Improve Your Skills – Dribbling Drills

Basketball is a team sport, but each player needs to bring their own set of skills to the game. Speed, concise movement and intelligent decision making are just some of the major components required in the game and must all be done well under pressure. How you handle the ball and the techniques you bring to the court can be the difference between a win or a loss.

Here are some dribbling drills to practice during training to get the best out of your skills during your next game.

 

Switch up your hands

Practicing dribbling with both your right and left hand is a great way to gain control of your body and the ball. Understanding how your preferred hand works in comparison to your less-preferred hand will give you insight into your strength. Practice dribbling with alternating hands while walking, running and then sprinting. Make note of changes in your technique as you swap between hands and work on bettering your weaker hand to give you more confidence during the heat of the game.

 

Fingertip control

Beginners sometimes make the mistake of slapping the ball with their palms when dribbling, but the correct technique is to control the ball with your fingertips. To practice the skill, grab a ball, hold it in front of you and, keeping both hands close together, toss it back and forth. Focus on keeping only your fingertips in contact with the ball. Then, once you are comfortable move the ball up over your heads and then back down to your knees, continue this movement, homing in on how your fingertips control the movement of the ball.

 

Dribble with two balls

In basketball you need to be ready for anything, and with coordination you will be. Try practicing your dribbling skills with two balls instead of one. Start by dribbling both balls while standing in a stationary position, then progress into walking in a straight line, differing the heights of both hands. Eventually move into a running pace and start changing your direction quickly, all while maintaining control over both basketballs.

 

The more you know about dribbling and hand techniques, the easier it will be to identify your own mistakes and rectify them immediately. Having an understanding of ball control will also help you become a better defender by giving you the tools to identify poor ball control in other players. You can use this knowledge to your advantage and take command of the situation to benefit your game.