Kristian Ferrell
There are many ways to practice basketball without dribbling. While dribbling is an important skill to master, there are other fundamentals to focus on, such as passing, shooting, and defense. Passing is one of the most important skills in the game, so players can practice making chest passes without letting the ball touch the ground. To improve shooting skills, players can practice their form by squaring up to the basket and balancing the ball on their fingertips. For those who want to focus on ball handling, there are drills that involve wrapping the ball around the body, legs, head, waist, and knees without dribbling. These drills help improve control and speed while handling the ball. Additionally, players can practice their layups by jumping as they shoot without dribbling beforehand.
Characteristics of practising basketball without dribbling
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Body posture | Stand with legs shoulder-width apart, knees bent, and waist slightly bent |
| Hand placement | Hold the basketball over your head with arms extended and elbows slightly bent |
| Ball movement | Quickly tap the ball back and forth between hands using only fingertips |
| Variations | Extend arms in front of face, at waist level, or pass the ball behind your head from one hand to the other |
| Figure-eight drill | Make a figure eight with the ball through your legs, passing it to another player or tossing it off a wall |
| Toss or hike | Throw the ball between your legs, quickly moving hands to catch it without looking down or moving up and down |
| Hand switch | Hold the ball with one hand in front and the other behind, then quickly switch hands without dropping the ball |
| Passing techniques | Chest passes, full-court passes, layups, and pick-up steps |
| Shooting | Square up to the basket, balance the ball in your dominant hand, and keep your elbow tight to your hip |
| Defence | Blocking, reaching, over the back, and technical/flagrant fouls |
| Ball handling | 'Pistol Pete's Homework Basketball' drills, 'By Any Means Basketball' YouTube channel, and 'Ball Breakdown' YouTube channel |
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What You'll Learn
Ball-handling drills
Ball-handling is an essential skill in basketball, and there are many drills that can help you improve without needing to dribble.
Figure 8
This drill can be done alone or with a partner. Start with your feet spread apart and the ball in your right hand. Then, move the ball through your legs to your left hand and immediately move it back to your right hand. You can also do this drill with a partner, where both players initiate a figure 8 with the same hand and pass the ball to each other simultaneously as they complete the figure 8.
Around the World
This drill combines three variations of the "Around the World" drill. Start by standing with your legs wider than shoulder-width apart, knees bent, and bending slightly at the waist. Then, move the ball around your body in the following sequence: around your head, waist, legs, waist, and head again. You can also do this drill by moving the ball around one leg, passing it from one hand to the other.
Toss and Catch
Stand with your legs wider than shoulder-width apart, knees bent, and bend slightly at the waist. Hold the ball with both hands in front of your legs and toss it backwards through your legs, similar to a football hike. As soon as you toss the ball, quickly move your hands behind you and catch the ball as it comes through your legs. Then, quickly toss the ball back to the front and catch it without looking down or moving your body up and down.
Ball Tap
Stand straight up with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the basketball over your head with your arms almost fully extended and elbows slightly bent. Quickly tap the ball back and forth from one hand to the other using only your fingertips. You can also do variations of this drill by repeating it with your arms extended in front of your face or bent at the waist with the ball in front of your shins.
These drills can be easily practiced at home, as recommended by Pistol Pete's Homework Basketball, and will help you improve your ball-handling skills without needing to dribble or make much noise.
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Passing techniques
Passing is one of the most important skills in basketball. Here are some techniques to improve passing skills without dribbling:
Passing Drills
Passing drills are a great way to improve passing skills without relying on dribbling. Some examples of passing drills include:
- Partner Passing: Players pair up and practice passing to each other using different types of passes such as chest passes, bounce passes, push passes, and overhead passes.
- Machine Gun Passing: A 2-ball passing drill where players pass simultaneously to build speed and accuracy.
- Middle Man Passing: Another 2-ball passing drill that helps improve passing skills.
- Bull in the Ring: A team passing drill that teaches players to read the defense and make good passes away from defenders.
- Argentina Passing: A passing and conditioning drill that focuses on communication and accurate passing without travelling.
Game-Based Drills
Game-based drills are more dynamic and involve decision-making, movement, and passing under pressure. These drills are effective as they simulate game-like situations. Some examples include:
- No Dribble 3v2 Continuous: A passing and decision-making drill that helps players improve their passing skills and make quick decisions under pressure.
- No Dribble Advancement: A drill that teaches young players to improve their passing, pivoting, decision-making, and ability to handle pressure.
Techniques for Passing
In addition to drills, there are some techniques players can practice to improve their passing:
- Keep your head up: Always keep your eyes open and pay attention to where the ball and your teammates are. This helps you know when and where to pass.
- Pass frequently: Keeping the ball moving makes it harder for defensive players to anticipate passes. Quick and crisp passes can help your team find open lanes to the hoop.
- Practice different types of passes: Get comfortable with different types of passes such as chest passes, bounce passes, and overhead passes. Practice passing through different windows against imaginary, stationary, and live defenders.
- Teach spacing: Spacing is an important aspect of offensive play. Players should learn to judge distances, create angles, and pass away from defenders.
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Leg and waist drills
Figure 8 Drill
This drill focuses on ball control and coordination. Start by standing with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and bending your knees and waist. With the ball in your right hand, pass it between your legs in a figure-eight motion to your left hand. Then, swing the ball to the front and repeat the figure eight motion, passing the ball back to your right hand through your legs. Start this drill slowly and gradually increase your speed as you get more comfortable.
Ball Wrap Drill
This drill helps improve ball control and awareness. Begin by holding the basketball with both hands in front of your legs. Toss or hike the ball backward through your legs, similar to a football hike. As soon as the ball passes through your legs, quickly move your hands behind you and catch it. Then, immediately toss the ball back between your legs and catch it in front of you. Focus on performing this drill as quickly as possible without looking down or moving your body up and down.
Leg Wrap Drill
This drill helps players develop a feel for the ball and improve their ball handling. Start by wrapping the ball around your waist, then pass it through your legs and wrap it around each individual leg. Repeat this sequence for 30 seconds, and then do the same drill in the opposite direction. This drill can also be performed by dribbling the ball around and through your legs.
Waist Drill
For this drill, stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the basketball in front of your face. Move the ball around the back of your head with your right hand, then reach your left hand behind your head and pass the ball from your right hand to your left hand. Wrap the ball back around so it returns to the starting position in front of your face, and then pass it back to your right hand. This drill can be varied by performing it with your arms extended straight out or bent slightly at the waist with your arms down so that the ball is in front of your shins.
These leg and waist drills are excellent for improving ball handling skills and developing a better feel for the ball. They can be practiced individually or with a partner and are a great way to enhance your basketball capabilities.
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Figure 8 drills
Step 1: Starting Position
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees slightly. Keep your back straight and bend forward at the waist. This position will allow you to easily move the ball between your legs.
Step 2: Ball Movement
Hold the basketball in your right hand and pass it between your legs in a figure-eight motion to your left hand. The ball should go through your legs from the front with your right hand and then be passed to your left hand at the back.
Step 3: Coordination
As you pass the ball through your legs, coordinate your hand and body movement. Swing the ball to the front and then pass it from your left hand back to your right hand through your legs, completing the figure eight. Focus on ball control and speed, ensuring you don't look down to catch the ball.
Step 4: Variations
Once you are comfortable with the basic figure 8 drill, you can increase the challenge by varying the speed or trying different dribble heights. You can also initiate the figure 8 with your left hand, passing the ball through your legs and completing the motion with your right hand. Additionally, try tossing the ball off a wall and catching it as it returns, or perform the drill with a partner, passing the ball between each other as you both execute the figure 8 motion.
Step 5: Full Body Drill
For a full-body workout, incorporate the ball handling drill suggested by "The World of Hoops." Start by holding the basketball in front of your face. With your right hand only, move the ball in a circle around the back of your head, and then pass it to your left hand behind your head. Bring the ball back to the starting position in front of your face, and then pass it back to your right hand. This drill works on your coordination and ball control without the need for dribbling.
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Shooting techniques
The Tennessee Drill:
This drill focuses on minimal passing and encourages shooting. It involves three players forming three lines. The middle line starts with the ball and practices proper rebounding technique by throwing it off the glass and rebounding. The right line stays on the sideline, running between the 3-point line and half-court line, calling for an outlet pass. The left line sprints to the other hoop. The drill promotes shooting and full-pace movement without a heavy emphasis on dribbling.
Chair Drills:
These drills help with direction changes and ball handling. Place a chair about 21 feet from the basket and start 8-10 feet beyond it. Dribble towards the chair and use a change of direction dribble (crossover, inside out, behind the back, etc.) to go beyond the chair and make a lay-up. Practice different variations, such as the "Two-Up, Two-Back" drill, where you take two hard dribbles forward and then two backup dribbles before pushing into a jumpshot.
The Princeton Offense:
This strategy focuses on sharp, well-timed backdoor cuts and inside-out passing rather than constant motion. It encourages players to create space and utilise passing lanes instead of relying heavily on dribbling. By mastering this offence, you can develop a more well-rounded game that doesn't depend solely on dribbling skills.
Passing Drills:
Passing is an underrated aspect of basketball, and practising accurate passing can improve your overall game, including your shooting. Focus on drills that emphasise consistent and accurate passing to teammates, even in challenging situations. This will help create better scoring opportunities and improve your team's offensive flow, ultimately enhancing your shooting chances.
The "Triple Threat" Stance:
This versatile stance allows offensive players to pass, shoot, or dribble. Bring the ball close to your body, grasp it with both hands, and keep a low stance with elbows at a 90-degree angle. This stance gives you the option to shoot without dribbling first, helping you take advantage of scoring opportunities.
Remember, while these drills focus on shooting techniques without dribbling, dribbling itself is an essential skill to practise. Combining dribbling with these shooting techniques will make you a more versatile and well-rounded player.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to practice basketball without dribbling, including ball-handling drills, passing drills, and defensive drills.
One drill involves standing with your legs wider than shoulder width, knees bent, and bending slightly at the waist. Hold the ball with two hands in front of your legs and toss it backward through your legs, similar to how a football player would hike a ball. Catch the ball as it comes through your legs and quickly toss it back without moving your body up and down.
Passing is one of the most important skills in basketball. Chest passes are a fundamental type of pass where you hold the ball tightly with both hands and stick your elbows out. Bring the ball into your chest and then flick both hands out to pass it to a teammate without letting the ball touch the ground.
To practice shooting without dribbling, you can work on your form and technique. When you're ready to take a shot, stop dribbling, take the ball in both hands, and square up to the hoop by pointing your feet straight at the basket and lining up your hips over your feet. Keep your shooting elbow tight to your hip and balance the ball on your fingertips.
Defense is crucial in basketball, and you can practice defensive skills without dribbling. Fundamental defensive techniques include blocking, reaching, and avoiding over-the-back fouls. Blocking involves moving your body to block a player who is dribbling when you aren't already in their path. A reaching foul occurs when you knock the forearm or grab the arm of a player who is dribbling.
Yes, you can also practice non-dribbling drills such as figure eights, where you wrap the ball around your legs, head, waist, and knees. Additionally, you can improve your overall ball handling skills by standing straight up with your feet shoulder-width apart and quickly tapping the ball back and forth between your hands using only your fingertips.
