Passing and catching is becoming a lost skill in today’s game. Many players are spending more time dunking, trying to dunk or attempting 3-point shots.
Photo: Thomas Sorenes
Passing and catching is really one action and should be treated as such. Much of a team’s success in running a motion offense, or a set play, is contingent on the fact that the ball will be passed and caught properly.
Coaches tend to place a great deal of importance on their team’s offensive turnovers. They feel they must average less than 12 turnovers a game to be successful. By being able to simply pass and catch the basketball, you can save two to five turnovers a game. These eight drills will help your players handle the ball better.
1. No Walk Drill (5 minutes)
This drill consists of two players and one ball. The players are 10 to 12 feet across from each other. The player with the ball will pass to his or her partner the partner will catch the ball with both feet in the air. This continues until you stop the drill. Utilize the chest bounce, overhead and skip pass in this drill.
2. Two-Ball Passing (2 minutes)
This drill consists of two players and two balls. The players are again 10 to 12 feet across from each other. The players will make right-handed and left-handed chest passes, and right-handed and left-handed bounce passes simultaneously. The purpose of the drill is getting them to pass as quickly as possible without making a turnover.
3. Bad Pass (2 minutes)
This drill consists of two players and one ball. The bad-pass drill is where the players throw bad passes to each other. The receiver must move both feet to the ball to get into position to catch it with two hands. This drill is especially good for working on short hops, bad bounces and odd-spinning passes.
4. Back To Passer (2 minutes)
The back-to-the-passer drill is where one player has his or her back turned to the other one. The player with the ball will call out the player’s name and makes a chest pass to the receiver. Upon hearing their name called, the receiver will turn completely to the ball with both hands, ready to catch the pass already on its way.
5. Keep Away (1 minute)
This drill consist of three players and one ball. The defender will be within the jump circle or the free-throw circle on the court, and the two passers will be standing on the circle. The passer’s job is to complete the pass without allowing the defender to touch it. If it is touched, the defender replaces the passer.
6. Three-Player Weave (5 minutes)
In this drill, have five groups of three and each group has a ball. The passer will pass to the teammate next to him or her and follow the pass, going behind the teammate. This is continued up the court until a layup is shot. The group will then come back down the floor the same way.
7. Machine Gun Passing (5 minutes)
This drill consists of seven players and two balls. One player in the middle must continuously make completed passes to the remaining players scattered along the 3-point line for 30 seconds. The players on the 3-point line must have his or her knees bent and hands ready. As soon as a ball is caught, it is passed back to the middle player. The middle player must pass the ball out immediately, but they cannot pass it to the same player that threw it to them. If a ball gets free on the perimeter, it equals 10 push-ups done at the end of the drill.
8. Four-Corner Passing (1 to 3 minutes)
This drill consists of 12 to 16 players and four balls. The players get in lines at the two blocks and the two elbows of the lane. Each line will have a ball. On the whistle, the players will pass to the right, follow their pass for a hand-off, return the hand-off, and rotate to the back of the line.
This is a continuous drill with all four balls moving at the same time. Have your players call out the player’s name they are passing to. On a second whistle, the players will switch the direction of the passes.
These are eight quick fundamental drills on passing and catching to make your players better passers and catchers. Practice at least two of these drills daily, spending at least 5 minutes — but usually 10 minutes — somewhere in practice on these drills. These drills, as well as the emphasis on passing and catching in scrimmage situations, will make your team much better ball handlers.
Footwork on the Catch: Creating an Advantage
Footwork is a very fundamental basketball skill, but it can turn an average offensive player into a dangerous one.
Whether 10 years old or 20, footwork is a key fundamental to a player’s overall game. Proper footwork can help a player gain an advantage, create spacing, draw fouls, and prevent travels and other types of turnovers. Footwork is the foundation of everything a player does on a court, from post ups to shooting to pivoting and even when catching the basketball. When you look at the greats like Kobe, Olajuwon, Ray Allen and many others, footwork helped separate them from others.
Oftentimes, the simple act of catching a basketball is where a lot of mistakes happen. Properly teaching players the footwork to use when catching the ball can help them develop a much more versatile, and dangerous, offensive game. Three different types of footwork on the catch will be discussed to help players cut down on turnovers and create greater advantages.
Perfect Catch
Whether you are a coach who emphasizes the quick hop or 1-2 step into a shot, the perfect catch can still be emphasized. A perfect catch allows a player to be able to immediately go into a shot, shot fake, drive, jab step or pass.
Breakdown:
Ball in the air, feet in the air
Pop the ball on the catch (this helps emphasize catching the basketball first)
Feet are on the floor as ball is caught
Eyes are middle/on the rim
A drill to emphasize perfect catches is Arc Shooting shown below. Perfect catch shown at 0:04 in video.
1 starts with the basketball. The ball is passed from 1 to 2 to 3 and 4. On each catch, shot prep is emphasized and players are shot faking before passing. When 4 receives the pass they shoot the basketball and get the rebound and go to the end of the line. The players follow there pass, so they are in a new spot. Players must talk throughout saying one more to get the pass and saying the name of the person they are passing to. This time when 3 receives the pass they drive to the basket and stride stop/jump stop. On the jump stop, 4 fills up behind and receives the pass and shoots.
Split Catch
Split catch is an explosive way for a player to get down hill or to continue his/her momentum into a drive. It is exactly what it sounds like. As a player is receiving a pass and reads drive, the player splits there feet to get into a running/sprinter stance to explode as soon as they receive the pass.
Breakdown:
Ball in the air, feet in the air
Split feet in the air and load legs for explosiveness
Rip the basketball
Drill to rep Split Catches below. Split catch shown at 1:04 in video.
Player 1 start in front of x1. Game begins on player 1 movement. Player 1 sprints around the cone and receives a pass in a split stance. x1 must go around cone as well.
Crossover Step Catch
A crossover step occurs when the direct path of a split catch is taken away, or a defender takes away the direction the player is likely to go. A crossover step is another explosive movement to get the offensive player going down hill quickly.
Breakdown:
Ball in the air, feet in the air
Can be done off of a perfect catch or split catch
Pivot off of foot furthest from the defender
Cross step with foot closest to the defender
Drill to rep Crossover Step Catches below. Crossover step catch show at 1:43 in video.
Player 1 starts in the corner. X1 starts on the block. A cone is placed at the slot. Game begins on player 1 movement. Player 1 sprints to the slot and receives the pass and performs a crossover step to begin driving. X1 sprints to touch the cone before playing defense. X1 cannot steal the pass.
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Jordan Petersen is a former collegiate player and coach. He currently runs Positionless Basketball, which provides elite level basketball training and camps for youth players all the way to college and professional. It's mission is to provide student-athletes with a unique experience that develops players' minds and athletic performance.
How to catch the ball safely and correctly: tips from basketball players
Catching is one of the four ball handling techniques in basketball. Its correct execution allows the player not only to take possession of the ball, but also to immediately take any further attacking actions. Thus, catching the ball is the starting position for a number of other offensive techniques (passing, dribbling, throwing into the basket).
During the game, a basketball player must not passively wait for the ball. His task is to move around the site and move towards a possible pass. The player's gaze should be directed at the ball, but at the same time, with peripheral vision, he should see the position of partners and opponents on the court in order to quickly assess the situation and determine their further actions.
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The choice of how to perform a technique depends on how fast and at what height the sports equipment flies, as well as on one's own position in relation to it.
The easiest and most reliable way to master the ball is to catch the ball with both hands. In this case, the player stretches his arms with tense hands towards the approaching projectile. At the moment of contact, the ball is wrapped around the fingers. At the same time, the arms should bend slightly, extinguishing the speed of the sports equipment. Having fixed the ball, the player immediately takes the position necessary to perform the next technique. A high-flying ball is caught in the same way, only in addition the player must make a jump. To pick up a ball that has bounced off the court, an oblique movement is made. In this case, the ball is wrapped around with brushes from the outside and pulled up by the hands to the body.
Basketball players have to catch the ball with only one hand when the game situation does not allow them to reach it with both hands. The technique for performing this technique is somewhat different from the previous one. In this case, the player must extend his arm with a relaxed hand towards the ball. As soon as the ball touches the fingers, it is necessary to take the hand back a little, accompanying and at the same time slowing down the projectile. A slight turn of the body towards the working hand facilitates the process of stopping the ball and fixing it. After that, the ball is clasped with two hands. If the projectile flies high, then the player, performing the catch with one hand in a jump, slightly bends the body, quickly lowers it and, holding it with the other hand, pulls it up to the body. As soon as the ball is caught, the basketball player must take a stance to perform the next game move.
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How to learn how to spin a basketball on your finger
To skillfully spin a basketball on your finger, you need to learn a few simple techniques, find the ball and set aside 10 minutes of training per day. After a week of practicing your skills, you will master the technique of this trick and show it to your friends. In the step-by-step instructions below, we will show you how to learn how to spin a basketball on your finger.
Tossing the ball correctly
You can train on the sports ground, near the house or even in the apartment, but in any place you need to take into account the environment. For example, when practicing a trick in a room, the ball can bounce and break fragile objects. When a place is found and inventory is prepared, you can begin training. Initially, you need to learn how to properly hold and throw the ball in the air:
Hold the ball with the stripes vertical. Horizontal scrolling looks ineffective and it is very difficult to catch a projectile from this position.
Select throw method:
Two hands. You need to keep the ball not on the sides, but so that 1 hand “looks” at you, and the second from you. Having fixed the object, sharply spread your arms and slightly “throw” the ball up.
With one hand. To throw with one hand, place your fingers along the lines of the ball. It is important that there is free space between the palm and the inventory. Lightly squeeze the ball. Turn the brush outward until it stops, and then gently turn it back. At the last moment, you need to give additional rotation to the ball with your fingertips. But we do not recommend using a large one, because. this will upset the balance and the ball will fly away.
Throw the ball parallel to the floor, do not allow the projectile to “wag”. It is important that when thrown, the projectile rises above eye level. When its bottom surface is visible, the ball is easier to catch.
These steps must be repeated until fully automated. Usually it takes two days. When the throws are confident, you can move on to the second level.
Learning to catch the ball
Once you have learned how to throw correctly, try catching the ball with your finger. To do this, remember the following nuances:
You need to catch the projectile on the nail, not the finger itself. In this case, it is important that the brush is turned with the palm towards you.
The finger must be placed strictly in the center, at the junction of the vertical lines, otherwise the ball will slide off.
When your finger touches the ball, gently and smoothly lower your hand down. So you will improve the cushioning, the inventory will not bounce, and you will not damage your finger.
This stage is one of the most difficult and requires patience on the part of the freestyler, athlete and just wanting to master the skill.
The player with the ball will call out the player’s name and makes a chest pass to the receiver. Upon hearing their name called, the receiver will turn completely to the ball with both hands, ready to catch the pass already on its way.
One player in the middle must continuously make completed passes to the remaining players scattered along the 3-point line for 30 seconds. The players on the 3-point line must have his or her knees bent and hands ready. As soon as a ball is caught, it is passed back to the middle player. The middle player must pass the ball out immediately, but they cannot pass it to the same player that threw it to them. If a ball gets free on the perimeter, it equals 10 push-ups done at the end of the drill.
On a second whistle, the players will switch the direction of the passes.
When you look at the greats like Kobe, Olajuwon, Ray Allen and many others, footwork helped separate them from others.
Perfect catch shown at 0:04 in video.
Split catch shown at 1:04 in video.
X1 sprints to touch the cone before playing defense. X1 cannot steal the pass.
The player's gaze should be directed at the ball, but at the same time, with peripheral vision, he should see the position of partners and opponents on the court in order to quickly assess the situation and determine their further actions. 
To pick up a ball that has bounced off the court, an oblique movement is made. In this case, the ball is wrapped around with brushes from the outside and pulled up by the hands to the body. 
As soon as the ball is caught, the basketball player must take a stance to perform the next game move. 
.. 
.. 
Horizontal scrolling looks ineffective and it is very difficult to catch a projectile from this position. 
When its bottom surface is visible, the ball is easier to catch. 
