Coaching Basketball for 32 years has convinced me that the most important skill in the game is that of just being able to handle the round ball itself. Everything else will come with time and repetitions.
The things that drives players, fans, and coaches crazy is turnovers. This is especially true with unforced turnovers. Here is a list of 12 individual drills that will help improve a players ball handling skills.
1. Dribble with the right hand only in place.
2. Dribble only with the left hand in place.
3, Dribble using both hands in a back and forth method.
4. With your feet together, dribble a circle around them going clockwise and then counter clockwise.
5. Hold the ball overhead and flip it back and forth between your fingers.
6. With the ball in your right hand, pas it to your left by going around your body quickly then reverse.
7. Do the same taking it around both legs with your feet together.
8. Pound the ball into the palm of your hand going right to left and then left to right.
9. Figure eight the ball through your legs. The ball always enters from the front and exits through the back. Now reverse going through the back side first and exiting through the front part of the body. start this slow and pick up speed.
10. Holding the ball with both hand out in front of you, bounce the ball through your spread legs. Catch it with both hands as it exits the back side. It might be easier to go through the backside first.
11. Hold the ball between both legs. Have one hand go through the back between the legs and one through the front. Now holding the ball there, switch hands quickly before the ball touches the floor. This is called the Spider Drill.
12. This last drill is very difficult to do. Bend slightly at the legs and waist. Hold the ball with both hands a little below your rear end. You might even have the ball slightly touching your bottom side. Now let the ball drop to the floor. Quickly clap your hands in front of yourself and quickly return them to the ball that is behind you. The goal is to try and catch the ball before it hits the floor.
Mastering these 12 skills will go along way in improving your ball handling. Repeating the drills over and over will help improve your skills.
Other things to work on are dribbling with your head up. Try not to look at the ball while you dribble. You should be able to feel the ball each time it comes up into your palm.
Always look down the court. As soon as you receive a pass or get possession of the ball, look first down the court and read where the defense is in relation to your team mates.
When retrieving a loose ball on the floor, pick it up quickly with both hands. Don’t try to dribble a rolling ball. Just grab and secure it quickly. Use both hands. Make sure you have control before doing anything.
If you have a team mate in trouble with the ball, just go and take it out of their hands quickly. Don’t wait for a pass. this is especially true if your team mate doesn’t know how to dribble.
Only use a bounce pass, when you are closely guarded. Always try to use a chest pass. It is quicker, stronger, and more direct.
Always pass on the strong side of a receiver. Which ever side the defender is on, pass to the opposite side.
Fancy Passes just create more turnovers. Keep your passes fresh and sharp. Behind the back passes and through the leg passes are for the Globetrotters.
Don’t dribble just to see if there is air in the ball. The dribble is used to move yourself and the ball. A pass is used just to move the ball.
