A reverse layup goes under the basket and finishes on the far side. Coming from the right side along the baseline, the player carries under the rim and lays the ball up on the left side with the left hand. The rim, and his body, sit between the ball and the shot blocker.
Why coaches use it
Because a shot blocker waiting on the near side of the rim cannot reach a ball released on the far side without going through the rim. The reverse is the finish for baseline drives and for backdoor cuts that arrive at an angle, where a normal layup would go straight into the defender’s hand.
How it is done
Coach’s Clipboard’s layup guide gives the standard footwork: coming from the right wing or corner, jump off the right foot, the inside foot, and finish on the left side with the left hand, ball high on the glass.
- Speed to carry you through. Basketball For Coaches says to attack with enough speed to carry past the rim.
- Get to the baseline side of the defender. That is what makes the rim a shield.
- Look up for the square. Release high off the glass with the hand farther from the defender.
- Not too much spin. Basketball For Coaches warns against putting too much spin on it.
Coach’s Clipboard’s other point is to know where you are under the basket: players who lose track of the rim miss it. Practise it from both sides, every time.
Drills
Our reverse layup series uses two cones, at the elbow and outside the block, to force the baseline route, then mirrors it on the left. It is tagged from U12. The Mikan drill has a reverse variation that starts under the rim. Our guide to layup drills puts the reverse in order with the other finishes.