A number of years ago, I wanted to run a high ball screen offense. I liked the base action along with all of the counters.

We spent the summer and preseason learning the various actions. We would drill the counters regularly.

However, when we played, something bad happened. All my players would do was the base action! It was like they completely forgot the counters.

So what on paper was supposed to be an offense with a variety of reads and concepts became a patterned offense.

This led to 3 results:

• Me being frustrated
• The offense not being nearly as effective as it should have been
• Me eventually scrapping the offense

With the benefit of hindsight and experience, I am able to recognize my role in that situation. I clearly did not teach the concepts well enough.

Don’t let that happen to you!

Why Conceptual Offenses Look Great (On Paper)

Conceptual offenses are popular at all levels of basketball. Why? In theory, conceptual offenses teach players reads and decisions. This prevents you from falling into a pattern, making you much harder to defend.

However, as my story shows, theory and reality don’t always align.

One of the most popular conceptual offenses today is The Zoom Offense With Nate Steege. In a webinar, Coach Steege was asked how he is able to prevent his team from falling into a pattern when running two zoom flow.

How Constraints Can Help Build Structure While Keeping Freedom

In his answer, Coach Steege talks about the use of constraints. Constraints are tools you can use as a coach to manipulate the learning environment to focus on various concepts or areas of skill development.

As Coach Steege so simply states, if your players are turning the Zoom Offense into a pattern, don’t let them do that!

That’s an example of using “musts” and “only” constraints.

Within the Zoom Offense (or any offense), musts and only constraints might look like this:

• Must Constraints - you must do a different option off the zoom every time. Or you must turn every 3 player side into a 2 player side
• Only Constraints - you can only score after you’ve turned a 3 player side to a 2 player side. Or you can only score on a refusal or you can only shoot after a curl.

By using those constraints, you dictate the actions you want to see. You aren’t taking away all their freedom. They still have choices. But you are shaping those choices to focus on all the actions the offense provides.

One example you could require is a twirl into a zoom.

• Instead of sprinting off 3’s screen and taking the handoff as they normally would, 2 curls and sets a “twirl” screen for 3.
• 3 uses 2’s screen to take the zoom from 5.

• 3 attacks the middle as 5 rolls and 2 lifts.

The twirl is just one option you can require players to incorporate into your scrimmages and drills.

Musts and only’s are two examples of how you can build your offense through constraints. Scoring systems is another one.

An example could be:

• Scoring system - any basket scored on a twirl action zoom is worth triple points.

Incentivizing the action with extra points will get players looking for it.

Discipline Now, Freedom Later: The Irony of Constraints in Coaching

The beauty of conceptual offenses is the freedom they provide. However, sometimes too much freedom too soon can be overwhelming. Ironically, it can end up limiting what your players do in the long run.

Constraints do the opposite. You limit them now to free them up later!

To learn more about teaching conceptual offense and how to use one of the best scoring actions in the game today, check out The Zoom Offense With Nate Steege. 

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