How to Post up in Basketball in 4 Steps

The post is in the area of the basketball court from the free-throw line to the baseline. This area, usually painted a solid color, is known as the paint or the key. There are two post positions here for players: one below the free-throw line and the other close to the basket. The upper area, near the free-throw line, is the high post or upper post, and the area near the basket is known as the low post.

When offensive players position themselves in the post, they are posting up. To post up, a player moves into the post area of the basketball court, usually the low post, to receive a pass.
From this position, if they get the ball, they can pivot, back down a defender, spin, fake out, or power dribble to create scoring opportunities.

When the ball changes possession, the offense must run down to the other end of the court toward the basket they are trying to score on. Usually, there is a pre-set offensive plan, and players posting up follow these steps:

1. 1. Find the position. Many offensive strategies involve one or more players posting up (power forwards and centers, also known as post players, are the ones most likely to do this), getting ready to receive a pass from the point guard.
2. 2. Receive a pass. Once in post position, the offensive player will face away from the basket and get ready to receive a pass. Making eye contact with the point guard or passer helps this occur.
3. 3. Make a move. Once a player who has posted up receives the ball, they have several options. Since the possibility of scoring is high, defenders will be aggressive. Post players can take advantage of this by trying to draw fouls, or they can rely on their speed, agility, and precision footwork to outmaneuver their defender. They can move in with a drop step, power dribble, power move, shot fake, pump fake, get into the triple threat stance, or return the ball to an open teammate.
4. 4. Shoot the ball. Both the high and low post positions offer ample opportunities for scoring. Depending on the play, players in these positions can go in for a layup, up and under shot, or slam dunk, or they can perform a mid-range shot like a jump shot, fadeaway, or hook shot. The post is also where most rebounds happen, so being ready to rush in to rebound the ball is necessary.

Whether you are playing youth basketball or competing in the NBA, use of the post area is essential. This is just as true of defense as it is of offense, since getting rebounds, blocking shots, and stealing the ball from offensive players is critical to an effective defense.

In your team’s basketball drills, include time for plays in the post. Have the players perform and defend post plays and post shots, like jump shots and jump hooks. Bigger players generally conduct post plays because of their height advantage. However, proper technique can make up for height, so practice is, as always, necessary.

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