What is an Alley-Oop in Basketball
An alley-oop is a play where one player throws a lob pass near the basket and a teammate catches it in the air and dunks or lays it in before landing.
An alley-oop is one of the most exciting plays in basketball. It occurs when one player throws a lob pass near or above the basket and a teammate leaps, catches the ball in mid-air, and immediately dunks or lays it in — all before their feet touch the ground.
How an Alley-Oop Works
- Setup — A ball handler recognizes that their teammate has beaten their defender and has a clear path to the basket
- The Lob — The passer throws a high, arcing pass above and near the rim
- The Catch and Finish — The receiver times their jump, catches the ball at or above rim level, and scores
Successful alley-oops require timing, coordination, and communication between the passer and the finisher. Both players must read the same situation and execute simultaneously.
Where Alley-Oops Happen
- Off the pick and roll — After setting a screen, the screener rolls to the basket and the ball handler lobs it up
- Off a press break — A long outlet pass converted into an alley-oop on a fast break
- Out of bounds plays — Teams design special inbound plays specifically to generate alley-oops
- Off a drive — A player drives the lane and lobs to a cutter from behind the defense
Famous Alley-Oop Duos
- Lob City (Chris Paul to Blake Griffin/DeAndre Jordan) — LA Clippers were known for spectacular lob plays
- Dwyane Wade and LeBron James — Miami Heat connection
- John Wall and Marcin Gortat / Bradley Beal — Washington Wizards
- Nikola Jokić and various Nuggets teammates — Modern master of the lob pass
History of the Alley-Oop
The play was popularized in the 1970s by players like David Thompson and Bill Walton. It became mainstream in the 1990s as NBA players became increasingly athletic. Today it is a staple of NBA offenses, particularly out of the pick-and-roll.
Alley-Oop in College Football
Interestingly, "alley-oop" also has roots in football and gymnastics, referring to a high-arcing pass or movement. In basketball, it evolved specifically to mean the lob catch-and-finish play.