Amanda Knapp
Dribbling a basketball is one of the most important skills a player can possess. It is a skill that can be practiced alone and can be done anywhere, without the need for a court or a partner. The more time spent with a ball in hand, the better your control will be. To improve, it is important to practice outside of your comfort zone and try new drills. There are many dribbling drills that can be done at home, such as the Maravich Drills, which are named after the late ball-handling wizard Pete Maravich. Other drills include dribbling with a plastic bag over the ball, using two basketballs, or dribbling around cones.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Practice | 10-15 mins a day |
| Dribble with | Kyrie bag the ball technique, heavy ball, deflated ball, plastic bags in the balls |
| Footwork | Work on your first step, take notes from 100m Olympic starts |
| Ambidexterity | Prove to your opponents that you can use both hands |
| Drills | Pounds, in and outs, wipers, crossovers, figure 8s, chair drill, cone drill, two-ball drill, one vs one drill |
| Ball handling | Use your fingertips, not your palm |
| Eyes | Keep your eyes up, look at the rim or a spot on the wall |
| Control | Maintain control, dribble hard |
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What You'll Learn
Practice the basics and master the fundamentals
Dribbling a basketball is one of the most important skills a player can possess. It is also one of the easiest skills to practice as it does not require a court, a partner, or much space. The more time you spend with a ball in your hand, the better your ball control will be.
To master the fundamentals of dribbling, you should practice your dribbling drills every day. There are innumerable dribbling drills that are challenging and effective, such as the well-known Maravich Drills, named after the late ball-handling wizard Pete Maravich.
The "two-ball" drill is a great way to improve your hand-eye coordination. Start at the baseline with a ball in each hand and dribble both balls to the free-throw line and back. Then, dribble to half-court and back, then to the far free-throw line and back, and lastly, baseline to baseline. This drill improves ball handling while changing directions at different speeds.
Another drill requires two basketballs and involves pounding the balls three times, simultaneously, on each side of your body. As you get faster, your dribbles should get lower. This drill practices alternating between your legs.
You can also perform a drill with just one basketball and some cones. Set up the cones in different spots on the court and dribble to each cone, making a move at each one. You can perform a variety of moves at the cone, including a crossover, between the legs, or a behind-the-back dribble. This drill helps you get better at making moves on defenders while moving at full speed.
Remember, dribbling is as much about athleticism as it is about ability. Footwork is key, and you must be able to prove to your opponents that you are ambidextrous. Practice your first step and take notes from 100m Olympic starts.
Finally, don't be discouraged if you mess up at first. New skills take time and hard work to master, so keep at it and you will see progress over time.
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Work on your footwork and athleticism
To improve your dribbling skills, you must also work on your footwork and athleticism. Footwork is key, and dribbling is just as much about athleticism as it is about ability.
One way to improve your footwork is to practice your first step and take notes from 100-meter Olympic starts. You can also try the "Maravich Drills", which are a series of ball-handling drills that help improve dribbling skills. One of these drills involves dribbling the ball in a figure eight around your legs. Start with your feet spread apart and the ball in your right hand. Then, dribble the ball through your legs to your left hand and immediately dribble it back to your right hand. This drill helps you to crossover defenders quickly.
Another way to improve your footwork and athleticism is to practice outside your comfort zone. Try going faster or harder than you are used to. You can also try different drills with cones, chairs, or a partner to simulate defenders and improve your footwork and quickness.
Additionally, you can work on your athleticism by doing workouts from NBA players, especially point guards. You can also try dribbling with a plastic bag over the ball, a heavier ball, or a deflated ball to improve your control and athleticism.
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Try dribbling drills, like the 'Maravich Drills'
The Maravich drills are a great way to improve your dribbling skills and get comfortable with the basketball. The drills are named after the legendary ball-handler, Pete "Pistol" Pete Maravich, and are designed to help players develop better ball-handling skills and dribbling technique.
The Maravich drills consist of a variety of exercises that focus on different aspects of dribbling and ball control. One of the most well-known drills is the Figure 8 drill, where players spread their legs about shoulder-width apart and dribble the ball through and around their legs in a figure 8 motion. This drill can be done in multiple ways, including front to back, back to front, and low dribbles. The goal is to get as many dribbles as possible with the dribble at shoe height, and then to do the same drill with as few dribbles as possible, keeping the dribble high.
Another drill in the Maravich series is the Spider Dribble, where players dribble with both hands in front and then behind their legs, continuing at a rapid speed. To make this drill more challenging, players can try holding the ball behind their knees, letting go, clapping, and then catching it before it hits the ground. For an easier variation, players can try doing the spider dribble while sitting down on a bench.
Other drills in the Maravich series include Ball Slaps, Finger Tips, Ball Circles, Ball Wraps - One Leg, Front To Back Toss, One Leg Dribble, and Figure 8 Dribble - 1 Hand. These drills focus on different aspects of ball handling and dribbling, such as using the fingertips instead of the palm to control the ball, developing an athletic stance, and improving dribbling on the move.
The Maravich drills are a great way to improve your dribbling skills and get comfortable with the basketball. By practicing these drills regularly, you'll be able to develop better ball control, improve your dribbling technique, and take your game to the next level.
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Use cones or chairs to practice dribbling and manoeuvring
Using cones or chairs is a great way to practice dribbling and manoeuvring, and there are a variety of drills that can be done. One such drill is the cone dribbling drill, where players take turns dribbling towards a cone, stopping right in front of it, and then dribbling all the way around it with controlled fingertip dribbles. Once a full rotation has been completed, the player moves on to the next cone. This drill can be made more challenging by using normal dribbles instead of small dribbles and moving the whole body in a circle around the cone.
Another drill that utilizes cones or chairs is the cone/chair dribbling with traffic drill. This drill aims to improve dribbling and simulate the chaos players experience in a game. Players can use one or two basketballs and dribble and weave through the chairs as quickly as possible while keeping their heads up to avoid colliding with other players. When a player reaches the end, they get back in line and start again.
Phase 1 Moves is another dynamic drill that can be done with cones or chairs. This drill includes a variety of change of direction moves such as crossovers, between the legs, behind the back, in/out moves, and combo moves. Phase 2 focuses on other ball-handling moves like speed dribble, crab dribble, power dribble, scissor dribbles, and retreat dribble. Phase 3 returns to the change of direction moves from Phase 1, and Phase 4 focuses on finishing moves like layups, power layups, shot fake finishes, hips across, and floaters.
Additionally, cones or chairs can be used in a drill where the player dribbles through the cones, using various change of direction moves, and then attacks the basket. After taking a shot, the player widens out to the corner and cuts off the cone, simulating a cut off of a screen. The coach then passes the ball back to the player for another shot. This drill can be done with a variety of moves, including regular layups, power finishes, floaters, runners, reverse layups, and step-back moves.
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Practice outside your comfort zone
To improve your basketball dribbling skills, it is important to practice outside your comfort zone. This means experimenting with new techniques and pushing yourself to go faster or harder than you are used to. If you only stick to what you are comfortable with, your progress will be slower.
There are numerous dribbling drills that can help you improve your skills, such as the widely known "Maravich Drills", named after the legendary ball-handler Pete Maravich. These drills are designed to get players comfortable with the ball and improve their ball-handling skills. One such drill is the \"Figure 8\" drill, where you spread your legs about shoulder-width apart and dribble the ball in a figure-eight pattern through and around your legs. As you get faster, your dribbles should get lower. This drill helps improve your ball control and ability to quickly crossover defenders.
Another effective drill is the two-ball dribbling drill, where you dribble two balls simultaneously, challenging your hand-eye coordination and putting your strong and weak sides up against each other. You can also try dribbling with a deflated ball or putting a plastic bag over the ball, as this will help you improve your control when you switch back to a regular ball.
It's important to remember that new skills take time and hard work to master, so don't be discouraged if you don't see progress right away. Consistently practicing these drills will help you become a better dribbler and improve your overall performance on the court.
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Frequently asked questions
There are many different dribbling drills you can practice to improve your skills. Here are some examples:
- The Figure 8 drill: Spread your legs about shoulder-width apart and dribble the ball in a figure eight motion around your legs.
- The Two-Ball drill: Use two basketballs and dribble them at the same time to improve hand-eye coordination.
- The Cone drill: Set up cones in different spots on the court and dribble to each cone, making moves such as crossovers or behind-the-back dribbles.
- The Chair drill: Dribble towards a chair and practice crossovers or going behind the back as you advance past the chair, simulating a defender.
- The Kyrie Bag the Ball technique: Put the ball in a bag and dribble it for 1-2 weeks. This will help you improve your handles when you play with a normal basketball.
The more you practice, the better you will become at dribbling. Try to dribble a basketball every day, even if it's just for 10-15 minutes. Consistency is key, and you will see huge improvements over time.
A common mistake is to look down at the ground while dribbling. Keep your head up and eyes on the rim or a spot on the wall during practice. Also, make sure to use your fingertips to control the ball, not your palm.
It's important to practice outside your comfort zone. Experiment with going faster or dribbling harder than you usually would. You can also try using a heavier ball or putting a plastic bag over your ball to improve your control.
Yes, you can look up workouts and drills from NBA players online. For example, Kyrie Irving recommends putting a plastic bag or bin liner over your ball during dribbling drills. Arike Ogunbowale, a guard for the Dallas Wings, uses a two-ball dribbling drill as part of her warm-up routine.
