Princeton offense

The Princeton offense is an offensive basketball strategy which emphasizes constant motion, passing, back-door cuts, and disciplined teamwork. It was used and perfected at Princeton University by Pete Carril, though its roots may be traced back to Franklin “Cappy” Cappon, who coached Princeton Tigers men's basketball in the late 1930s^{[citation needed]}, and Bernard "Red" Sarachek, who coached at Yeshiva University from 1938 to 1977.

The offense is designed for a unit of 5 players who can each pass, shoot and dribble at an above average level. It attempts to isolate and exploit a mismatch using these skills. Positions become less important and on offense there is no point guard, shooting guard, small forward or power forward.

The offense usually starts out with four players outside the three-point arc with one player at the top of the key. The ball is kept in constant motion through passing until either a mismatch allows a player to cut to the basket or a player without the ball cuts toward the unoccupied area under and around the basket, and is passed the ball for a layup. Having a strong post player is important because this player is critical to passing to backdoor cutters, and can draw help defense to open outside shots.

The hallmark of the offense is the backdoor pass, where a player on the wing suddenly moves in towards the basket, receives a bounce pass from a guard on the perimeter, and (if done correctly) finds himself with no defenders between him and a layup. Alternatively, when the defensive team attempts to pack the paint to prevent backdoor cuts, the offense utilizes three point shots from the perimeter. All five players in the offense—including the center—should be competent at making a three point attempt, further spreading the floor.

The offense is a very slow developing one, relying on a high number of passes, and is often used by teams facing opponents with superior athletic talent, to maintain a low-scoring game (believing that a high-scoring game would favor the athletically superior opponent). As a result, Princeton has led the nation in scoring defense 19 times including every year from 1989–2000.

Examples of use

Versions of the Princeton offense have been run by the New Orleans Hornets, New Jersey Nets, Sacramento Kings, and Washington Wizards in the NBA. It was introduced by Rick Adelman to the Houston Rockets for the 2007-08 season^{[citation needed]}. Coach Eddie Jordan implemented this offense while coach of both the Washington Wizards (2003–2008) and the Philadelphia 76ers (2009–2010). It is only rarely used in the NCAA — in part because it requires all five players on the floor to be adept at ball handling, dribbling, passing, and shooting.^{[citation needed]}

Some of the college teams best known for utilizing the offense (besides, of course, Princeton) are:

• Georgetown Hoyas under John Thompson III, who played under Carril at Princeton and was later its head coach
• Air Force under Joe Scott, a former Carril player and protege and former Princeton head coach
• Northwestern under Bill Carmody, another Carril protege and a former Princeton head coach
• Richmond under Chris Mooney, a former Princeton player and assistant coach at Air Force
• Cornell University from 2000 to 2010 and currently Boston College under Steve Donahue.
• Brown University and Oregon State University under Craig Robinson, a former Princeton player and Northwestern assistant coach
• Samford University under Jimmy Tillette
• University of Southern California under Tim Floyd
• University of Denver under former Princeton coach Joe Scott
• Monmouth University under Dave Calloway
• University of North Dakota under Brian Jones
• University of Virginia under Tony Bennett, loosely based on the general principles of the Princeton Offense
• University of Colorado, currently under head coach Jeff Bzdelik
• University of Wisconsin, under coach Bo Ryan, runs the Swing Offense, which is loosely based on the Princeton.

At the NCAA II Level:

• The University of Alabama in Huntsville under Lennie Acuff
• Rollins College under Tom Klusman
• Seattle Pacific University under Jeff Hironaka
• Christian Brothers University under Mike Nienaber

Use at Princeton

During his tenure at Princeton (1967–1996), Carril compiled a 514-261 (.658 winning percentage) record as the best record of any coach in Ivy League basketball history. His teams won 13 Ivy League championships during his 29-year tenure with the Tigers, and his teams received 11 NCAA Tournament berths and 2 NIT berths. Princeton captured the NIT title in 1975.

After his retirement from Princeton, Carril served as an assistant coach for the NBA's Sacramento Kings until 2006. During his time with Sacramento, Carril helped Rick Adelman, who became the Kings' head coach in 1998, install the Princeton offense and saw the Kings blossom into one of the best teams in the NBA.^{[citation needed]}

Pete Carril returned to the Sacramento Kings during the 2008-2009 season as a consultant.

Former Princeton Tigers men's basketball coach Sydney Johnson and his predecessors Bill Carmody, John Thompson III and Joe Scott all employed the Princeton Offense.

Sources

• "Princeton Offense Keeps Hoyas on the Move", Washington Post, Mike Wise, March 23, 2006; Page E12.
• "On the Offensive: Inside the Wizards "Princeton Offense"", WashingtonWizards.com, Dave Johnson, December 28, 2006
• "Reading (the defense) is fundamental", Fran Fraschilla; ESPN.
• Block, Curt: "Secrets of the Princeton Offense," American Basketball Quarterly
• "Hoyas arrive at Atlanta through back door" Randy Hill / Special to FOXSports.com, 3/28/3007
• "Race and the Georgetown Offense" by Sean Gregory for Time Magazine, March 29, 2007
• "Carril Is Yoda to Notion of Perpetual Motion" New York Times, March 30, 2007