Basketball Depth Chart Template (Free Printable PDF)
August 4, 2026
A depth chart answers the question that decides close youth games: who comes in when a starter is tired, in foul trouble, or having a rough night. This free printable lays out starters, second string, and third string for all five positions, plus a quarter-by-quarter rotation grid — so your substitutions are decisions you already made, not sideline improvisation.
What is in it
The top grid ranks your roster by position — point guard through center, starter to third string. The bottom grid plans who is on the floor each quarter. Together they turn playing-time management from mental math into a piece of paper on your clipboard.
How to build the chart
Start with your point guards: at youth level, ball-handling is the scarcest skill, so know your second and third options before you need them. Then slot the rest by role rather than height alone — your best rebounder backs up the center spot even if she plays forward when both are in. Cross-train on purpose: every player should know two positions, because foul trouble never respects your chart.
The rotation grid is the fairness tool
Youth basketball's constant complaint is playing time, and the fix is planning it in ink. Fill the quarter grid before the game so every kid can see when they play. A simple pattern like equal halves — each player sits one full quarter, no one sits two — is easy to run from this sheet and easy to defend to a parent, because it's written down.
Keep it current
Rosters shift fast during a season; re-rank the chart every couple of weeks, not once in November. If you run your team on My-Team Sports, your roster and schedule already live online, the free live scoreboard keeps parents updated during games, and the printable rotation chart pairs with this one for equal-minutes tracking.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a depth chart in basketball?
It is a chart listing all five positions with the players ranked behind each spot — starter, second string, third string. Coaches use it to plan substitutions, cover foul trouble, and manage playing time before the game starts.
How is a depth chart different from a rotation chart?
The depth chart ranks who backs up whom at each position; the rotation chart schedules who is on the floor minute by minute or quarter by quarter. This template includes both — the ranking on top, a quarter-by-quarter plan below.
How do you manage playing time in youth basketball?
Decide it before the game. Fill in the quarter-by-quarter grid so every player knows when they play, use a simple rule like no one sits two quarters in a row, and adjust the written plan — not your memory — when foul trouble forces a change.