Princeton Offense Complete Guide: Sets, Reads and Practice

The Princeton offense combines spacing, passing, cutting and connected actions. This site teaches Lee DeForest's version through the original playbook diagrams. Start with the alignment and a complete sequence, then add choices the players can recognize under pressure.

Start with the alignment and timing

In the base alignment, 5 begins on the ballside block. The forwards are one step above the free-throw line extended. The guards are elbow extended, about three to four feet above the arc. The post later moves to the elbow for the Chin screens. Those positions serve different moments of the action.

In Chin, the first guard-to-guard reversal does not trigger the rim cut. Player 3 cuts as the next pass leaves 4 for 2 on the wing. Player 5 backscreens 3 and immediately flares 4. Use the Chin lesson and the free source excerpt together.

The six sets in the playbook

• Chin connects the handoff, reversal, backscreen, flare and second-side continuation.
• 5 Out gives 5 the ball at the top for a dribble toward the wing and a shot or backcut read.
• Low starts with a post feed and adds split, backcut, curl and Laker-cut options.
• Point puts the ball at the high post while the passer chooses Over, Away or Under.
• Twirl uses the Circle entry and connects to Low, Chin or Point through the selected option.
• X enters from the wing with both guards in the corners and gives the wing passer the route decision.

The actions guide compares the entries. Follow the detailed page for the next pass and the players away from the ball.

Teach Point names with the player making the decision

Over, Away and Under describe the passer's route after feeding 5. They are not instructions based only on how a defender plays a ball screen. The post holds the ball during the initial route.

The continuations also differ. Point Over's page 19 ball screen rolls 5. Point Away's page 17 ball screen keeps 5 high to follow across the lane. Under first sends the passer to the rim, then uses a turnout screen and post option when the rim pass is covered.

Connect the phases at the wing

After the Low post passes out, the wing can feed an open post for Low, pass up for Point, or dribble up for Chin. Teach the dribble-up first. Add the pass-up after the Point routes have been learned, as the playbook specifies on printed page 15.

The pass to 5 stepping out at the top establishes 5 Out. The post's dribble up the lane line on printed page 16 is another option with its own backcut, fills and return entry. Name the ballhandler before teaching a connection.

Choose the personnel version deliberately

The base personnel description puts a good passing post at 5. Several chapters provide both a high-school version that returns the post to the block and an Air Force version that lets another player keep the inside role for the possession.

Use the version that fits the players' skills and teach its rotations consistently. A smaller player occupying the post briefly does not mean every player must master every position before the offense can begin.

Break down the difficult detail

The playbook includes Wave Cuts, Chin Cuts, Top Backdoor, Five Out Backscreen and Wing Handoff or Backdoor breakdowns. Each has a specific setup, rotation and purpose. The drills page explains those purposes.

Walk through the route, present the defensive cue deliberately, then allow a live choice. Finish with all five players so the group must complete the fills and continuation. The Low lesson gives a practical progression for the curl and split options.

Use practice plans as adaptable examples

The ten-practice outline and four-week practice guide organize the same teaching priorities at different calendar scales. Adjust both to the players and available practice time. Neither is a promise that a complete offense can be learned by a fixed date.

Advance when the group can enter correctly, recognize the chosen read and continue after the defense covers it. Keep shot results separate from the quality of the decision.

Keep transition available

Lee's player notebook calls for pushing after a defensive rebound to attack an advantage. Any player can initiate that transition. When the advantage is unavailable, the team needs a familiar half-court entry. A patient half-court read does not require passing up a sound early opportunity.

Use counters that belong to the chosen action

A denied Chin wing pass allows the ballhandler to dribble at that wing for the backcut. A denied Point high-post entry can lead to Pearl. A post catch starts a different set of reads from a catch at the top.

Zone defenses also require the team to read areas, help and passing windows. The playbook has a separate zone-play section. Keep a zone lesson attached to its actual diagram instead of assuming every man-to-man screen produces the same read against a zone.

Choose the next lesson

For a first install, start with Chin and the continuation. For a team already running Chin, correct the stalled connection before adding another entry. For staff preparation, use the coaching guide to agree on the exact cue and correction.

Teaching reference: Lee DeForest's Princeton Offense Blueprint, printed pages 6-30 and 57-75, and Final Player Notebook, transition section.