1. Chest to Chest
The chest pass is the most fundamental pass in basketball. A key component of the overall effectiveness of this fundamental pass and all passes in basketball is that you want the pass to travel from your chest to the receiver's chest. It does not matter if it is a traditional chest pass or a chest bounce pass. If a chest pass is too high or too low you risk a turnover and a basket for the other team.
2. Spin the Chest Pass
Much like a proper jump shot, you want to get proper backspin or rotation on the chest pass. To get the correct spin you must start from the correct passing position. To achieve this bring the ball to your chest, grab the ball tightly with both hands on each side, keep the elbows out, and point your wrist up. As you pass the ball, rotate the wrist through the pass and point your thumbs toward the receiver. The rotation on the basketball should look very similar to the backward rotation on a jump shot.
3. Step Into It
When you make a chest pass, step into the pass with the foot closest to the basket. This serves two purposes. First, it gives the chest pass the extra momentum needed to reach the receiver. More important, the step provides extra protection against the defense. If the nearest defender wants to interfere with the pass, the player has to come across your passing leg to get to the ball and make a steal.
4. All Thumbs
More than any other type of pass in basketball the chest utilizes and depends on your thumbs to make the pass correctly. When you grab the basketball to pass it, place the thumbs at the bottom of the basketball. The thumbs are almost touching on the basketball. As you move the ball forward to pass, rotate the thumb down and finish the chest pass with your thumbs pointing directly at the intended target.
5. You Need Space
Doing chest passes in basketball requires a player to have sufficient space to get the pass away. Because it requires both hands and the motion takes time to complete, the passer must have enough passing space to throw the pass. With a close defender, a pass or shot fake is necessary to create the space for a chest pass.
The chest pass is the most fundamental pass in basketball. A key component of the overall effectiveness of this fundamental pass and all passes in basketball is that you want the pass to travel from your chest to the receiver's chest. It does not matter if it is a traditional chest pass or a chest bounce pass. If a chest pass is too high or too low you risk a turnover and a basket for the other team.
2. Spin the Chest Pass
Much like a proper jump shot, you want to get proper backspin or rotation on the chest pass. To get the correct spin you must start from the correct passing position. To achieve this bring the ball to your chest, grab the ball tightly with both hands on each side, keep the elbows out, and point your wrist up. As you pass the ball, rotate the wrist through the pass and point your thumbs toward the receiver. The rotation on the basketball should look very similar to the backward rotation on a jump shot.
3. Step Into It
When you make a chest pass, step into the pass with the foot closest to the basket. This serves two purposes. First, it gives the chest pass the extra momentum needed to reach the receiver. More important, the step provides extra protection against the defense. If the nearest defender wants to interfere with the pass, the player has to come across your passing leg to get to the ball and make a steal.
4. All Thumbs
More than any other type of pass in basketball the chest utilizes and depends on your thumbs to make the pass correctly. When you grab the basketball to pass it, place the thumbs at the bottom of the basketball. The thumbs are almost touching on the basketball. As you move the ball forward to pass, rotate the thumb down and finish the chest pass with your thumbs pointing directly at the intended target.
5. You Need Space
Doing chest passes in basketball requires a player to have sufficient space to get the pass away. Because it requires both hands and the motion takes time to complete, the passer must have enough passing space to throw the pass. With a close defender, a pass or shot fake is necessary to create the space for a chest pass.
