What this version covers
Readable ball-handler cues matter; optional enhancements should not be mistaken for required layers.
Source-backed summary; versions may differ.
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offense
Read & React offense
Rick Torbett's framework links teammates' movements to the ball: passing and cutting, then support movement on drives. Additional layers can be taught as players are ready.
How it runs
Start with a pass, a cut and an open spot
This first Read & React example uses five players outside, not a required formation. Teach drive-support rules and screens separately when players are ready. This is not the full course. Defenders are not shown.
1–5 are players on offense. X1–X5 are defenders. Each number stays with the same player in every step; it does not lock that player into a position.
Diagram 1 of 6
1. Pass to the left wing
1 passes to 3 on the left. 2 and 5 wait on the right, and 4 stays in the left corner. Everyone watches what the ball does next.
Diagram key
- Offense
- Defense
- Coach
- Neutral
- Ball
- Cone
- Cut
- Dribble
- Pass
- Screen
- Hand-off
- Shot
- Def. slide
Use Previous and Next beside the court, or choose a numbered step. Arrows on the court show where players or the ball move. CoachAssist drew this example; it does not show every way to run the scheme.
Read & React is a layered system, not one five-out play or every possible reaction in basketball. Our visuals show pass-and-cut and dribble-at examples. The longer recommendations are original practice designs, not a reproduction of the paid curriculum.
In this guide · jump to a topic
Starting jobs and useful space
Start with the jobs your group has actually learned
Our default begins with 1 high, 3 on the left wing, 2 right and 4 and 5 in corners. Use that drawing to learn the first pass, scoring cut and refill. Have players identify the empty outside job before moving; the receiver of the next pass may be a different number from the original top player.
If you add an inside player, teach that player’s drive support before live five-on-five. Do not simply move a corner player into the paint and retain every five-out movement unchanged. A useful inside receiver must leave the driver room and still provide a visible target.
CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.
- Rick Torbett · Creating the Read and React Offense
- Rick Torbett · Read & React versus Dribble Drive Attack
- Better Basketball · Ball Handler is your orchestrator
- Basketball For Coaches editorial · Read and React Offense – Complete Coaching Guide (20 Layers)
- Mike Largey, with Rick Torbett response · Intentional Circle Reverse
Keep the possession going
Finish one response, then recognize the next cue
Begin with pass-and-cut until the group can clear a covered cut and refill without coaching every destination. Then introduce a different cue in a separate lesson. Ask the ball handler to make it obvious whether the ball is going toward a teammate, toward the basket or into the agreed handoff action.
Do not build a possession that requires every layer in a fixed order. Practice a complete response to one cue, including the covered option and safe next catch. Later mix two familiar cues and check whether all five make compatible decisions. A stopped drive also needs an agreed outlet response; “keep moving” is not precise enough.
CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.
- Rick Torbett · Creating the Read and React Offense
- Rick Torbett · Read & React versus Dribble Drive Attack
- Better Basketball · Ball Handler is your orchestrator
- Basketball For Coaches editorial · Read and React Offense – Complete Coaching Guide (20 Layers)
- Mike Largey, with Rick Torbett response · Intentional Circle Reverse
Decisions against the defense
Teammates read the same dribble differently
When: One prepares a handoff while another begins a cut.
Do this: Stop and clarify the handler’s intended action. Make the cue visibly distinct before repeating.
Then: Do not add another layer until the group shares the existing signal.
CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.
- Rick Torbett · Creating the Read and React Offense
- Rick Torbett · Read & React versus Dribble Drive Attack
- Better Basketball · Ball Handler is your orchestrator
- Basketball For Coaches editorial · Read and React Offense – Complete Coaching Guide (20 Layers)
- Mike Largey, with Rick Torbett response · Intentional Circle Reverse
A baseline drive changes the available space
When: The inside player and outside receivers cannot use the same paths as on every middle drive.
Do this: Teach separate support positions and a reachable outlet for that drive location.
Then: If the drive is stopped, use the agreed recovery without requiring an unsafe pass under the basket.
CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.
- Rick Torbett · Creating the Read and React Offense
- Rick Torbett · Read & React versus Dribble Drive Attack
- Better Basketball · Ball Handler is your orchestrator
- Basketball For Coaches editorial · Read and React Offense – Complete Coaching Guide (20 Layers)
- Mike Largey, with Rick Torbett response · Intentional Circle Reverse
What to emphasize
- Original teaching suggestion: teach one shared rule in a small group, then test it against defense.
Problems, fixes and checks
Players hesitate while recalling too many rules
Problem: The offense is active in walkthroughs but freezes against defense.
Try this correction: Remove the newest addition and test the earlier cues with live, limited choices.
Check: Restore the addition only when players recognize the earlier cues without asking.
CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.
- Rick Torbett · Creating the Read and React Offense
- Rick Torbett · Read & React versus Dribble Drive Attack
- Better Basketball · Ball Handler is your orchestrator
- Basketball For Coaches editorial · Read and React Offense – Complete Coaching Guide (20 Layers)
- Mike Largey, with Rick Torbett response · Intentional Circle Reverse
Every diagram is treated as five-out
Problem: An inside player follows an outside refill rule into traffic.
Try this correction: Identify the actual formation and inside job before using the example.
Check: Players explain which movement changed because somebody began inside.
CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.
- Rick Torbett · Creating the Read and React Offense
- Rick Torbett · Read & React versus Dribble Drive Attack
- Better Basketball · Ball Handler is your orchestrator
- Basketball For Coaches editorial · Read and React Offense – Complete Coaching Guide (20 Layers)
- Mike Largey, with Rick Torbett response · Intentional Circle Reverse
Versions and diagram coverage
Dribble-at is a different trigger
Changes: read, entry.
- The linked example begins with the agreed dribble toward a teammate, not a perimeter pass.
When to use it: Use after the group distinguishes it from driving toward the basket.
CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.
- Rick Torbett · Creating the Read and React Offense
- Rick Torbett · Read & React versus Dribble Drive Attack
- Better Basketball · Ball Handler is your orchestrator
- Basketball For Coaches editorial · Read and React Offense – Complete Coaching Guide (20 Layers)
- Mike Largey, with Rick Torbett response · Intentional Circle Reverse
Formation, support and recovery are not renumbering
Changes: setup, read, continuation.
- Inside-player support, baseline support and optional recovery enhancements remain written-only here. The reviewed baseline figure includes an inside player.
When to use it: Choose a small compatible set; these two visual examples are not the full curriculum.
Written variant · this option does not have its own walkthrough here.
CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.
- Rick Torbett · Creating the Read and React Offense
- Rick Torbett · Read & React versus Dribble Drive Attack
- Better Basketball · Ball Handler is your orchestrator
- Basketball For Coaches editorial · Read and React Offense – Complete Coaching Guide (20 Layers)
- Mike Largey, with Rick Torbett response · Intentional Circle Reverse
How to teach it
Choose the level that matches what your players can do now. These steps work for boys and girls. Start simpler if players need more practice.
Practice it step by step
Pass, threaten the basket and find a vacancy
Set it up: Three attackers without defenders and three outside receiving areas.
- Pass and make a controlled scoring cut.
- Clear when the return is unavailable and fill the vacancy.
Add more when: Players know where to go without a coach pointing.
Check it in play
- The cut threatens a catch rather than merely touching a cone.
CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.
- Rick Torbett · Creating the Read and React Offense
- Rick Torbett · Read & React versus Dribble Drive Attack
- Better Basketball · Ball Handler is your orchestrator
- Basketball For Coaches editorial · Read and React Offense – Complete Coaching Guide (20 Layers)
- Mike Largey, with Rick Torbett response · Intentional Circle Reverse
CoachAssist wrote these teaching steps. They are not an exact copy of any coach’s practice plan.
What can go wrong and how to adjust
- Read & React and Dribble Drive are related but different systems. This guide is not the complete proprietary course.
Coaches and teams that use it
Rick Torbett · Better Basketball
The creator’s public articles describe a layered teaching approach with passing, cutting and drive responses. This guide does not reproduce the full paid course.
Drills for this scheme · steps and diagrams
The level selector changes the teaching steps above. It does not change these drills. Check the number of players, equipment and difficulty before using a drill.
Pass, Cut and Talk
Court diagram · view the drill first
Builds a skill used in this scheme: A three-player CoachAssist adaptation practices one agreed pass, cut and fill rule. It is a starting lesson inspired by the creator’s public teaching, not a reproduced course drill or the complete Read & React system.
Three players rehearse one agreed pass-and-cut rule with clear communication.
3 players · 4–8 minutes · basketballs
Purpose
Choose a useful next action and explain it simply.
Set it up
Start three players outside. Agree which open spot the passer fills after cutting. Spare balls and waiting players stay outside the active routes.
Run the drill
- Agree on a short timed interval and begin at walkthrough pace. Use one active ball and one group in the playing area; add controlled opposition only when players understand the routes and can stop safely.
- Pass, then cut toward the basket.
- The other players keep a return pass available.
- Fill the agreed empty spot, reset and change the starting passer.
- End the repetition on a controlled finish, dead ball or coach stop. Clear the ball and landing area before restarting; rotate roles and rest within the planned interval, without extending it to reach a target.
Scoring
Optional: within a short coach-chosen timed interval, count sound decisions, controlled catches or completed defensive possessions. Stop at the planned time or sooner; no required makes, winning streak or exercise penalty. Rotate roles and allow rest regardless of the score.
Coach the details
- Call for the ball only when the pass is clear.
- This rehearses one layer, not the entire Read & React system.
- Use comfortable passing and shooting distances and an appropriate ball. Progress by demonstrated control, not speed: keep eyes on the play, leave stopping/landing space, and stop if a route or loose ball creates a collision risk.
Ways to adapt the drill
- Original CoachAssist display adaptation: these edited steps, workload limits and optional scoring are coaching adaptations, not a claim that the cited author prescribed this exact version.
- This three-player CoachAssist adaptation practices one agreed pass-and-cut rule. It does not reproduce the creator’s course or teach all five-player drive responses.
- The teaching-level selector does not automatically adapt these drills for age or ability. A coach must choose suitable roles, equipment, contact, space and progressions; simplify or defer anything the group is not ready to perform.
- Provenance (original-adaptation): CoachAssist's original practice and locator diagrams, inspired by the cited teaching concept; not a reproduced drill or tested training program. Times are optional planning estimates, not research-based doses. Under 13: a parent or coach leads and supervises.
5-Out Pass, Cut and Fill
Court diagram · view the drill first
Builds a skill used in this scheme: Practices passing, cutting and filling empty spots from five-out. This supports one Read & React starting lesson, not every formation, drive response or layer of the creator’s course.
Practice cutting after a pass from the top or wing. Two diagrams show the first actions; the steps explain how to reset.
5–12 players · 8–15 minutes · basketballs
Purpose
Practice cutting after a pass from the top or wing. Two diagrams show the first actions; the steps explain how to reset.
Set it up
Five attackers and one ball, no defense. In the drawing, 1 starts at the top with the ball; 2 and 4 occupy the left wing and corner, and 3 and 5 the right wing and corner. Use comfortable spacing and passing distances. Spare balls and waiting players stay outside the active routes.
Run the drill
- Agree on a short timed interval and begin at walkthrough pace. Use one active ball and one group in the playing area; add controlled opposition only when players understand the routes and can stop safely.
- 1 passes to 2 and cuts toward the basket. 3 fills the top, 5 fills the wing behind 3, and 4 stays in the corner. If no return pass is taken, 1 clears to the corner that 5 left before frame 2 begins.
- 2 passes to 3 at the top, then 2 cuts toward the basket. 4 fills the wing that 2 left. 1 and 5 hold their spots while 3 checks the return pass to 2; take it only through a clear passing window.
- If no return pass is taken, 2 clears to the corner on the same side that 2 started from, replacing 4. This exit is described here but not drawn in frame 2. Do not send 2 to the corner already occupied by 1.
- After 2 clears, 3 holds the ball at the top, 4 and 5 are the wings, and 2 and 1 are the corners. This is the next starting shape, not a return to the original player numbers. The restored shape is not drawn.
- Only now begin another pass-and-cut action from these new jobs. Do not skip 2's cut and exit to start 3's next cut early. A clear return pass can instead lead to a controlled finish, ball recovery and reset.
- End the repetition on a controlled finish, dead ball or coach stop. Clear the ball and landing area before restarting; rotate roles and rest within the planned interval, without extending it to reach a target.
Scoring
Optional: within a short coach-chosen timed interval, count sound decisions, controlled catches or completed defensive possessions. Stop at the planned time or sooner; no required makes, winning streak or exercise penalty. Rotate roles and allow rest regardless of the score.
Coach the details
- In this drill, the wing passer also cuts: 2 passes to 3, cuts, then clears; 4 fills the wing.
- Both top and wing passers cut here. The separate five-out guide's top-only repeat is a different teaching example.
- The last corner exit and restart are written, not drawn. No-dribble work is an optional teaching phase.
- Use comfortable passing and shooting distances and an appropriate ball. Progress by demonstrated control, not speed: keep eyes on the play, leave stopping/landing space, and stop if a route or loose ball creates a collision risk.
Ways to adapt the drill
- Original CoachAssist display adaptation: these edited steps, workload limits and optional scoring are coaching adaptations, not a claim that the cited author prescribed this exact version.
- Original CoachAssist renumbered teaching example: two illustrative frames, not a complete offense. Basketball For Coaches distinguishes top-to-wing and wing-to-top cuts; our numbering, comfortable spacing and controlled timing are teaching choices.
- The separate five-out strategy guide uses different player numbers and a top-only-cut repetition. Do not combine that continuation with this drill's wing-passer cut.
- The teaching-level selector does not automatically adapt these drills for age or ability. A coach must choose suitable roles, equipment, contact, space and progressions; simplify or defer anything the group is not ready to perform.
5-Out 5-on-4 Push/Pull Reads
Court diagram · view the drill first
Builds a skill used in this scheme: Practices moving into passing spots when a teammate drives against help. Agree on the intended drive-support rules; this five-out drill is not the full Read & React program.
Teach where receivers move when a teammate drives, using five attackers against four defenders.
9–27 players · 5–12 minutes · basketballs
Purpose
Teach where receivers move when a teammate drives, using five attackers against four defenders.
Set it up
Five attackers at top, wings and corners face four defenders: nine players and one ball. Agree on how teammates move when the ball handler drives or stops, and clear drive/landing lanes. A fifth defender requires a tenth player. Spare balls and waiting players stay outside the active routes.
Run the drill
- Agree on a short timed interval and begin at walkthrough pace. Use one active ball and one group in the playing area; add controlled opposition only when players understand the routes and can stop safely.
- The unguarded attacker drives between defenders; receivers move to give the driver clear passing angles.
- Watch whether a defender leaves a receiver to stop the drive, then choose a pass, a shot near the basket, or another drive.
- Progress by adding the fifth defender behind the ball; rotate the delayed defender.
- End the repetition on a controlled finish, dead ball or coach stop. Clear the ball and landing area before restarting; rotate roles and rest within the planned interval, without extending it to reach a target.
Scoring
Optional: within a short coach-chosen timed interval, count sound decisions, controlled catches or completed defensive possessions. Stop at the planned time or sooner; no required makes, winning streak or exercise penalty. Rotate roles and allow rest regardless of the score.
Coach the details
- Move where the ball handler has a clear pass to you.
- Do not require baseline cutting in every version.
- Count decisions that preserve an advantage, not only makes.
- Use comfortable passing and shooting distances and an appropriate ball. Progress by demonstrated control, not speed: keep eyes on the play, leave stopping/landing space, and stop if a route or loose ball creates a collision risk.
Ways to adapt the drill
- Original CoachAssist display adaptation: these edited steps, workload limits and optional scoring are coaching adaptations, not a claim that the cited author prescribed this exact version.
- The teaching-level selector does not automatically adapt these drills for age or ability. A coach must choose suitable roles, equipment, contact, space and progressions; simplify or defer anything the group is not ready to perform.
- Provenance (original-adaptation): The linked five-out resource supports drive relocation and advantage teaching. This recovery format and geometry are original SportsPlay adaptations; apply the coach’s chosen push/pull rules.
Sources and what we could confirm
The sources support the system guide. CoachAssist created the practice steps and checks; they are suggestions, not tested programs or a coach’s full playbook. The linked drills practice parts of the system.
Coaches run this in different ways. The sources below describe the versions covered here. These sources do not cover every possible version.
- Creating the Read and React Offense
Rick Torbett · Better Basketball · publication date not listed
Creator's public explanation; no access to paid course. Page displays October 29 without verified year.
- Read & React versus Dribble Drive Attack
Rick Torbett · Better Basketball · publication date not listed
Creator's comparison supports the distinction between systems, not independent evidence of superiority.
- Ball Handler is your orchestrator
Better Basketball · Better Basketball · publication date not listed
Public creator-site teaching. Page shows December 13 without verified year. No paid course accessed.
- Intentional Circle Reverse
Mike Largey, with Rick Torbett response · Better Basketball · publication date not listed
Public guest adjustment and creator response read. Page shows August 17 without verified year. Optional enhancement distinguished from basic recovery; no paid material accessed.
- Read and React Offense – Complete Coaching Guide (20 Layers)
Basketball For Coaches editorial · Basketball For Coaches · publication date not listed
Selected public layer distinctions and baseline figure checked. That figure has an inside player despite the introductory five-out claim. Not a full curriculum reproduction.