Kristian Ferrell
Basketball is a fast-paced game that requires agility, quick reflexes, and excellent ball handling skills. While shooting is important, it is also crucial to be able to move around the floor with the ball and get to open spots to score. Ball handling is a skill that can be developed through various drills that focus on hand-eye coordination, control, and confidence. These drills can be done with one or multiple basketballs and can be made more challenging by doing them on different surfaces or against defenders. Additionally, it is important to keep your head up while dribbling to observe the court and make the right plays. Making mistakes during practice is also a great way to improve ball handling skills, as it helps players learn from their errors and make fewer mistakes during games.
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What You'll Learn
Practice with two balls
Two-ball dribbling drills are an excellent way to improve your ball-handling skills and coordination. The concept behind these drills is "over-training", which means that by practising with two balls, handling one ball during a game will become relatively easy in comparison.
Two-Ball Pound: Dribble two balls in front of you, then move on to dribbling one ball on the side, one ball high and one ball low, then side to side, then push and pull, and finally, try changing the balls. You can also incorporate a third ball to increase the difficulty.
Two-Ball Figure 8: Master dribbling two balls around one leg, then try this figure-8 drill. Only one ball goes around the leg, while the other stays in front, and the same ball stays in the same hand throughout. The ball on the right goes around the right leg, and the ball on the left goes around the left leg.
Two-Ball Front Crossover: Dribble both balls in front of your body, then every few dribbles, cross over by dribbling both balls to the opposite hand. Once you've mastered this, try swinging one ball behind your back.
Two-Ball Front and Back Crossover: Practice your front and rear crossover dribble simultaneously. Cross over one ball in front of your body and cross over the second ball behind you.
Two-Ball One Around the Back: Dribble both balls in front of you, then every few dribbles, swing one ball around your back to the other side while crossing over the other ball in front to the opposite hand.
Two-Ball Shuffle: Similar to the "One Around the Back" drill, but instead of going behind the back, the ball is dribbled through the legs. Bounce both balls a few times, then crossover one ball in front and the other through the legs.
Additionally, you can play a basketball game called "Two Ball" to improve your accuracy and precision in three-point shooting. To play this game, you need a total of four players divided into two teams, with each team having its own basketball. The objective is for each team to make 10 shots from the five three-point positions as quickly as possible.
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Use your fingertips to dribble
When dribbling a basketball, it is important to use your fingertips to touch the ball and not your palm. This gives you better control over the ball and helps you maintain speed in your dribble. Here are some tips to improve your dribbling using your fingertips:
Spread Your Fingers
When dribbling, spread your fingers out across the surface of the ball. This gives you a wider and more balanced contact area, allowing you to have better control. Keep your hand relaxed and comfortable on the basketball, avoiding stiff hands, as this will help you maintain a good grip on the ball.
Keep the Ball Low
It is important to keep the basketball below your waist when dribbling. The higher the ball goes, the easier it is for an opponent to steal it. By using your fingertips to dribble, you can better control the height of the ball, pushing it down towards the ground with each bounce. This also allows you to have a quicker dribble, making it harder for defenders to predict your moves.
Use Your Fingertips to Catch and Push the Ball
When bouncing the ball, use your fingertips to catch it as it bounces up, and then push it back down towards the ground. This continuous motion helps you maintain control of the ball and develop a steady and controlled dribble. Focus on using your wrist and forearm for this pushing motion, rather than your entire arm, as this can slow down your dribble.
Practice Different Dribble Moves
Once you have mastered the basics of fingertip dribbling, you can start to practice more advanced dribble moves. This includes moves like crossovers, between the legs, and behind the back. These moves will help you change directions and speeds, throwing off your defender and creating space for yourself on the court.
Keep Your Eyes Up
As you advance in your dribbling skills, work on keeping your eyes off the ball and looking at the court instead. This will help you locate open teammates and make better plays. It also allows you to be aware of your defenders and adjust your dribble accordingly.
Remember, improving your basketball handling takes time and practice. By focusing on using your fingertips and incorporating these tips into your dribbling, you will be able to develop a more controlled and effective dribble.
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Practice outside your comfort zone
To improve your basketball handling, you need to practice outside your comfort zone. This means pushing yourself to do drills faster and with more intensity than you normally would. Start with the basics and master them before moving on to more advanced techniques. For example, you can try dribbling two or three basketballs at once, or doing your drills in gravel or on grass with an old-school basketball. You can also have someone push, grab, or foul you as you dribble to simulate game-like conditions.
Another way to practice outside your comfort zone is to work on your weak hand. Being able to handle the ball with both hands is critical in basketball. Try doing drills that force you to use your non-dominant hand, such as dribbling or shooting with just your weak hand. This will help you become more comfortable and confident with your weaker hand.
Additionally, you can work on changing your pace and direction while dribbling. This will help you throw off defenders and create more space for yourself on the court. Practice dribbling fast and then slowing down quickly, and also work on moves like jab steps, crossovers, and hesitations. The more unpredictable you can be with your dribbling, the better.
It's also important to keep your head up while dribbling so you can see the court and make the best plays for your team. A simple drill to improve this is to sit in front of a TV and try to watch your favorite highlights while dribbling, or focus on a spot on the wall while dribbling without looking at the ball. This will help you develop peripheral vision and improve your court awareness.
Remember, it's okay to make mistakes when you're practicing outside your comfort zone. In fact, it's often through these mistakes that we learn and improve the most. So, don't be afraid to challenge yourself and try new things, even if it means making a few errors along the way.
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Change of pace/direction
Changing pace and direction is a crucial skill for basketball players to develop. It allows them to evade defenders, create scoring opportunities, and enhance their offensive capabilities. Here are some tips to improve your ball handling by changing pace and direction:
Cone Drills
Cone drills are an excellent way to practice changing direction and pace while maintaining control of the ball. Set up cones in a zigzag pattern and weave through them, simulating dodging opponents on the court. This drill helps improve agility, coordination, and ball-handling skills, giving you the confidence to manoeuvre through tight spaces during game situations.
Varying Dribble Timing
Vary the timing of your dribble to keep defenders guessing. Mix in hesitations and stutter steps to throw them off balance and create opportunities to change direction or accelerate past them. Proficient players can seamlessly transition between slow and fast dribbling, keeping defenders on their toes and creating valuable scoring chances.
Acceleration and Deceleration
Work on accelerating from a standstill or slow pace to a rapid sprint. This sudden change in velocity can help you catch defenders off-guard and break through defensive lines. Similarly, practice quickly decelerating to keep your opponents guessing and open up passing lanes.
Jab Steps, Crossovers, and Hesitations
Use jab steps, crossovers, and hesitations to create extra space between you and your defender. These moves will help you change direction more effectively and give you more options to make plays for your team. Practice these moves at different speeds to improve your overall ball handling.
Keep Your Head Up
As a ball handler, it is essential to keep your head up to maintain court awareness. By keeping your head up, you can make better decisions and take advantage of opportunities that arise during a game. This simple technique will help you make the best play for your team.
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Practice game-like situations
To improve your basketball ball-handling skills, it is important to practice in game-like situations. This means creating drills that simulate the speed, intensity, and decision-making of a real game. Here are some ways to do that:
One effective way to practice game-like situations is to set up a series of cones or chairs to create a course that mimics the spacing and movement of a game. You can start by dribbling through the cones at game speed, working on your change of pace and direction, and practicing your crossovers, behind-the-back, and through-the-legs dribbles. It will help improve your
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Frequently asked questions
Here are some drills that can help improve your ball handling:
- Fingertip touches (above your head, at your waist, at your feet)
- Ball slaps
- Body circles
- Pound dribble (high, low, side, front, back, middle)
- Push-pull dribble (right hand on the side, forward and backward – repeat on the left side)
- Side-to-side dribble (right hand in front, left hand in front)
- Crossovers
- Behind-the-back crossovers
- Full-court ball handling
- Two-ball dribbling
Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Practise outside your comfort zone. Go faster than you are used to and use your imagination.
- Practise your ball handling in competitive, game-like situations with defenders present.
- Dribble the ball hard. The more time the ball spends in your hand, the more control you have.
- Look at the rim or a spot on the wall during all practice.
- Use your fingertips to control the ball, not your palm.
- Use speed and misdirection to your advantage as a ball handler while attacking the rim.
You can make your drills more challenging by wearing a glove, wrapping a plastic bag around the ball, or using heavy balls.
Dribbling is the skill of controlling the ball as you bounce it on the floor. Ball handling is what you do with that dribble. Whether you use it to go to the basket, make a passing angle, escape from pressure, or anything else, those situations have to be imagined and practised.
