Helena Frye
The number of hours spent practising basketball daily varies depending on the player's goals, age, and physical condition. For instance, a survey of 100 college basketball players revealed that it takes an average of 2.8 hours of playing basketball per day to reach the collegiate level. This equates to approximately 333 shots per day from ages 5 to 18. On the other hand, some individuals with full-time jobs may only manage a few hours of practice per week, while a 14-year-old aspiring professional player might devote 3 hours daily. For children, it is recommended that they participate in no more than two organised games per day and limit their weekly practice to 5 to 10 hours. Ultimately, the ideal daily practice duration is determined by individual circumstances, with some recommending a minimum of 1 hour per day of focused, quality practice over several hours of less intense work.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of hours to practice basketball for kids | 5 hours of organised basketball games and practice per week, not exceeding 2 games per day |
| Number of hours to practice basketball for college | 2.8 hours per day, year-round, with 333 shots per day from ages 5-8 to 18 |
| Number of hours to practice basketball for adults | 1-2 hours per day, 6 hours if you split your time between working on your game, strength and conditioning, and playing pickup games or league games |
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What You'll Learn
Recommended practice time for kids
The NBA and USA Basketball have provided recommendations for participation times for different age groups in youth basketball. These guidelines are designed to help young athletes develop their skills effectively, maintain their enthusiasm for the sport, prevent overuse injuries and burnout, and promote their growth in other areas of life.
For children aged 7 to 8 years old, it is recommended that they have one 30-60 minute practice session and one 20-28 minute game per week. Their total organized basketball time should not exceed 3 hours per week, and they should not play more than one game per day.
For children aged 9 to 11 years old, it is recommended that they have two sessions of 45 to 75 minutes of practice and play one to two 24- to 32-minute games per week. They should not have more than two organized games per day and should limit their organized basketball time to 5 hours per week.
For children aged 12 to 14 years old, it is recommended that they have two to four practices per week lasting for 60 to 90 minutes each and play two to four 28- to 32-minute games per week. They should not exceed two games per day and 10 hours of organized games and practice per week.
It is important to balance basketball training with recovery to prevent injuries and ensure proper bone and muscle development. Young athletes should also be cautious about playing more than one game per day, especially on consecutive days, and should have additional time off following tournaments to allow for recovery.
In addition to structured practices and competitions, basketball organizations should also encourage informal, peer-led opportunities for individual growth. Multi-sport participation during childhood can help athletes develop a range of skills and find a sport that they enjoy.
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Practice time for adults
For adults with full-time jobs, finding time to practice basketball can be challenging. However, many individuals manage to practice the sport they enjoy despite their busy schedules. Some train daily, even if it's just for a few hours a week, while others play pickup games and take more practice possessions to enhance their skills. Training is more important than playing if you want to stay at a high level. On the other hand, if you want to enjoy the sport socially, you should train less and play more. Even one or two days a week of practice can be beneficial, and setting aside an evening for individual work, such as form shooting or dribbling drills, can be productive.
If you are aiming to play basketball at a professional level, the recommended daily practice time is one hour, with a focus on playing at 100% intensity and improving your game IQ. Distributing your practice time across different skills is also important. For example, you could spend one hour on shooting practice, one hour on ball skills and finishing, and one hour of pickups or workouts.
For those with more ambitious goals, a more rigorous practice regimen of 6 hours is suggested. This includes 2 hours each for working on your game, strength and conditioning, and playing pickup or league games. However, it is important to note that practicing for extended periods may not always be productive, as it can be challenging to maintain quality work throughout. Distributing your practice sessions across different times of the day, such as an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon or evening, can be a more effective approach.
To reach a collegiate basketball level, the estimated required practice time is 2.8 hours per day, year-round. According to Malcolm Gladwell, achieving true expertise or mastery in a skill requires 10,000 hours of practice. By practicing 2.8 hours per day, it will take approximately 9.7 years to reach this milestone, and accounting for sick days, vacations, and injuries, the journey to mastery could take 10 to 15 years. Therefore, aspiring collegiate basketball players should be prepared for a long-term commitment to the sport.
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Practice time for professionals
The life of a professional basketball player requires dedication 24 hours a day. While the training schedule of a professional basketball player might not be extremely difficult, it requires a lot of commitment and dedication.
Professional basketball players train for around 1.5 hours every day. They also add an hour of weightlifting or cardio to their schedule during the off-season. Their training includes dynamic stretches like jumping jacks and hamstring curls, dribbling methods, and shooting drills. They also practice free throws whenever they can.
Professional basketball players also need to work on their muscle memory. They do this by practicing a skill until it comes naturally to them. This is why professional basketball players often appear to be at ease before shooting free throws. They have practiced them thousands of times, and their muscles remember what to do.
In addition to their daily training, professional basketball players also participate in games during the regular season. They play one or two games per week and work out their entire bodies. Some players choose to work out before or after games, while others focus on recovery on their off days. During the off-season, some players might only spend a few hours a day on training, while others might spend up to six hours on conditioning and improving their skills.
The training duration and intensity also vary with the age of the player. For example, an 18-year-old basketball player spends almost 11 hours training per week, compared to approximately 8.5 hours for a 25-year-old player. This highlights the importance of careful load management to avoid potential overtraining, especially in younger players.
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Practice time for college players
For college basketball players, the summer months of June, July, and August are typically practice months. NCAA rules regulate the number of hours a student-athlete can participate in countable athletically related activities.
In 2017, the NCAA changed the preseason rules to allow for 42 days to fit in 30 practices before a team's first game. This was to allow coaches to focus more on player development, instead of cramming a playbook down their players' throats.
Some coaches take advantage of this longer preseason, while others like Memphis coach Josh Pastner, whose team does not start practice until 3 October, give their players a three-day weekend off in the first week to avoid preseason burnout.
While there is no one-size-fits-all answer for how many hours a college basketball player should practice per day, a Reddit user preparing for their first year of college basketball mentions that they practice for an hour or an hour and a half in the morning, followed by a lift. They further add that 4-6 hours of practice per day is too much as it is impossible to get quality work for that long. Another user comments that they practice for 2-3 hours every day.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the ideal practice time for college basketball players is somewhere between 1 to 3 hours per day, with a focus on quality over quantity.
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Practice drills
The number of hours spent practising basketball daily depends on your goals and aspirations as a player. While some people practice for 2-3 hours every day, others recommend 4-6 hours a day to improve your game over time. However, it is important to note that spending too many hours practising can lead to wasting time as it is challenging to maintain quality work throughout. Therefore, it is suggested that 1 hour a day of focused and intense practice is more beneficial than multiple hours of half-hearted work.
Dribbling Drills
- Set up cones and dribble around them using different moves such as the crossover, behind-the-back, and spin.
- Dribble two balls simultaneously with varying dribbling heights and speeds to improve coordination and dexterity.
Passing Drills
- Practice the overhead pass, chest passes, flick passes, and bounce passes.
- One player counts, "1, 2, Pass!" and simultaneously, three players make a bounce pass to the player on their left.
Shooting Drills
- Players pair up and line up across from each other. One player of each pair has a basketball. The player with the ball starts by holding it out front in one hand, then moves it into the shooting pocket. The player then shoots a high, soft shot.
- The Olympic shooting drill: Players form three lines at each end of the court, with the player in the middle holding a ball. The goal is for the team to accumulate 150 points in 4 minutes. They get one point for a layup, two points for a mid-range shot, and three points for shots from behind the arc.
Defensive Drills
- Practice a baseline three-quarter denial and full front in the post. Focus on defensive fundamentals such as stance, closeouts, and footwork.
- Run a defensive sliding drill, ensuring players maintain a wide base, keep their hands out, and maintain good balance.
Rebounding Drill
Start on the block and throw the ball up off the backboard. Jump towards the ball and secure the rebound with two hands. Finish with a power layup.
These drills can be incorporated into your practice sessions, focusing on quality and repetition to develop good habits and muscle memory.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but generally, it is recommended to practice for at least an hour every day, focusing on game speed and intensity rather than a longer duration of half-hearted work. If you are aiming for a professional level, consider putting in 2.8 hours per day, which equates to approximately 333 shots per day from ages 5 to 18, according to some estimates.
For kids, it is essential to balance basketball training with recovery to prevent injuries and ensure proper bone and muscle development. While the ideal practice time depends on factors such as the child's age and goals, a general guideline is to limit it to 5-10 hours of organized basketball games and practice per week, with no more than two organized games per day.
Adults with full-time jobs and other commitments may find it challenging to dedicate extensive time to basketball practice. In such cases, focus on training rather than playing. Even a few hours per week of dedicated training can help maintain a high level of performance. Additionally, consider incorporating individual work into your routine, such as form shooting or dribbling drills, and make the most of pickup games by treating them as enhanced practice sessions.
