V-Cut to Get Open

Skill drill

Get open on the wing with a sharp V-cut.

6 min pairs Half court
FootworkTeamworkU10U12U14U16

Step-by-step walkthrough

pairs · 1 ball, 1 hoop, chair/cone

Get everyone ready

Set up your defenderStart high and walk your defender in toward the paint. C1

● Player / attackGold: ballGreen C: coach

Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×

Set up

A passer at the top, and a chair or cone on the wing as the defender with the player starting beside it.

Look for: Sell the cut in before you come out.

Playback options
Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×
Coach’s notes & group organisation

A passer at the top, and a chair or cone on the wing as the defender with the player starting beside it.

  1. Walk in toward the basket past the chair, as if taking your defender with you.
  2. Plant hard and cut back out above the chair to the wing in a 'V'.
  3. Show a target hand and call for the ball.
  4. Catch in triple threat, ready to attack.

Suggested reset

The cutter passes the same ball back to the top, then becomes the passer. The passer takes the wing for the next V-cut. Extra cutters wait behind the wing outside the cutting lane; advance one after each rep.

Coaching cues

  • Sell the cut in before you come out.
  • Plant and change direction sharply.
  • Come to meet the pass.

Adapt the challenge

Harder: Add a defender who tries to deny.

Easier: Walk the V slowly with no defender and just hold the target hand up on the catch.

Catch and Attack: Every catch must end in one hard dribble at the rim so the cut leads somewhere.

What this drill teaches

Getting open as a skill in itself. The V shape works because of the sell — taking the defender in toward the basket before planting and exploding out — so players learn that a catch is earned before the pass is thrown.

In games: Fixes the player who never touches the ball — and stops the five-second calls and throw-aways that happen when nobody on the wing can shake free.

What good looks like
  • A genuine walk-in before the cut, not a token step
  • A hard plant and a sharp change of direction
  • Target hand up, coming to meet the pass, catching in triple threat

U10: walk the V with no defender — rounded, lazy cuts are normal at first. U14–U16: expect sharp cuts against live denial and one hard dribble at the rim after every catch.

Equipment

1 ball, 1 hoop, chair/cone

Setup

A passer at the top, and a chair or cone on the wing as the defender with the player starting beside it.

Steps

  1. 1Walk in toward the basket past the chair, as if taking your defender with you.
  2. 2Plant hard and cut back out above the chair to the wing in a 'V'.
  3. 3Show a target hand and call for the ball.
  4. 4Catch in triple threat, ready to attack.

Coaching points

  • Sell the cut in before you come out.
  • Plant and change direction sharply.
  • Come to meet the pass.

Why kids love it

Kids who can't get open touch the ball less — this fixes it fast.

Variations

Harder

Add a defender who tries to deny.

Easier

Walk the V slowly with no defender and just hold the target hand up on the catch.

Catch and Attack

Every catch must end in one hard dribble at the rim so the cut leads somewhere.

Related drills

Coaching notes that use this drill