Ayrton Oneill
Dribbling is an essential skill in basketball, allowing players to advance the ball up the court and score points. It is a skill that can be practised alone and perfected through repetition and drills. The more time spent with a ball, the better your control will be, but to improve, you must practice outside your comfort zone. This involves experimenting with speed and trying new things. There are many dribbling drills to try, such as the ''Maravich drills', named after the ball-handling wizard Pete Maravich. These drills will help you improve your ball handling and control, and when combined with a good understanding of the game, will make you a formidable opponent.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Practice | The more you practice, the better you will become. |
| Dribbling technique | Use your fingertips to dribble, not your palm. |
| Dribbling technique | Keep the ball low and below the waist. |
| Dribbling technique | Push the ball forward and in front of the foot. |
| Dribbling technique | Change of speed is important. |
| Dribbling technique | Dribble hard. The more time the ball spends in your hand, the more control you have. |
| Dribbling technique | Keep your head up at all times. |
| Dribbling technique | Use your imagination. |
| Dribbling technique | Know when to dribble and when to pass. |
| Dribbling technique | Avoid traveling, double dribbling, and carrying. |
| Drills | Alternate between your legs. |
| Drills | With a ball in each hand, pound the balls simultaneously on each side of your body, then pass one ball behind your back and one in front to the opposite hand. |
| Drills | Practice running while dribbling. |
| Dribbling philosophy | You don't beat defenses with your dribble, you beat them with your feet. |
| Dribbling philosophy | Basketball is a game of angles. Try to move in straight lines. |
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What You'll Learn
Practice the basics
To be the best dribbler, you must first practice the basics. Dribbling is one of the most important skills in basketball, as it allows players to advance the ball up the court toward their hoop to score a point. It is also a skill that can be practiced alone, without the need for a court, partner, or much space. The more you practice, the better your ball control will be.
To begin, get into a low, defensive stance with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the ball with your fingertips, not your palm, and bounce it off the ground firmly, keeping it below your waist. You should be tapping the ball with your fingertips, not slapping it with your palm, as this will give you more control. Practice dribbling the ball 50 times from left to right, then 50 times from right to left, and keep coming up with different combinations. Try doing 5 sets of 10 or 20, and focus on going through the legs.
Once you have the basics down, you can start to practice outside your comfort zone. Try going faster or harder than you're used to, and experiment with different moves. For example, you can practice the crossover dribble, which involves passing the ball back and forth between your left and right hand, keeping the ball low and pounding it into the court. As your ability improves, increase the speed of your crossover dribbles. You can also try running while dribbling to build up your speed and dexterity, and practice dribbling in straight lines to improve your ability to move in different directions on the court.
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Know when to pass
Knowing when to pass the ball is an important aspect of basketball. While dribbling is a crucial skill to develop, it is not always the best way to move the ball around the court. Passing can be faster and can be used to misdirect the opposing team. If you are dribbling towards the hoop and are faced with multiple defenders, it is usually a good idea to pass the ball to a teammate who has a better chance of making a shot.
As a general rule, always make a move that will get your team closer to making a basket. This could be passing the ball to a teammate under the hoop, or driving into the key yourself. It is important to remember that you beat defenders with your feet, not your dribble. You use your dribble to separate from the defence. So, if you can move in a straight line towards the basket, do so, and don't do in two dribbles what you could do in one.
Passing is also important to avoid committing careless dribbling violations, such as travelling, double dribbling, or carrying. These violations can result in a penalty, which halts your team's offensive momentum and gives the defending team the ball.
In addition to knowing when to pass, it is important to know how to pass. This is part of ball handling, which involves dribbling, passing, and decision-making. Ball handling integrates knowledge of the game, and there are a number of drills that can help you improve.
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Master ball handling
Ball handling is a skill that requires knowledge of the game and integrates dribbling, passing, and decision-making. It is more than just dribbling, which is a fundamental skill that can be practised alone. To master ball handling, you must be willing to put in the time and effort to practise, and to push yourself beyond your comfort zone.
Drills
Drills are a great way to improve your ball handling skills. The Maravich series of drills, named after the legendary Pete Maravich, is a well-known set of drills that can help you become a better ball handler. Here are some other drills that can help you master ball handling:
- Crossover dribbling: This is a variation of stationary dribbling where you pass the ball back and forth between your left and right hands. Keep the ball low and pound it into the court. As you improve, increase the speed.
- Running while dribbling: This drill helps you build speed and dexterity. Race up and down the court while dribbling and focus on maintaining control. This will help you master the fast break, allowing you to score before your opponents can get into a defensive position.
- Alternate between your legs: Put your right foot in front and your left foot behind. Cross the ball between your legs and jump to switch your feet so that your left foot is in front and your right foot is behind. Keep switching your feet position and try to increase your speed as you progress.
- Double dribble: This drill requires two basketballs. With a ball in each hand, pound the balls simultaneously on each side of your body. Then, pass one ball behind your back and one in front to the opposite hand. Repeat this sequence, changing direction after 5 sets.
Tips
- Hand placement: Use your whole hand to dribble, not just your fingertips. While your fingertips are important for control, using your palm will give you more power to advance the ball down the court.
- Dribble hard: The harder you dribble, the quicker the ball gets back into your hand.
- Keep your head up: Always look at the rim or a spot on the wall during practice.
- Know when to dribble: Don't dribble for no reason. The primary purpose of putting the ball on the floor is to get a lay-up.
- Move in straight lines: Basketball is a game of angles. Try to recapture a direct line to the basket as quickly as possible after making an "East-West" move.
- Separate from the defence: You don't beat defences with your dribble; you beat them with your feet. Use your dribble to separate yourself from the defence.
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Improve with drills
Improving your dribbling skills requires lots of practice. The more time you spend with a ball in your hand, the better your ball control will be. However, to truly improve, you must practice outside of your comfort zone. This means experimenting with speed and pushing yourself to go faster or harder than you're used to.
Drills
Hand Placement Practice
To dribble a basketball properly, you need to use your whole hand. Slapping the ball with the palm of your hand will not give you enough control, and using only your fingertips will not give you enough power to advance the ball down the court. When you dribble, get in a low stance and keep the ball low and below your waist.
Crossover Dribbling
This variation on stationary dribbling involves passing the ball back and forth between your left and right hands. Keep the ball low and pound it into the court. As your ability improves, increase the speed of your crossover dribbles.
Between the Legs
Start with your right foot in front and your left foot behind. Cross the ball between your legs and jump to switch the position of your feet so your left is in front and your right is behind. Keep switching the position of your feet after passing the ball between your legs. Try to become faster as you progress.
Two Basketballs
This drill requires two basketballs. With a ball in each hand, pound the balls on each side of your body simultaneously. Then, pass one ball behind your back and one in front to the opposite hand. Once you've passed the balls to the other side, pound the balls again and repeat. Make sure to change direction after five repetitions. Try to increase your speed as you progress.
Running While Dribbling
Ball-handling drills often focus on player speed. Practice running and dribbling the length of the court before training. Build up your speed without losing control of the ball, and practice with each hand to build dexterity.
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Experiment with speed and power
To be the best dribbler, you need to practice a lot and experiment with speed and power. The more you practice, the better you will become. You can start by practicing the basics and mastering the fundamentals. Dribbling is one of the easiest skills to practice as it does not require a court, partner, or much space. The more time you spend with a ball in your hand, the better your ball control will be. But to improve and go to the next level, you need to practice outside your comfort zone.
You can also try the drill that practices alternating between your legs. Put your right foot in front and your left foot behind. Cross the ball between your legs and jump to switch your feet so that your left foot is in front and your right foot is behind. As you progress, try to become faster and faster. Another drill that can help you improve your speed is the one that involves using two basketballs. With a ball in each hand, pound the balls simultaneously on each side of your body three times. Then, pass one ball behind your back and one in front to the opposite hand. Repeat this process and see how fast you can do it.
Remember that the more time the ball spends in your hand, the more control you will have. So, dribble hard and experiment with power to get the ball back in your hand quickly. However, don't be discouraged if you mess up at first. New skills take time and hard work to master, so keep practicing and focus on improving your speed and power with each session.
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Frequently asked questions
Practice, practice, practice! The more time you spend with a ball in your hand, the better your ball control will be. Try doing it 50 times from left to right, then 50 times from right to left, and keep coming up with different combinations. You can also try some of the many dribbling drills that are used today, such as the "'Maravich Drills'".
Know when to dribble and when to pass. Dribbling isn't always the best way to move the ball—passing can be much faster and can be used to misdirect the opposing team. Also, remember that you beat defenders with your feet, not your dribble. Use your dribble to separate from your defender, then move in a straight line towards the basket.
Avoid dribbling with your palm—this won't give you enough control. Instead, use your fingertips to dribble and keep the ball low, below your waist. Also, don't be afraid to experiment and practice outside your comfort zone—this is the only way to improve and take your skills to the next level.
