Rebounding as a System

What it is

• Offensive rebounding is about pursuing the ball in the air after a missed shot.

Why it matters

• Crash means crashing the offensive boards aggressively for a rebound.
• Get-back means immediately retreating to defend against fast-break opportunities if the shot misses.
• The crash-3/get-back-2 philosophy is a common framework: three players crash the offensive boards aggressively, while two players get back to defend transition.
• This provides both rebounding strength and defensive balance.

How it works

• The pursuit angle determines whether you'll arrive at the rebound location in time to secure it.
• An offensive rebounder should pursue the rebound along the shortest path to its predicted landing spot.
• This often means taking a diagonal path rather than a straight line to the basket.
• For example, if a shot misses from the right wing, the offensive rebounder might pursue diagonally toward the left side of the backboard where the rebound is likely to bounce.
• The angle also depends on your position relative to defensive players; if a defender is already positioned near the basket, the rebounder should pursue an angle that avoids direct contact and approaches from a different direction.

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Learn before and after

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