Basketball tryouts are how a coach evaluates players and chooses the team. This guide covers how to plan basketball tryouts, which drills and scrimmages to use, how to evaluate and score players, how to cut and how to tell players and parents the decision. Coaches run tryouts several ways, so each format below is named for how it runs, and you can mix the parts that fit your program.
What Tryouts Are For
The 50/50 version says the point of tryouts is the best team, which is a different thing from the best collection of talent. It says the first 5 to 7 spots are clear within minutes and the real work is the last 3 to 5. The three-lens version puts the known group at the top 6 to 8 and says the bench still matters because injury, foul trouble or grades will eventually put those players on the floor. The objective-drill version adds that a team already picked in private makes a tryout lip service, and a real tryout also tells you the team's overall skill level. Each version on this page is named for how it runs.
Where playing time is not shared evenly, the 50/50 version says the final spots decide who pushes the rotation in practice and sets the tone on the bench. At youth level every player on the team should play fair minutes, so the last spots go to players who will keep getting better and lift the mood of the group.
Before the First Session
- Write down your needs and criteria. The objective-drill version wants team needs, criteria and the evaluation form settled before the tryout. The philosophy-first view writes a coaching philosophy first.
- Agree the policy in advance. The signed-policy view wants the tryout and cut policy to be fair, flexible and signed off by players and parents before it starts.
- Plan for safety. The objective-drill version lists current first aid and CPR certification, an emergency plan and a medical kit on site.
- Give every player a clean slate. Do not walk in with last year's team already picked, because some players worked hard all off-season.
- Find help. A second set of eyes runs drills while you watch, and gives a second opinion at selection time. The stations version uses a trusted assistant at each basket so no one coach judges 50 players alone.
- Plan every drill. Estimate the turnout and settle every drill before you arrive.
The welcome version has seven steps. Gather players and parents together, welcome them, share a two or three sentence philosophy, explain how the tryout runs, name two or three traits you want, say how and when the team will be announced and answer questions. The stations version adds that a coach should explain rules, policies and season goals to every player before evaluating anyone.
Tryout Formats Side by Side
| Format | How it runs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 50/50 | Half skill drills, half competitive games, with the strategy block cut out. Two 60-minute sessions beat one long one, and its 90-minute sample runs warm-up, Dribble Tag, 3-on-3, shooting, 3-on-2 full court, 2-on-2 box out and 5-on-5 | 50/50 version |
| Stations then scrimmage | Stations for shooting, layups, passing, dribbling, footwork and defense first, then scrimmaging at the end, with 3-on-3 preferred | Stations version |
| Objective drills, then scrimmage | A six-step process of team needs, criteria, a form, objective drills instead of pure scrimmaging, staff evaluation and final cuts | Objective-drill version |
| Three lenses on the bubble | Conditioning, competition and mental toughness drills aimed at the players beyond the top 6 to 8 | Three-lens version |
The 50/50 version gives a 90-minute sample: 10 minutes of warm-up, 10 of Dribble Tag, 15 of 3-on-3 half court, 10 of competitive shooting, 15 of 3-on-2 full court, 10 of 2-on-2 box out and 20 of 5-on-5. It tells coaches to compare mock teams between sessions. Each coach writes a team after session one. The players everyone agrees on are settled, and the conflicted ones need the most attention in session two. The same version says a session runs 60 to 90 minutes with two or three sessions over a week.
Basketball Tryout Drills and Stations
The 50/50 version says there is no such thing as a tryout drill. The same drills run in practice, and the mix is what matters. It names seven drills, and other tryout formats add more.
- Dribble Tag. Every player has a ball inside half court and tries to tag others. It shows ball control with the eyes up in a crowd.
- 3-on-2 full court. Three offensive players attack two defenders from baseline to baseline. It shows who makes the pass on time, who forces a bad one and who sprints both ways, and it shows conditioning without a sprint.
- 2-on-2 box out. After the coach's shot, two offensive players go for the glass while two defenders box them out. The 50/50 version calls rebounding under-tested at most tryouts.
- 4-on-3 advantage. The offense has the numbers and the defense scrambles. Players who find the open man at once show it.
- 3-on-3 half court. Play regular rules, then try a limit of three dribbles per touch so players have to move without the ball.
- Competitive shooting. A shooting drill that keeps score, such as partners racing to 10 makes.
- Full-court 5-on-5. Quick games to 5 baskets or 5 minutes, saved for the end and used to watch the bubble players.
The objective-drill version names drills that can be scored. In the Wolf drill players go one-on-one full court in a layup pursuit. In Five Spots a player makes five in a row at each of five close-range spots, and a miss resets him. In Range Finder a shooter steps back after three makes in a row on a spoke and steps in after three misses. Its speed dribbling race uses a chair course. The stations version adds a mass sideline dribbling drill for groups with too few assistants, a full-court two-line passing drill without dribbling, gut-buster sprints and the Z-drill of defensive slides.
Fitness shows at tryouts too. The three-lens version reads a player who arrives out of shape as a red flag about commitment, with exceptions for injury and another sport, and it runs game-situation drills right after conditioning to see who still thinks when tired. For the drills, see Basketball Tryout Drills and Basketball Conditioning Drills.
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Scrimmages
| Question | One view | Another view |
|---|---|---|
| 3-on-3 or 5-on-5 | Stations version prefers 3-on-3 because each skill is more visible, and 5-on-5 lets a few players dominate the ball. In its full-court 5-on-5 it bans pressing so the eye stays on individual skill | The 50/50 version ends on 5-on-5 aimed at bubble players. The objective-drill version runs a 5-on-5 round robin with kept statistics |
| Who plays together | Stations version mixes teams so friend groups do not cluster and talent is not stacked | Objective-drill version regroups players after each round by round-robin results |
The objective-drill version starts with one-on-one make-it-take-it with a three-dribble limit and no backing in, grouped by bigs and smalls. It then moves to three-on-three with a post, a point guard and a shooter, then to the 5-on-5 round robin. A no-dribble full-court 3 on 3 serves as a college preseason test of who can play and who knows how to win. See Basketball Scrimmages for the formats.
What to Look For
| Format | What gets weighed, in order |
|---|---|
| The 50/50 version | For the maybes: basketball skills first, then natural feel in competition, then character, then positional fit. It lists scoring in games, physical tools, competitive fire, coachability and positive energy as a general list |
| Defense-first version (middle school) | Whether the player wants to play defense, then ball security, then demeanor, including body language, reaction to a bad play and treatment of teammates. A skilled non-defender can make it if he is teachable |
| Stations version | Fundamentals over flash, tough defense, loose balls, boxing out, passing, no turnovers, first in and last out and a role-player mindset |
| Three-lens version (high school) | Attitude and effort, basketball IQ, quick learning, buying into a role, making open shots, ball care, creating for others and conditioning |
| Objective-drill version | Physical criteria (quickness, speed, jumping, coordination, shooting, passing, ball handling, rebounding, defense) beside character criteria (attitude, discipline, cooperation, coachability), with John Wooden's description of a perfect player |
The versions split on what comes first. The 50/50 version puts skill first, and the defense-first version puts defense first. The same version adds that no coach of a competitive team takes a polite newcomer without skills over the top scorer from last year, so skill fills the first 5 to 7 spots and character decides the last two or three. The objective-drill version offers a mismatch test. Put a player on the weakest lineup against the strongest and watch whether he lifts his teammates or sulks. Joe Scott judges players by what they do well, whether they know their limits and their character, and he prefers versatile gym rats over a number from 1 to 5.
Do not stand on the sideline. The 50/50 version warns against the "prison guard" who only scores from the wall. Coachability cannot be judged without coaching, so give an instruction, correct a stance or call for a sprint back, and watch what happens next. Most players are more nervous at tryouts than at any point in the season.
Scoring and Evaluation Forms
Most tryout forms score each skill from 1 to 5 with a short comments column, and the comments often tell the staff more than the numbers. Sort players into three groups, sure picks, sure cuts and the middle, and spend most of the staff's attention on the middle group. Coaches split on whether to use a number sheet at all and on whether a player ever sees it.
The form to copy, its scales and the drill for each row are on basketball tryout evaluation form. Score while you coach, never from the wall.
Cuts and Telling Players
Tell every player face to face, never by a list on the gym door. Keep it short, name one thing to work on for next year and offer another role where you can, such as manager or statistician. Many coaches avoid cutting at the youth level and treat it as a last resort higher up.
The day-one script, the meeting and the exact words are on cutting players: what to say, and talking with parents after a decision is on Basketball Parent Communication. A hard decision told well keeps the player in the game.
Roster Size and Roles
Roster size follows the system. The defense-first version keeps 10 or 11 players so the team can still scrimmage 5-on-5 if someone is sick or away, and its pace needs fresh legs. Ettore Messina builds around four specialists, a point guard, a center, a shooter and a defensive specialist, with everyone else able to play two positions. The objective-drill version says at lower levels every player should learn every position. The stations version calls positionless basketball impractical for most high schools. Read Basketball Positions Explained for the roles.
After the cut, give each reserve a defined job. The objective-drill version lists the sixth person, the defensive stopper and the designated inbounder, and says to give every player equal opportunity but not equal playing time. See How to Manage and Utilize Bench Players Effectively.
Tips for Players
The player's side of a tryout, how to prepare, what coaches watch, what to show by position, what to wear, when high school tryouts are held and what to do after the list comes out, is on tips for basketball tryouts. Hand it to players before the first session. For what comes next on the coach's side, see Basketball Preseason Preparation and Basketball Practice Plan.
Questions Coaches Ask About Basketball Tryouts
What do you do at basketball tryouts?
Most tryouts mix skill drills, such as dribbling, shooting and passing, with competitive games such as 3-on-3, 3-on-2 and 5-on-5. Coaches use drills to see technique and games to see who can play.
What do coaches look for at basketball tryouts?
The lists differ. The 50/50 version wants skill first, then feel, character and fit. The defense-first version wants defense, ball security and attitude. The stations version wants fundamentals, hustle and a role-player mindset.
How long should basketball tryouts last?
The 50/50 version says a session runs 60 to 90 minutes, with two or three sessions over a week. It prefers two 60-minute sessions to one 120-minute session.
How do you cut players after tryouts?
Tell each player face to face, give short and specific reasons, never compare players, offer another role and avoid the word cut. Form a second team if you can.
What should players wear to basketball tryouts?
Basketball shoes, shorts and a plain shirt, and bring water. More player tips are on tips for basketball tryouts.
When do high school basketball tryouts happen?
In the United States the 50/50 version says high school tryouts usually fall in late October or early November, shortly before the season starts. Check with your school.
Tryouts belong to coaching and program building, and the hub lists the other pages on running a team.
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