Teach pass readiness with the Jr. NBA’s Make the Connection Game

High School & AAU

Kans Malashanka, lead skills coach at Level Up Basketball

By Coach Kans · Nov 14, 2026 · 4 min read

Two youth players make eye contact across a practice gap. The receiver shows both hands while the passer still holds the ball.

The short version: In the Jr. NBA’s Make the Connection Game, the ball-free connector shows their hands and calls a teammate by name. The pair makes eye contact before the teammate passes. The connector catches the ball and sends it back to that same teammate.

Key takeaways

Give each dribbler room at their spot and let the connector close to a comfortable passing distance.
If the passer is still watching the dribble, pause the rep and give the pair time to get set.
At the role change, the outgoing connector can take the new connector’s ball and dribbling spot.

Set up four players with three balls

The Jr. NBA’s Make the Connection Game in Rookie Practice Plan 3 uses groups of four or five. For this four-player example, start Player 1 out front as the connector, with empty hands. Players 2, 3 and 4 each have a ball and dribble in place. Player 1 will approach Player 2 first. Rookie Practice Plans - NBA.com: Jr. NBA

Adjust the spacing to your group. Give each dribbler room at their spot and let the connector walk close enough for the pair to make a comfortable pass.

Player 1 stands in front of three teammates. Three views show Ball 1 with Player 2, Ball 2 with Player 3, and Ball 3 with Player 4. — Four-player example adapted from the Jr. NBA’s Make the Connection Game in Rookie Practice Plan 3. All three panels show the same setup. Each panel highlights a different teammate’s ball. All three teammates dribble in place while Player 1 starts out front. The positions are illustrative.

What the pair does before the pass

In the Jr. NBA’s game, the connector approaches a teammate, shows their hands as a target, and calls that teammate by name. If Player 2’s name is Maya, for example, Player 1 can show both hands where Maya can see them and call “Maya!” while keeping the target up.

The Jr. NBA asks the pair to make eye contact before the pass. Have Player 2 look up from the dribble, meet Player 1’s eyes and check that the hands are still visible. If Player 2 is still looking down or Player 1 drops their hands, pause and give them a chance to get set.

Player 1 moves toward Player 2. The panels mark the hand target, name call and eye contact while Ball 1 stays with Player 2. — Adapted from the Jr. NBA’s Make the Connection Game in Rookie Practice Plan 3. Player 1 approaches, shows a hand target and calls Player 2 by name. “Maya!” is sample wording. Ball 1 stays with Player 2 while the pair makes eye contact. Players 3 and 4 continue dribbling their own balls outside this view.

The connector’s passing exchange

In the Jr. NBA’s sequence, Player 2 can send a chest pass or a bounce pass to Player 1. After the catch, Player 2 becomes the receiver and shows a hand target. The pair makes eye contact again, then Player 1 passes the ball back to Player 2. Once Player 2 has the ball, Player 1 can approach Player 3. Basketball passing on the move

A dashed arrow goes from Player 2 to Player 1, then a separate dashed arrow goes back. Ball 1 is with Player 2 as Player 1 moves toward Player 3. — Exchange adapted from the Jr. NBA’s Make the Connection Game in Rookie Practice Plan 3. Player 2 sends a chest pass in this example. Player 1 catches Ball 1 and passes it back to Player 2 before moving toward Player 3. Players 3 and 4 keep their own balls at their spots.

Rotate when the coach calls switch

In the Jr. NBA’s plan, a new player becomes the connector when the coach calls “switch.”

For a simple reset, make the call between exchanges. Have Player 2 hand Ball 1 to Player 1, who takes Player 2’s old dribbling spot. Player 2 moves out front with empty hands, while Players 3 and 4 keep their balls and their spots.

After the switch call, Player 2 stands out front without a ball. Three views show the balls assigned to Players 1, 3 and 4. — Reset example adapted from the coach-directed switch in the Jr. NBA’s Make the Connection Game in Rookie Practice Plan 3. Player 2 is now the ball-free connector. The panels show the same reset with Ball 1 assigned to Player 1, Ball 2 to Player 3, and Ball 3 to Player 4.

Was this useful?

Key takeaways

Set up four players with three balls

What the pair does before the pass

The connector’s passing exchange

Rotate when the coach calls switch

Keep reading

The Parent and Player Guide to AAU and Club Basketball

AAU and High School Basketball: Analyzing Different Development Environments

Basketball Recruiting Skills: What College Coaches Can Evaluate