Basketball Retrospective

Review the slam dunks, hang time and next play.

Try this retrospective live

Slam Dunks

What were our point-scoring wins?

Successfully launched the new feature ahead of schedule
Client presentation received outstanding feedback
Resolved critical bug in record time
Hang Time

What is still up in the air?

Waiting for stakeholder approval on the new design
Uncertain about the impact of the upcoming system upgrade
Need to clarify the requirements for the mobile version
Out of Bounds

What did not go so well?

Communication breakdown during the server outage
Missed several sprint commitments due to unclear scope
Documentation updates are falling behind
Tactics

What play do we want to try next?

Implement daily stand-ups to improve communication
Create a knowledge sharing session every Friday
Set up automated testing for the new features

What is the Basketball Retrospective?

The Basketball Retrospective uses the language of the court to help your team look back on a sprint or project. The terms are familiar to fans and easy to pick up for everyone else, so the session feels relaxed without losing focus. The board has four topics. Slam Dunks are the clear wins. Hang Time is for anything still up in the air: pending decisions, unanswered questions and work in transition. Out of Bounds covers what didn't go well, and Tactics is the next play you want to try. Most formats don't have a Hang Time column, and it's a useful way to get open questions in front of the people who can answer them. The theme gives people a lighter way to talk about problems, which helps feedback feel less personal. Like players on a court, everyone thinks about their own part and the team's at the same time, and you finish with a short list of plays to run next sprint.

Basketball retrospective format

Slam Dunks

What were our point-scoring wins?

Celebrate the clear wins, the moments where the team executed well and got the result it wanted. Ask for individual and team accomplishments, and for what made each one work.

Hang Time

What is still up in the air?

Hang Time is for items in transition or waiting on a decision. Talk through ongoing work, unresolved questions and decisions that still need to be made, and note who can resolve each one.

Out of Bounds

What did not go so well?

Out of Bounds covers the moments where things didn't go as planned. Make it safe to talk honestly about mistakes and challenges, and keep the focus on what the team can learn, not on who's to blame.

Tactics

What play do we want to try next?

Tactics is the next play. Ask for specific ideas the team can put into practice next sprint, aimed at the problems you've just discussed.

When to use this retrospective

  • When your team feels stuck or flat and needs a livelier session
  • For teams that respond well to sports analogies and a bit of friendly competition
  • During high-intensity project phases, when you need to separate clear wins from real problems
  • When decisions are piling up and you want one place to list everything still up in the air

Suggested icebreaker questions

  • If your development style was a basketball move, what would it be and why?
  • Which famous basketball player would you most want on our team, and why?

Want a warm-up your team plays, not just answers out loud? Browse free icebreakers →

Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting

  • Keep a good pace, like a basketball game, so the energy stays up through the session
  • Encourage everyone to take a shot and add ideas, even ones that feel risky
  • Use the basketball theme to make feedback more playful and less personal
  • Call a timeout when a discussion gets heated or drifts off track
  • Give each Hang Time item an owner and a date by which it should be resolved

Frequently asked questions

What is a Basketball Retrospective?
It's a sports-themed retrospective with four topics: Slam Dunks for wins, Hang Time for what's still uncertain, Out of Bounds for what didn't go well and Tactics for the next play.
When should you run a Basketball Retrospective?
Use it to lift a team that feels stuck, with teams that enjoy sports analogies, or during high-intensity phases when you need to separate wins from problems clearly.
How long does a Basketball Retrospective take?
Most teams need 45 to 60 minutes to add ideas to the four topics, group and vote, then agree on the next plays.
What goes in Hang Time?
Anything that isn't finished or decided yet, such as approvals you're waiting on, unclear requirements or open questions about tools and timelines. Naming them helps the team decide who will chase each one.
Do you need to know basketball to take part?
No. Each topic has a plain prompt, like "What is still up in the air?", so the theme adds color without getting in the way.

Related templates

WWE Smackdown Showdown Retrospective

Tag-team your sprint review with a wrestling theme.

Working, Not Working Retrospective

Sort what's working from what isn't, then fix it.

Quarterly Retrospective

Step back from the sprints and review the whole quarter.

Baby Steps Retrospective

Pick one small change your team will actually finish.

Ready to run this retrospective?Try this retrospective live