Kristian Ferrell
Dribbling a basketball with control and speed requires a combination of technique, practice, and adherence to the rules. The basic stance involves a low, defensive posture with bent knees, hips dropped back, head up, and shoulders square. Players should use their fingertips, not their palms, to control the ball, and they should avoid violations like traveling, double dribbling, and carrying. Developing dribbling skills involves drills that focus on technique, speed, and control, such as the speed dribble, control dribble, and whirl pivot (spin move). With practice, players can improve their ball handling, speed, and control, enabling them to execute moves with precision and effectiveness during a game.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Stance | Feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, hips back, head up, shoulders square |
| Hand Position | Relaxed fingers, spread out evenly, touching the ball with fingertips, not the palm |
| Ball Control | Keep the ball low to the ground, use wrist snaps, avoid double dribbling, dribble with one hand at a time |
| Drills | Use balloons, two balls, dribble in figure 8's, dribble and shoot, dribble with head up, focus on technique before speed |
| Strategy | Dribble to the side near defenders, use dribble to separate from defenders, move in straight lines |
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What You'll Learn
Basic rules: avoid travelling, double dribbling, and carrying
When dribbling a basketball, there are some basic rules you need to follow to avoid violations: travelling, double dribbling, and carrying. These rules are essential to know to avoid penalties, which can halt your team's offensive momentum and give the defending team the ball.
Travelling
Travelling is a violation that involves moving with the ball without dribbling. This includes taking an extra step, skipping, hopping, shuffling your feet, or moving/changing your pivot foot when stationary. To avoid travelling, use the correct footwork and be mindful of your steps when in possession of the ball. Players are allowed a maximum of two steps with the basketball in their hands.
Double Dribbling
Double dribbling is a penalty that refers to two types of violations. The first is dribbling with both hands simultaneously. The second is dribbling, stopping the dribble (by catching or holding the ball), and then starting to dribble again. To avoid double dribbling, remember that once you start dribbling, you cannot stop and start again. If you need to stop dribbling, pass or shoot the ball instead.
Carrying
Carrying is a violation where a player catches the ball with one hand and then continues to dribble without stopping the dribbling motion. To avoid carrying, ensure that you do not catch the ball with one hand and then immediately dribble.
In addition to these basic rules, it's important to maintain a low, defensive stance while dribbling. Spread your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees, and drop your hips back slightly. Keep your head up and shoulders square, and use your fingertips rather than your palm to touch the ball. This position helps protect the ball while also giving you mobility.
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Defensive stance: spread feet, bend knees, protect the ball
To dribble a basketball with control and speed, you must first get into a low, defensive stance. This involves spreading your feet about shoulder-width apart, bending your knees, and dropping your hips back slightly as if sitting in a chair. Keep your head up with your chin tucked in, and your shoulders square and in line with your toes. This stance helps protect the ball while giving you mobility.
A good defensive stance is key to guarding the ball and preventing dribble penetration. It is important to maintain your balance and not lean too far forward or backward, as this will affect your balance. Your weight should be distributed mostly on the balls of your feet, with your heels still in contact with the ground.
From this position, you should be able to reach down with a straight arm and touch the floor with your fingertips without leaning forward. This ensures you are close enough to the offensive player to pressure them effectively. Keeping your arms outstretched also helps to protect the "Elbows" and "Blocks" on dribble penetration, preventing the opponent from getting into the three-second area.
In addition to your stance, there are other techniques to improve your dribbling control and speed. Firstly, focus on relaxing your fingers and spreading them out evenly on the basketball. This increases the surface area and gives you more control. Use your fingertips, not your palm, to control the ball. Secondly, practice drills such as dribbling with two balls or using a balloon to improve your feel for the ball. Finally, when near defenders, dribble the ball to your side, forcing them to reach across your body.
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Control the ball with fingertips, not your palm
When dribbling a basketball, it is important to use your fingertips to control the ball, rather than your palm. This gives you more control over the ball and makes it harder for defenders to steal it. Keeping your head up and eyes on the game is crucial, so you can see what defensive players are doing and locate your teammates.
To develop this skill, you can start by relaxing your fingers and ensuring they are spread out evenly across the basketball. This increases the surface area and improves your control. Avoid making your hands and fingers too stiff, as this can lead to "slapping" at the ball. Get comfortable with relaxing your hands and fingers.
Some coaches recommend that the basketball should never touch the palm of your hand while dribbling. However, others disagree, suggesting that this can lead to an unnatural "claw" shape with the hand, making it difficult to dribble effectively. Instead, it is advised to let the basketball touch all the pads of your hand, with the fingertips maintaining control.
Dribbling drills can help you improve your fingertip control. For example, you can try dribbling with two balls, starting stationary and then moving across the court. This will help you build confidence and improve your overall ball handling. Remember, the closer the basketball is to the ground, the easier it will be to control.
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Keep the ball low to the ground for more control
Keeping the basketball low to the ground is key to maintaining control. This is achieved by bending your knees and adopting a low, defensive stance. This stance not only helps protect the ball but also gives you more mobility.
When the ball is closer to the ground, it is easier to control and you have more options to manoeuvre past defenders. For example, if a defender reaches in to steal the ball, you can quickly change direction and explode past them.
It is also important to keep your head up and eyes forward, looking at the defensive players and locating your teammates. This way, you can shield the ball with your body and non-dribbling arm, making it harder for defenders to steal the ball.
The dribbling technique also contributes to keeping the ball low. Use your fingertips to control the ball, not your palm. This increases the surface area of contact and improves control. Push the ball into the ground with force by extending your elbow and snapping your wrist. The less time the ball is out of your hands, the more control you have, so dribble with speed and power.
Practise drills such as the "Maravich Drill" to improve your low dribbling. Spread your legs about shoulder-width apart and dribble the ball in a figure-eight motion through and around your legs. Focus on keeping the dribble low, performing as many dribbles as possible with the ball at shoe height.
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Practice drills: improve your feel for the ball
Balloon dribble
This drill improves a player's ability to control the basketball. Players start by dribbling a basketball while holding a balloon. They then throw the balloon in the air and tap it with their hand while keeping the dribble alive. The player who loses control of the basketball or lets the balloon drop is out.
Maravich drills
These drills are great for getting players comfortable with the ball. One such drill is dribbling a ball in a figure-8 motion through and around the legs. This can be done in multiple ways, such as front to back, back to front, or low dribbles. For an added challenge, try the drill with one hand instead of two.
Two-ball dribbling
Any dribble or drill you can do with one ball, you can do with two. Start with stationary practice to build confidence, then begin to move. Follow the lines around the court or create your own route.
Dribbling line drills
Players form lines on the baseline or sideline, two players deep, with one basketball per line. Use cones or chairs to represent stopping/starting points or change-of-dribble spots. Players will start, stop, and change dribbles on voice command or a whistle. The player should pause between stops and starts to check for balance and to see if their head is up. At the turnaround point, the coach should require jump stops with pivots.
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Frequently asked questions
Get in a low, defensive stance with your feet spread shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and drop your hips back slightly, keeping your head and shoulders up. Avoid a tall, vertical posture as it leaves the ball vulnerable to defenders.
Touch the ball with your fingertips, not your palm. This gives you more control. Keep your eyes up and on the game, not on the ball. Avoid dribbling with your head down. The closer the ball is to the ground, the easier it is to control.
One drill involves dribbling with a balloon. Throw the balloon in the air and tap it with your hand while keeping the dribble alive. You can also do the figure-8 drill, dribbling the ball in a figure-8 motion through and around your legs. This can be done in multiple ways, such as front to back, back to front, or as low or high dribbles.
You can use a speed dribble to push the ball up the court quickly. A retreat dribble is useful to avoid defensive pressure by dribbling backward. A crossover dribble is effective in breaking down a defender and penetrating. You can also use head and shoulder fakes to sell the move and then explode to the basket with a speed dribble.
