Over the past several years of designing, testing, writing, and finally editing the Read & React Offense, as well as speaking at clinics and just talking with R&R coaches, I’ve compiled a list of what I consider the benefits to running the Read and React. I’m sure there are more – some I haven’t thought of or even seen, but below is that list.

And coaches who are running the R&R, feel free to add any others that you’ve found. Just submit them in the comments section.

1. The offense is a BASE from which players can play by principle. If a set play doesn’t work, then players can continue to play without resetting for another play.

2. The offense encourages players to work on their fundamentals of shooting, ball handling, one-on-one, etc. Even their off-season pick-up game skills would “sharpen the saw” for regular season.

3. The offense allows great players to play with not-so-great players. This allows the not-so-great players to learn from better teammates while not hindering or holding back the best players.

4. The offense can be worked on LEGALLY in the off-season. Two players at a time is all that’s needed. This opens up more practice time during season.

5. The system builds on itself year after year. A team might only use the first eight layers in the first year. Each consecutive year, they don’t start over. Instead, they pick up where they left off. In the second year they might understand all of the layers, but only master the first twelve. The third year, they master it all. The fourth year is basketball on a level that we haven’t seen!

6. The layered system is perfect for basketball organizations that have different age levels. New layers are added year by year as the player progresses through the organization.

7. The offense is ADAPTABLE to:

» The type of players,
» The style of play,
» The age or skill level of the players,
» Any kind of defense.

8. You don’t need 5 players to work on your offense. Example: The R&R can be used 4-on-4, 3-on-3, and even 2-on-2. Not only is this an advantage during season, but especially in the off-season.

9. There’s no need to teach a separate zone offense. The Read & React not only adapts to zones, but to ALL types of zones.

10. Set plays and quickhitters can be used “in front of” the Read & React. If the set play doesn’t work, no big deal – a coordinated 5-player offensive attack continues – called the Read & React.

11. Once the offense is “in”, a greater percentage of practice time can be spent on Player Development. And of course, the better the players, the better the Read & React becomes.

12. Defensive Development is a natural by-product of using the Read & React:

» Those who defend the R&R cannot “play the play” because there is no “play” to defend. Defenders must defend HONESTLY, every day. The fact that anything can happen at anytime not only raises defensive intensity, but also trains defenders to focus for longer periods of time.

» The R&R is developmental in nature. Each layer of the offense raises the offenses ability to counter the defense. If the defense is going to keep up, it must develop as well. As an example, being in good defensive position might work with the first level of R&R, but soon the defense must learn to change positions, close out, etc. As the R&R introduces higher levels of action, the defense must learn help, rotate, switch, etc. When R&R raises the offensive bar, the defense must rise to that level also.

» Once the R&R becomes a working offense, the need for “offensive time” in practice decreases. This allows a coach to spend even more time on defense and usually during the latter part of the season – tournament time.

13. Without the need to micro-manage every offensive possession during a game, the R&R coach has more time to manage the game, i.e., manage momentum, match-ups, substitutions, defense, rebounding, etc.

14. Players typically develop their Basketball I.Q. through experience. Experience is a good teacher but how many of us can wait on players to build their B.I.Q? By the time their B.I.Q. is built, they’re no longer in our programs. The R&R builds the basketball I. Q. of the individual player in a step-by-step progression that can be controlled and quantified by the coach. Something as important as a player’s B.I.Q. is NOT left to chance with the Read & React.

15. If the Read & React is the “curriculum” for a program consisting of age or grade levels, then all of the coaches in the program will benefit from each other’s work. The Read & React allows coaches to be on the same page and most importantly to build on each other’s efforts. I often refer to this as “standing on each other’s shoulders.” An example would be: If a 7th grade school team runs the first 3 layers of the Read & React, then the following year, as 8th graders, they do not need to start over. Instead the 8th grade coach can begin with the 4th layer and continue to add the grade-appropriate layers. In this manner, the 8th grade coach is “standing on the shoulders” of the 7th grade coach and in doing so, can take the team to a higher level of development compared to the traditional method of coaching.