Credit the assist

Offense

You used your body really well there. You kept the defender on your back and made the finish much easier.

You put that exactly where I needed it. Perfect pass.

Defense

You were patient with him. You didn’t try to make the play too early, and eventually he made the mistake.

You made him work for every inch on that possession.

You found the open man before the defense could rotate. That was a really good read.

Effort

You were fighting for every possession tonight. That really stood out.

I noticed you were still chasing the ball after everyone else had stopped. That effort gave us another possession.

You kept competing after the first play broke down. That ended up making the difference.

That extra effort gave us another possession.

Decision-making

You didn’t let their pressure dictate your pace. You controlled the possession.

You recognized the mismatch immediately. That was a really smart read.

I noticed you recognized the mismatch before anyone called for it.

You saw the help coming and moved the ball before the trap could close.

You knew exactly when to speed the game up and when to slow it down.

You didn’t make the hardest play you made the right play.

Personality

You made a bigger impact on the game than the numbers show today.

You missed the easy shot, but you didn’t let it get to you. You ran straight back on defense and kept going. You understood that your energy affects the whole team

Passing / Playmaking

You drew two defenders and still found the open man. That created the whole play.

You saw the help coming before it arrived and made the right pass.

You didn’t just see the open man, you created the opening for him.

You could’ve forced the shot, but you made the better play. That’s winning basketball.

Off-Ball Movement / Cutting

I noticed you cut the moment your defender turned his head. That’s exactly when you want to go.

Your movement pulled the defender away and opened the lane for the drive.

You cut when your defender was ball-watching. That’s exactly the moment you want.

That little relocation created a much better passing angle.

You didn’t watch your pass, you moved after it. That kept the defense working.

Scoring / Attacking

I noticed you attacked the defender’s front foot and got the angle immediately.

You got your shoulder past him and never gave him a chance to recover.

I noticed you kept the ball protected on the way up instead of exposing it to the help.

You got into the paint under control instead of rushing the finish.

You used one hard dribble to get by him instead of over-dribbling.

Screens / Pick & Roll

I noticed you set that screen at the perfect angle. He had no way around it.

You set the screen, rolled hard, and forced both defenders to react.

You rejected the screen because the defender was overplaying it. Great read.

On-Ball Defense

I noticed you took away his first move and made him go to his second option.

You didn’t bite on the hesitation. You stayed balanced and made him take the tough shot.

I noticed you made him work for every catch today.

You forced him farther from the basket with every dribble.

You contested without fouling. That was a really good defensive possession.

The categories above are meant to help expand your thinking and encourage you to notice new ways your friends contribute to the game. If you have any additional examples, please list them below.

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