Basketball plays
Spain Pick and Roll
The Spain pick and roll is a ball screen with a twist: as the screener rolls to the rim, a third player sets a back screen on the roller's defender, then pops to the three-point line. The defense has to guard the roller, the popper and the ball handler at the same time.
Updated 2026-10-12.
STEP 1 OF 4Ball screen. 5 sprints up and sets a high ball screen on 1's defender. 3 and 4 hold the corners.
- Ball screen. 5 sprints up and sets a high ball screen on 1's defender. 3 and 4 hold the corners.
- Attack downhill. 1 uses the screen shoulder to shoulder and goes downhill. X5 has to drop.
- Roll, back screen. 5 rolls to the rim. 2 steps up and back screens X5, so X5 is caught between the roll and the screen.
- Pop, then read. 2 pops to the three-point line. 1 reads it: the roller, the popper, or keep it. Here the roll is open.
Spain pick and roll at a glance
| Player | Role | Starts | Job |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball handler | Top of the key | Uses the screen, reads the defense |
| 5 | Screener, then roller | High post, near the ball | Sets the high ball screen, then rolls to the rim |
| 2 | Back screener, then popper | Weak-side wing | Screens 5's defender from behind, then pops to the three-point line |
| 3 | Corner | One corner | Holds the corner, ready to shoot |
| 4 | Corner | The other corner | Holds the corner, ready to shoot |
You can run it from the left or the right. Mirror everything above.
How to set it up
- Fill both corners. Deep corners keep the corner defenders from sagging into the lane.
- Set the ball screen in the middle of the floor so the ball handler can go either way.
- Put your best shooter in the back screener spot. The defense must respect the pop.
- Use a screener who can set a solid screen and finish or catch at the rim. He does not have to be a traditional big man.
How the play runs, step by step
- 1 has the ball at the top. 5 steps up to set a high ball screen in the middle of the floor. 3 and 4 hold the corners. 2 waits on the weak-side wing.
- 1 dribbles at the screen, shoulder to shoulder with 5, with his eyes up and his dribble alive.
- 5 sets the screen with his feet planted, makes contact with 1's defender, then rolls to the rim with his hands up as a target.
- As 5 rolls, 2 cuts toward the lane and sets a back screen on 5's defender, so that defender is caught between the roll and the screen.
- Right after the screen, 2 pops to the three-point line with his hands ready and his feet set to shoot.
- 1 reads the defense: the roller, the popper, or keep it. If a corner defender helps, 1 kicks to 3 or 4.
The three reads: roll, pop, keep
Teach the reads in this order. Your players will see them faster if they can say them out loud.
| Read | What you see | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Roll (5) | 5's defender is screened, late, or stepped up to stop the ball | Pass to 5 at the rim with a bounce or pocket pass. Throw a lob only if nobody is left to protect the rim. |
| Pop (2) | 2's defender leaves to help on the roller, or gets caught in the back screen | Pass to 2 for a catch-and-shoot three |
| Keep (1) | 1's defender is screened out and 5's defender sags or gets tangled | 1 pulls up, or attacks the open gap |
| Corner (3 or 4) | A corner defender sags to help on the roll | Skip or kick to the open corner for a three |
Coaching points
- Screener: Set a solid screen with your feet planted, then make contact with the ball handler's defender. Roll to the rim right away with your hands up. Sprint, do not drift.
- Ball handler: Make your defender brush the screener. Keep your dribble alive and your eyes up. Do not pick the ball up early, and do not speed past the screen.
- Back screener: Time the screen so it arrives as 5 clears the ball screen. Too early and 5's defender just sits on 5's hip. Set your feet and stay still on contact, because a moving screen is a foul.
- After the screen: Pop at once to open space on the three-point line. Open your hips to the ball and be ready to shoot.
- Corners: Stay deep in the corners and be ready to shoot. A corner player who drifts into the lane brings a defender with him.
- Everyone: Read the coverage before the screen. Switch, drop and hedge each need a different answer (see the counters below).
- Spacing: If a player cuts into the lane, the lane is crowded and the roll has no room. Keep the paint clear for the roller.
- Screens from behind: Your league's rules about screens set outside a defender's view still apply. Set the screen with your feet planted and let the defender see you or step into you. Check your league's rule.
Counters: what to do when the defense takes something away
| Coverage | What the defense does | Your counter |
|---|---|---|
| Switch the ball screen | 5 gets a smaller defender and 1 gets a bigger one | 5 seals the smaller defender near the rim. 1 attacks the bigger defender off the dribble. |
| Switch the back screen too | 2 gets a bigger, slower defender | 2 shoots over a late closeout or drives past it. A second switch often creates a mismatch. |
| Early switch call | The defense calls the switch before the screen arrives | 5 slips the screen: cut to the rim before contact. 1 hits the slip. |
| Drop coverage | 5's defender sinks into the lane below the screen. 1's defender goes over. | 1 pulls up off the screen, because drop gives up the shot above it. 5 short rolls: catch near the free-throw line and attack the 4 on 3. 2 can skip the back screen and pop straight to the arc, so 1 and 5 both have a shooter to kick to. |
| Hard hedge or show | 5's defender steps out to stop 1 and gets detached from 5 | 2 skips the back screen and pops to the top of the arc. 5 rolls into the space behind the hedger. |
| Going under the screen | 1's defender goes under the screen | 1 shoots the pull-up three. |
| Help from the corner | A corner defender sags to stop the roll | Kick to the corner for a three. |
If your opponent already knows Spain, start with a different action (a handoff or a down screen) so the first two seconds look the same, then flow into Spain.
Teach it in 5 steps
| Step | Drill | Time | What to coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball screen and roll, 2 on 0 | 5 min | Screener: set and roll with hands up. Ball handler: shoulder to shoulder. |
| 2 | Ball screen and roll, 2 on 2 | 8 min | Ball handler reads: shoot, drive or pass. Screener reads: roll or pop. |
| 3 | Add the back screen, 3 on 0 | 5 min | Walk it at half speed. Timing of the back screen. Pop to space. |
| 4 | Add live defense, 3 on 3 | 10 min | Say the reads out loud: roll, pop, keep. First game: only the roller or the popper can score. |
| 5 | Full action, 5 on 5 | 10 min | Add the corners. Run five reps, then rotate. Give a bonus point for the first correct read. |
Age guide, as a rule of thumb: ages 12 and under, teach steps 1 to 3. Ages 13 to 15, add step 4. High school, add the counters and the false-motion entry. Move up only when players set legal screens and make the reads without you calling them.
Common mistakes to watch for:
- The back screener arrives early and 5's defender simply stays attached.
- The ball handler picks up the dribble before the screen arrives.
- The popper stops after the screen instead of moving to space.
- The corners cheat into the lane.
- The roller drifts instead of sprinting to the rim.
When to run it
- When you need a good shot late in the shot clock or late in the game.
- When the other team sinks its big into the lane on ball screens.
- When your best shooter can set a solid screen and you have a screener who can finish at the rim.
You can also run Spain from a sideline or baseline out of bounds set.
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Spain Pick and Roll: questions
What is the Spain pick and roll?
The Spain pick and roll is a ball screen plus a back screen. The screener sets a high ball screen for the ball handler and rolls to the rim. A third player back screens the screener's defender, then pops to the three-point line. It creates three scoring threats at once.
Who should be the back screener?
Use your best shooter who can also set a solid, legal screen. The defense has to respect the pop to the three-point line, so a shooter is more dangerous than a player who cannot shoot. A wing or a forward often fills this role.
How do you defend the Spain pick and roll?
Common answers are to switch the ball screen and the back screen, to have the screener's defender show and recover, or to keep the popper's defender attached to the shooter. All of them need loud communication. Practice it in 3 on 3 first, then 5 on 5.
What age group can run the Spain pick and roll?
As a rule of thumb, teach the ball screen and roll first at the youngest ages. Add the back screen when your players can set legal screens and read the defense, often around ages 12 to 14. Use the 5-step progression above and move up only when the previous step is clean.
Can you run it without a big man?
Yes. Any player who sets a solid screen and can finish or catch at the rim can be the screener. The back screener should be a real shooter. Small lineups often run it because the screener, the popper and the corners all space the floor.