Skip to content

Free basketball scouting report template

Build a basketball scouting report template with your sections in your order, print it or download a PDF, and see a completed example of a fictional opponent.

Make a scouting template

Basketball scouting report template

Pick the sections your staff scouts, put them in your order, and print a blank scouting report to fill in, with a finished example that shows how one reads.

Showing the worked example: A full scouting report: nine sections, four role cards, Letter. Change any value to use your own.

Start from

Choosing a starting point replaces the sections below.

Sections, in print order

Tick the ones to print, rename them, move them, and choose the writing space. This free template holds the structure only. Notes about a real opponent and its players belong in a private report in Ball Coach.

  1. The three things every coach and player must know walking in

  2. Pace: push it or walk it up? · Where their shots come from · Base defense and pressure

  3. Main sets and actions · Who has the ball; how they use ball screens · What they run after a timeout

  4. Base defense: man, zone or switching · Ball-screen coverage · Pressure: where, when, and what it looks like

  5. When they run: after misses, makes or turnovers · How many get back; who stops the ball

  6. Baseline and sideline out-of-bounds · Press break · Late clock and end of game

  7. Habits to take away · Turnovers, offensive rebounds, free throws

  8. One card per player to prepare for, by role and jersey number

  9. When they [do this], we [answer]; if they adjust, we [counter] · What we take away; what we attack

Each card has a role and a jersey number, not a name: how they hurt us, how we guard them, weakness to attack.

Paper (portrait)

Up to 40 characters. It stays on this device.

Result

A 3-page scouting report template with 9 sections, 4 role cards, on Letter portrait.

Opponent scouting reportOpponentDateScouted bySummary: three things to rememberThe three things every coach and player must know walking inTeam identityPace: push it or walk it up? · Where their shots come from · Base defense and pressureTheir offenseMain sets and actions · Who has the ball; how they use ball screens · What they run after a timeoutTheir defenseBase defense: man, zone or switching · Ball-screen coverage · Pressure: where, when, and what it looks likeMade with the free Ball Coach scouting report template, ballcoach.ai. This free template holds the structure only. Notes about a real opponent and its players belong in a privatereport in Ball Coach.Page 1 of 3Ball Coach AIballcoach.ai
Opponent scouting report (continued)Their defense (continued)TransitionWhen they run: after misses, makes or turnovers · How many get back; who stops the ballSpecial situationsBaseline and sideline out-of-bounds · Press break · Late clock and end of gameTendenciesHabits to take away · Turnovers, offensive rebounds, free throwsMade with the free Ball Coach scouting report template, ballcoach.ai. This free template holds the structure only. Notes about a real opponent and its players belong in a privatereport in Ball Coach.Page 2 of 3Ball Coach AIballcoach.ai
Opponent scouting report (continued)Role cardsOne card per player to prepare for, by role and jersey numberRole#How they hurt usHow we guard themWeakness to attackRole#How they hurt usHow we guard themWeakness to attackRole#How they hurt usHow we guard themWeakness to attackRole#How they hurt usHow we guard themWeakness to attackGame plan: our prioritiesWhen they [do this], we [answer]; if they adjust, we [counter] · What we take away; what we attackMade with the free Ball Coach scouting report template, ballcoach.ai. This free template holds the structure only. Notes about a real opponent and its players belong in a privatereport in Ball Coach.Page 3 of 3Ball Coach AIballcoach.ai
Worked example: a finished scout of a fictional opponent

Opponent: Riverside Owls (fictional). Everything in this example is invented.

Summary: three things to remember
  • Take away #3's left hand: shade them right from the first dribble.
  • Their press traps the first pass: bring the ball to the middle, never dribble into the corner.
  • Hit #24 on every shot. Their second chances come from them.
Team identity
  • Push after every miss and most makes; they want a fast game.
  • Lots of 3s off the drive-and-kick; few mid-range pull-ups.
  • Man-to-man in the half court; a 1-2-2 press after made free throws.
Their offense
  • High ball screen for #3; #24 rolls, shooters wait in both corners.
  • After a timeout: a baseline screen for #11 into a corner 3.
  • Ahead late, they slow it down and #3 holds it up top.
Their defense
  • Man-to-man. #24 drops on ball screens and the guards go under.
  • They switch 1 through 4, but never with #24.
  • 1-2-2 three-quarter press after made free throws, then back to man.
Transition
  • Outlet to #3 on the right side; the wings sprint wide.
  • Three get back on defense; only #24 crashes the offensive glass.
Special situations
  • Baseline out-of-bounds: box set, screen-the-screener lob to #24.
  • Sideline out-of-bounds: stack; first look is the corner 3.
  • End of game: the ball in #3's hands, high ball screen with 10 seconds left.
Tendencies
  • #3 goes left almost every time they drive.
  • #11 shoots only from the corners and lives in the right corner.
  • Turn it over when trapped on the sideline.
Role cards
  • Point guard, #3. Drives left and finishes at the rim. Shade them right; help at the elbow. Weakness: weak right hand; turns it over when trapped.
  • Shooter, #11. Corner 3s off the drive-and-kick. Stay attached; no helping off them. Weakness: rarely puts it on the floor.
  • Post and rebounder, #24. Offensive rebounds and putbacks. Hit them first on every shot. Weakness: slow getting back in transition.
Game plan: our priorities
  • When they press: inbound to the middle and attack the 2-on-1 behind it.
  • When #3 drives left: help from the elbow, stunt and recover.
  • When #24 drops on a ball screen: pull-up jumper off the screen.
Worked example: Opponent scouting reportOpponentRiverside Owls (fictional)DateExampleScouted byExampleSummary: three things to rememberThe three things every coach and player must know walking inTake away #3's left hand: shade them right from the first dribble.Their press traps the first pass: bring the ball to the middle, never dribble into the corner.Hit #24 on every shot. Their second chances come from them.Team identityPace: push it or walk it up? · Where their shots come from · Base defense and pressurePush after every miss and most makes; they want a fast game.Lots of 3s off the drive-and-kick; few mid-range pull-ups.Man-to-man in the half court; a 1-2-2 press after made free throws.Their offenseMain sets and actions · Who has the ball; how they use ball screens · What they run after a timeoutHigh ball screen for #3; #24 rolls, shooters wait in both corners.After a timeout: a baseline screen for #11 into a corner 3.Ahead late, they slow it down and #3 holds it up top.Their defenseBase defense: man, zone or switching · Ball-screen coverage · Pressure: where, when, and what it looks likeMan-to-man. #24 drops on ball screens and the guards go under.They switch 1 through 4, but never with #24.1-2-2 three-quarter press after made free throws, then back to man.Made with the free Ball Coach scouting report template, ballcoach.ai. Everything in this example is invented.Page 1 of 3Ball Coach AIballcoach.ai
Worked example: Opponent scouting report (continued)Their defense (continued)TransitionWhen they run: after misses, makes or turnovers · How many get back; who stops the ballOutlet to #3 on the right side; the wings sprint wide.Three get back on defense; only #24 crashes the offensive glass.Special situationsBaseline and sideline out-of-bounds · Press break · Late clock and end of gameBaseline out-of-bounds: box set, screen-the-screener lob to #24.Sideline out-of-bounds: stack; first look is the corner 3.End of game: the ball in #3's hands, high ball screen with 10 seconds left.TendenciesHabits to take away · Turnovers, offensive rebounds, free throws#3 goes left almost every time they drive.#11 shoots only from the corners and lives in the right corner.Turn it over when trapped on the sideline.Made with the free Ball Coach scouting report template, ballcoach.ai. Everything in this example is invented.Page 2 of 3Ball Coach AIballcoach.ai
Worked example: Opponent scouting report (continued)Role cardsOne card per player to prepare for, by role and jersey numberRole#Point guard3How they hurt usDrives left and finishes at the rim.How we guard themShade them right; help at the elbow.Weakness to attackWeak right hand; turns it over when trapped.Role#Shooter11How they hurt usCorner 3s off the drive-and-kick.How we guard themStay attached; no helping off them.Weakness to attackRarely puts it on the floor.Role#Post and rebounder24How they hurt usOffensive rebounds and putbacks.How we guard themHit them first on every shot.Weakness to attackSlow getting back in transition.Role#How they hurt usHow we guard themWeakness to attackGame plan: our prioritiesWhen they [do this], we [answer]; if they adjust, we [counter] · What we take away; what we attackWhen they press: inbound to the middle and attack the 2-on-1 behind it.When #3 drives left: help from the elbow, stunt and recover.When #24 drops on a ball screen: pull-up jumper off the screen.Made with the free Ball Coach scouting report template, ballcoach.ai. Everything in this example is invented.Page 3 of 3Ball Coach AIballcoach.ai

It's also a PDF below.

How this works

The template prints the sections you turn on, in your order. Each has its guiding questions and as much lined space as you choose. A heading is never left alone at the bottom of a page: it moves to the next page with its first lines, and a section that runs over repeats its heading. Role cards describe players by role and jersey number, so the free template never holds anyone's name or notes. The worked example is an invented opponent, written the way a finished scout reads, in the same structure you built.

  • The 9 standard sections plus up to 4 of your own; headings up to 60 characters; 1 to 8 role cards
  • Letter or A4, portrait; a long template runs onto more pages
  • This free template holds the structure only. Notes about a real opponent and its players belong in a private report in Ball Coach.
  • The worked example is fictional: the team, the numbers and every note are invented

Made in your browser. Your headings, choices and title are never sent to analytics. Only if you save the template to your team are its sections and headings sent to Ball Coach; the title and paper size never are.