10 Basketball Media Day Poses Your Athletes Will Actually Want to Post
Media day should be the hype moment of the season — not the awkward one where everyone stands in a line holding a ball and hoping for the best. The best media day photos are the ones athletes actually save to their camera roll, post on their story, and send to their parents. That means poses that feel natural, show personality, and look good on every body type.
After shooting media day sessions for high school basketball programs across Greater Cincinnati, these are the 10 poses that consistently get the best reaction — from athletes, parents, and coaches alike. Save this post, share it with your team, and show up to your next media day ready.
Pose 01: The Jersey Pull
Grab your jersey, pull it toward the camera, and smile. It sounds simple because it is — and that's exactly why it works every time. The shirt pull shows off your number, your name, and your team pride all in one shot. Works for every athlete, every personality type, and every jersey style.
POSE 02: FLEX & POINT
Ball on the shoulder, point straight at the camera. This is the confidence pose — it says "I'm here and I mean business." The flex and point works especially well for athletes who are naturally expressive in front of the camera, but even the shyest athlete tends to loosen up once they nail it.
POSE 03: EYES ON THE BALL
One hand extended, ball balanced, gaze up. This one feels editorial and effortless — like a magazine cover. The eyes on the ball pose works beautifully because it gives athletes something to focus on besides the camera, which naturally relaxes their expression.
POSE 4: THE DRIBBLE
Low stance, ball in hand, looking straight at the camera with a big smile. This is the pose that captures the athlete in their element — on the court, doing what they do. The dribble stance shows athleticism without requiring any actual movement, and it photographs beautifully full body.
POSE 5: THE TOSS UP
Toss the ball in the air, throw one hand up, smile. This is the one that gets the most reaction every single time — it's joyful, dynamic, and looks incredible. The toss up captures movement without needing a fast shutter speed and works for athletes of every height and build.
POSE 6: FOOT ON THE BALL
Arms crossed, one foot resting on the ball, standing tall. This is the power pose of basketball media day — it radiates confidence and looks great both solo and with a teammate behind you. Bonus: it works as a natural duo or group pose without any awkward positioning.
POSE 7: THE HIP HOLD
Ball at the hip, one hand in the pocket, relaxed stance. This is the go-to pose for athletes who say they don't know how to pose — it's natural, easy to direct, and looks effortless in photos. The hip hold works especially well for full body shots that show off the uniform and sneakers.
POSE 8: THE LOOK BACK
Turn away from the camera, ball behind you, look back over your shoulder. The look back shows off the back of the jersey, the athlete's hair, and creates a natural over-the-shoulder moment that feels candid even when it's posed. This is consistently one of the most posted photos from every media day session.
POSE 9: THE NET HANG
Hands on the net, jump and hang, big smile. This is the most fun pose on the list and every athlete wants to try it — which means the energy and smile are always genuine. The net hang is a full body shot that incorporates the actual court environment and looks incredible every time.
POSE 10: THE KICK UP
Lay on the floor on your stomach, kick your legs up behind you, balance the ball on your feet, and smile. This is the wildcard pose — the one that nobody expects and everyone loves. The kick up always gets the biggest reaction from teammates watching and produces photos that stand out completely from every other media day shot out there.
Ready to give your program a media day worth posting?
These poses are just the starting point — the best media day photos happen when athletes feel comfortable, the energy is right, and there's a photographer who knows how to bring both out. Emma Lou Photo specializes in high school and youth sports media days throughout Greater Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio, with individual, small group, and full team packages for every program and every budget.
From high school varsity programs to rec leagues and everything in between — if your athletes deserve photos that match the level they're playing at, let's make it happen.