Dribbling 101: 9 Basketball Dribbling Drills to Boost Your Game
How do you become a good dribbler? Putting in the work. There are hundreds of individual and team drills that you can use to improve your dribbling. The phrase used to describe a flashy guard who has superior dribbling skills is that the “ball is an extension of their hand.” Expert dribblers are magicians, controlling the ball like it’s a puppet. Not every player needs to know how to dribble like Stephen Curry, but players at least need to learn some basic dribbling fundamentals. Let’s explore beginning, intermediate, and advanced drills together so you can work on your handles.
Beginner Dribbling Drills to Get You Started
Ball Slaps: Ball slaps are a good way to understand how the ball should feel on your hands when you’re dribbling. Start with a ball in the palm of one of your hands and slap the side of it with the other hand. Repeat that sequence, moving the ball from hand to hand. You shouldn’t look down at the ball. Instead, look straight ahead. The ball slap drill also helps with fingertip control of the basketball.
Pound Drill: This is one of the simplest and most effective drills for newer players. Using the palm of your dominant hand, bounce a basketball from the floor back to your dominant hand. Repeat for a measurable period of time. For instance, do the pound drill for 30 seconds. To progress with the pound drill, you should do it by looking straight ahead and not at the basketball. The pound drill can also be done returning the ball to different levels, like the waist, chest, and shoulders.
Popcorn Dribbling: Ball movement with your dribbling is the purpose of popcorn dribbling. Using one hand, dribble the ball in one spot for 4 dribbles, then move to another spot for 4 dribbles and so on. You can start by dribbling the ball in front of you and then move it slightly to the right for right-handed dribblers and then further right again. Repeat the sequence once you’ve hit all the spots.
Intermediate Dribbling Drills to Boost Your Game
Two-Ball Dribbling: Dribbling with 2 balls simultaneously is one of the next steps in improving your dribbling skills. The basic two-ball drill is the same as the pound drill except the dribbler uses both hands and two balls instead of one hand. You can vary the dribbling heights, going only as high as your ankles all the way up to your shoulders. To advance this, perform this drill while walking forward and backward. When you get good enough, you should be able to move from one end of the gym to the other end without losing either basketball.
Figure Eight Drill: For this drill, stand with your legs stretched out as wide as possible. Start by dribbling the ball in front of your right foot around knee high and then dribble behind your right foot to the middle of your stance. At this spot, you’ll have to switch the ball to your left hand. You’ll dribble the ball between your legs to the front of your left foot and then behind it. You’ll switch again to your right hand. This pattern is the shape of a figure 8. Do this for 30 seconds without moving your hips. The faster you can do this, the better your skill level. To make it even more challenging, for your second set, dribble the ball ankle high.
Cone Touch Drill: For this drill, place 10 cones in a straight line on the gym floor. You can do it diagonally or vertically. They should be spread evenly throughout the gym. Dribble the ball to each cone and touch the cone. Make sure you look straight ahead, and not down at the cone. This drill helps improve your lateral vision with the ball. Measure your time for completing it and work to improve it.
Advanced Dribbling Drills to Take Your Game to New Heights
1v1 Tight Dribbling Drill: This drill requires a partner. The dribbler starts at half-court. Place 8 cones, 4 on each side, about 6 feet apart. The last set of cones should stop just outside the top of the key, which is about 22 feet from the basket on a college court. The goal is to dribble through the cones while being guarded using a finite number of dribbles. It could be 4 dribbles for more experienced players and 6 or 7 for beginners. After the dribbler gets past the line of cones, they try to score. The idea is to make the dribbler use both hands and their body to create space.
Stationary 3-Ball Dribbling Drill: Two people are needed for this drill, which requires a high degree of skill. While dribbling 2 basketballs simultaneously, another person behind the dribbler hands them a third ball. The helper is facing the dribbler’s back. While the dribbler is getting the third ball, they rotate one of the balls they are using to their helper. A high degree of concentration and coordination are necessary to master this drill. The dribbler has to be aware of when the third ball is coming. They won’t be able to see it. To make it more challenging, you can use different hands in the exchange, using your right hand for 30 seconds and then your left hand for 30 seconds.
Move and Counter Drill: Your stance should be wider than shoulder length. Start with the basketball in your right hand. With one dribble, move the ball to your left hand. The counter is to dribble the ball through your legs back to your right hand. The next move is to bring the ball back to your original starting position. This drill should be done while your feet are firmly planted. Only your hips move. Do this as fast as you can.
Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced dribbler, there’s always room for practice. Adding 1 or 2 of these dribbling drills to your routine is going to make you a better dribbler if you do them consistently.