my understanding
of the pick-and-roll game. This process led me to compile an in-depth catalog of various types of pick-and-roll. The initial purpose of recording my thoughts and observations was to create a tool to help me more carefully examine and understand the intricacies of pick-and-roll.
I had hoped to more thoroughly study the history of pick-and-roll and to properly acknowledge the innovative coaches and players who are responsible for its evolution. I apologize that time has not permitted me the opportunity to identify the specific contributions of these individuals.
The article that follows is not born from any desire to reinvent the wheel. It is merely an exercise in recording my observations about pick-and-roll. The evolution of the article itself is a product of not just my thoughts, but many coaches and players who enthusiastically provided feedback, observation, and criticism. My hope is that it will be useful in some way.
The category of plays referred to as "Pick-and-Roll" has dominated the strategic thinking of coaches for decades. By observing the evolution of pick-and-roll, coaches have found windows of creativity to use for the development of new types of pick-and-roll. Equally influential in the innovative process are the instinctive and creative abilities of players. Players modify pick-and-roll action. Coaches, through observation, use these modifications to maximize players' strengths and minimize weaknesses in execution. For their part, players have made pick-and-roll increasingly complex yet simple at the same time.
