How to dribble the basketball like a pro

If you break one of the dribbling rules, it’ll result in a violation, and the opposing team will receive the ball. When that happens, the ref will call out the violation, so you must understand the following terms:

• Travel – This is where you run or walk with the ball without dribbling it. A player cannot take more than a step and a half without dribbling the ball, or it is considered a travel. Once the player stops dribbling, the foot that lands on the court becomes the pivot foot. The pivot foot cannot be picked up, or it is considered a travel.
• Double-Dribble – There are two different ways a player can commit a double-dribble violation. The first one is when the player stops dribbling the ball, then resumes again without passing. The second way is when the player dribbles the ball with two hands. The opponent gets the ball near the spot the violation happened.   
• Palming/Carrying – This is where you touch the bottom or side of the ball while dribbling. The referee will call out a carry, and the opponent will get the ball out of bounds near where the violation happened.
• Backcourt – This is when the player dribbles over the half-court line and then turns around. The opponents will then retrieve the ball.
• Kicking – This is when a player kicks the ball.
• 5–second violation – When the player with the ball is being guarded by someone who is within arm’s reach, they have 5 seconds to shoot, pass, or dribble the ball.   

Here’s a quick video to show you some of these common violations in action.

Dribbling is an essential skill when driving to the hoop. Check out the article, How To Drive In Basketball for more information on how to get to the basket efficiently.

How to Dribble in Basketball

Now that you understand the rules of dribbling, you can begin to learn the act of dribbling. There are a few tips to keep in mind while you are dribbling.

The following tips will help you advance your game and have you playing like a pro:

• Keep your head up and on your opponents rather than looking at the ball. Keeping your head up also allows you to see the floor ahead of you. It is common for beginners to stare down at the ball as they dribble, but that prevents you from seeing other players and makes you lose focus on the game.
• Dribble the ball hard. The harder you dribble, the quicker the ball will return to your hand. This will give you more control of the ball.
• Dribble with your fingertips and not your palm. This gives you more control of the ball.
• Don’t let the ball bounce higher than your hips. This will help you keep control of the ball and be harder for defenders to steal it from you.
• Use your other hand and body to shield the ball from defenders.
• Practice. The easiest way to become a pro at dribbling is by practicing your technique and improving your speed.
• Change your speed. This can confuse your defender and make them not able to predict your move. It allows you to think and spot an open space.
• Pass the ball. Sometimes passing the ball can be more effective than trying to dribble around obstacles. Often, if you pass the ball, you can then find an opening so that the ball can be passed back to you.

Once you have these tips in the back of your head, you can begin dribbling. Here are some easy steps to teach you how to dribble in basketball properly:

1. Spread and relax your fingers – Your fingers should be spread evenly over the ball. It is common for beginner players to keep their fingers closed, but this gives you less control over the ball.
2. Bend your knees – While you have the ball, staying low to the ground allows you to keep the ball safe from your opponents. If your opponent is trying to reach for the ball and you have your knees bent, you will be able to move up and away quickly.
3. Pound the basketball into the ground – Extend your elbow and snap your wrist at the bottom of the movement. Doing this with force will allow the ball to return to your hands at a faster speed.
4. Use your fingertips – When the ball bounces back up, use your fingertips to push it back down. Using the palm of your hand will cause you to lose control of the ball.

Here’s a quick video to explain positioning, control, and dribbling a basketball.

Those are the necessary steps needed to become a dribbling pro, but practice makes perfect. Reasons for improving your skills are:

• It builds your confidence.
• It gets you the ball more.
• It makes it easier for you to score.

Maravich Drills

The next step would be to work on different drills that help improve your dribbling technique. Drills allow you to step out of the comfort of basic dribbling. Maravich drills are ball-handling and dribbling drills that were named after Press Maravich invented skills drills so that his son could improve his ball-handling and speed.

The following chart lists Maravich drills and how to perform them:

Maravich Drill	How To Perform It
Tipping	Using your fingertips only, quickly pass the ball from hand to hand. This gets you used to not dribbling with your whole hand.
Front to back – between the legs	Starting in front of you, bounce the ball between your legs while moving your hands behind you to catch the ball. Then bounce it from back to front. Repeat.
Drop and catch	In a wide squat position, hold the ball with your hands between your knees. One hand should be in front of you, and the other should come from behind you. Drop the ball and quickly switch hands to catch without letting the ball hit the ground.
Spider dribble	Spread your feet shoulder’s width apart, dribble the ball in front of you from one hand to the other, and then behind you from one hand to the other.
Dribble figure 8’s	Spread your feet shoulder’s width apart, then dribble the ball between and around your legs like a figure 8.
Two-ball dribble	Walking around while dribbling a ball in each hand is an effective way to work on coordination and make your non-dominate hand strong at dribbling.

Here’s a video breakdown of these Maravich drills so you can see them in action.

Dribbling Warmups

When you are warming up for practice, you can kill two birds with one stone by incorporating dribbling into your stretches. These will not only help you warm up, but they will also help improve your coordination.

• Hamstring stretch – Cross one leg over the other and bend forward at the waist to feel a stretch in your hamstring touching the floor with the opposite hand. Dribble the ball at shoe level with the same hand as the stretching leg. Switch sides and repeat.
• Lower body stretch – Take a big step forward while keeping your back leg straight with your heel on the ground. Lean over your front foot while dribbling the ball as low as you can. Switch sides and repeat.
• Torso twist stretch – Spread your feet wider than shoulder’s width apart. While keeping legs straight, dribble the ball in one hand and travel to the other side of your body while twisting your torso. Dribble back to standing, switch sides, then repeat.

Anytime you are doing stretch exercises, it is crucial to make sure you are stretching both sides of your body. This will prevent one side from becoming stronger and more flexible than the other. When you switch sides for stretching, you should also dribble the ball in the opposite hand to improve dribbling skills.

After stretching properly, try this ball handling warm up drill to get ready to play.

Different Types of Dribbling

Several different dribbling techniques can help you defend your ball while maneuvering around the court. Knowing and practicing the following dribbling techniques can help you improve your skills on the court.

Dribbling Technique	How To Perform It
Speed dribble	This is a technique you’ll use when there is an open space. Here you will bounce the ball several feet in front of you while moving quickly.
Crossover dribble	This is where you bounce the ball from one hand to the other. This technique allows you to change the direction you are going quickly.
In and out dribble	Bounce the ball across your body as if you were planning on going in that direction. But rather than grabbing the ball with the opposite hand, quickly bring it back in and go in your original direction around your opponent.
Hesitation dribble	Using the speed dribble to get to your opponent, quickly stop going in that direction by rocking back on your outside foot. Then resume the speed dribble to go around your opponent. This is also known as the “rocker move.”
Spin move	Being careful of your opponent stealing the ball from behind you, make a reverse pivot while swiftly moving the ball around your body and then resume dribbling with the opposite hand.
Back up dribble	This move is used to back away from your opponent. You will begin to dribble backward and do a crossover dribble to get away from the defender.

Here’s a quick run through of a few types of dribble so you can see how they look on the court.

Protecting the Ball from Your Opponent

Another part of dribbling in basketball is protecting the ball so that your opponent does not steal it. There are different ways a player can protect the ball, but the most useful ways are:

• Use your body – Turning your back and shoulders toward your opponent will help prevent them from stealing your ball because they would have to reach around your body to do so.
• Raise your non-dribbling arm – Raising your arm will allow you to hold off your defender’s attempt at the ball.

When you are trying to protect the ball from an opponent, make sure you do not use your hands to push off of them.

Also, when you are first learning how to dribble, it is common for beginners to stop dribbling when they see someone trying to get the ball. This usually results in a double-dribble that will grant the other team the ball.

When your opponent comes near you, you will want to do a controlled dribble.

This is where you slightly crouch, dribbling lower to the ground, while positioning your body in the middle of the ball and your opponent. Continue dribbling the ball as close to your body as possible while extending the opposite arm in front of you for protection.

Be confident in your ability to dribble. If you are afraid of your opponent, make sure you don’t stop dribbling. Just think ahead, dribble, and pass the ball if needed.

Here’s a great video explaining how you can protect the ball while dribbling.

When Does a Dribble End?

Once you have stopped dribbling, you cannot resume dribbling without passing the ball and having the ball passed back to you.

The dribble ends when the player:

• Loses control
• Throws a pass
• Tries to shoot
• Touches the ball with two hands at one time
• Stops dribbling
• Grabs the ball from underneath

Once the dribble stops, you cannot continue dribbling. That will result in a violation, and the ball will be given to the opposing team. The moment the ball stops being dribbled, it needs to be passed, or you must try to shoot. However, once you pass the ball to someone, they can pass the ball right back for you to gain an advantage.

Conclusion

Dribbling allows you to maneuver around the court while keeping control of the ball. When learning how to dribble like a pro, you need to understand the fundamentals of dribbling, the rules of dribbling, and what the violations are. Once you have an understanding of these, you can practice different techniques that will help improve your game on the court.

Helpful Links:

• How To Drive In Basketball
• Recommended Basketball Gear
• 10 Basketball Drills You Can Do At Home
• 14 Fun Basketball Games

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Basketball Dribbling Tips - Basketball Dribbling Techniques

Read these 12 Dribbling Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Basketball tips and hundreds of other topics.

Dribbling Tips has been rated 4.1 out of 5 based on 4397 ratings and 33 user reviews.

It is important to work right from the start at developing both hand equally well. When practicing your ball handling, make sure that you practice at least as much with your weak hand as you do your strong hand, eventually increasing to twice as much with your weak hand.

How can I learn to dribble better?

One of the most important techniques to bringing the ball up the floor is to use angles to your advantage. Rather than trying to put on some great move and go by someone, the novice point guard should concentrate on a low dribble, protecting the ball with their body and an arm bar, then advance the ball up the floor using 45 degree angles. When they feel pressure and the defense is in front of them, they should change directions and attack at another 45 degree angle.

how do I become a better dribbler?

When dribbling against a defender, ALWAYS protect the ball with your body. You can do this by dribbling with your left hand when you are going left and your right hand when you are going right. This will force the defender to reach across your body to attempt a steal.

how do I become a better dribbler?

When doing all drills involving dribbling, it is extremely important that you keep your head up. You must be able to see where you are going and where your teammates are so you can pass them the ball when they are open.

What kind of player do coaches like?

Coaches like a person who: 1) can dribble with both hands 2) doesn´t try to show off for no reason 3) isn´t afraid to make the extra pass to get a teammate more open than you are. And if coaches like you, then they tell other coaches. Word spreads very quickly and just by doing the little things you can have a name for yourself in no time.

how do I dribble faster?

The speed dribble is used to advance the ball quickly up the floor, against little or no defensive pressure.The dribblers hand should be behind the ball pushing it in front, then running to catch up. This prevents a "palming" or "carrying over" violation. The speed dribble in the open floor can be a little higher than other dribbles. Control dribble moves should be around the knee, but a speed dribble can be waist high.

How do I improve my dribbling?

This drill actually requires you to leave the basketball court and find
a patch of dirt. Do a Power dribble on the dirt for 1 or 2 minutes. You will need to power
dribble the ball even harder than usual in order to get the ball to bounce on the dirt. This
drill is an extremely good arm workout with power dribbling.

Basketball dribbling skills are something that you have to work at to obtain, maintain and improve. Most everyone knows how to dribble a basketball, but not everyone can dribble like a pro. When you first begin to learn dribbling techniques you will learn that you don’t dribble with the palm of your hand, dribbling a basketball is done with the tips of your fingers. You will use your forearm and wrist to balance the ball as you learn to dribble with using the tips of your fingers. Your coach will usually put together a different basketball practice plan for the team each practice. This will assist each player individually and as a unit to improve both their individual and team skills. Don’t just stop with scheduled practices if you truly want to improve your skills and control on the court. On your own you can start by running dribbling drills. Remember to keep your weight on the balls of your feet and in the ready position. As you continue to learn and improve your foot and dribbling control on the court as an individual player, you will begin to show your improved skills as a team player. Your team members may also want to run drills with you after practice, or just play for fun. These are other ways for you to learn potential opposing team types of moves and learn different offensive techniques. A team works together toward the goal of winning, but they also work together offensively to help prepare each other for what the opposing team may be bringing to the court.

how do I become a better dribbler?

By dribbling the ball over half court on the sideline, you are giving the defense an advantage. They can set up their help side defense or trap you. Change directions and it helps relieve some pressure. As often as possible, bring the ball up the middle of the court and NEVER pick up your dribble in the corners.

Start with the entire team inside the 3 pt arc, each player with a ball. The players attempt to keep their dribble alive while knocking away another players ball. Put players in the key when the group is down to 5 or under, then in the circle when it is down to the final 2. Emphasis is on keeping the head up and protecting the dribble.

Dribble against a defender, using a variety of moves in the back court, trying to get to half court in only 5 dribbles. Puts an emphasis on GOING SOMEWHERE with the dribble.

Dribble against TWO defenders, using a variety of moves in the back court, trying to advance the ball to half-court. Puts an emphasis on the back dribble and other “escape moves”

How to dribble in basketball

I'll tell my honorable readers of the blog Pro-Basketball.Ru, how to dribble in basketball correctly when the path to the basket is clear.

Push (but do not hit) it with a forward and downward movement of the hand and fingers of one hand with such force that the ball, bouncing off the floor, is at the level of the hand. Don't forget the correct stance. If you dribble with your right hand, your left foot should be half a step forward.

Hold the ball with spread fingers from top to back. Starting to dribble in basketball, take a step with your left foot, and push the ball forward and down with your right hand. Drag the basketball a little in front of you, to the side, always with the hand farthest from the opponent.

Learn to dribble without looking at your opponent. Then you will clearly see what is happening on the court, and when your friend is in an advantageous position, you can immediately pass the ball to him.

If a basketball guard is close enough to hit or take the ball away from you, stop. It is best to stop with a jump, so that both legs are preferably on the same line. If the defender is very close to you and is trying to hit the ball, hide it from the defender, turn away from him.

This technique is called turning. What is a turn and how to do it? When you stop with a jump and both your feet are on the same line, you can turn to one side and the other.

Transfer the weight of your body to the right foot, push off with the left and, without straightening (crouching on the right foot), turn your back to the defender, placing the left foot to the right. Know that you should not often turn away from the protector. You won't see your basketball teammates or what's going on on the court. Is that bad.

Use turn only if you need to save the ball. Turning will also help get around the defender. You have the ball and you can dribble it. The defender came very close. Turning around, you leave it behind your back and dribble the ball towards the basket.

You need to be able to dribble not only in a straight line. Learn to dribble by changing direction, now with your right hand, then with your left hand. For example, you dribble the ball with your right hand. Your opponent on the right is trying to knock him out of you. Taking a step with your left foot, push the ball with your right forward and down towards your left hand, but do not catch it with your left foot. Then dribble the ball with your left hand.

If your friend is in a better position, don't dribble, but pass the ball. Do not hit the ball with your hand, but push it down, accompanying with your fingers. Do not run with outstretched legs, leaning forward. Bend your knees and be sure to look ahead, not at the ball. First of all, learn to dribble well, now higher, then lower, the ball bouncing off the floor with your right and left hands and on the spot.

Try to dribble in place with your eyes closed. When you learn how to dribble well on the spot, learn to dribble, moving at a walk, then on the run. Remember that you can learn to dribble professionally on your own. When you learn how to dribble properly at school, train yourself.

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Ball control exercises in panna football: legs + ball

Panna is a lot of fun! No need to assemble a whole team, it is enough to agitate your best friend, brother or sister. You can play together on a special platform or just in the yard, putting something similar to the borders. Want to score a goal and shout "Panna"? Then train: simple but effective ball control exercises for you.

How to practice ball control in panna football

What is worth studying in panna for a beginner

Ball control is possession, when the legs "make friends" with the ball. It is with control that cool feints, strokes and goals begin. Therefore, if you are a beginner, then first learn how to dribble:

• The outer part of the lift.
• The inside of the lift.
• The inside of the foot.
• When walking and running lightly in a straight line.
• Walking and light running figure eight.
• When walking in a zigzag between tiles.

First, try to control the ball while standing still or while walking. When it starts to work out, then increase the speed to an easy run.

Go!

Warm-up

Before training, you need to warm up. For a warm-up, a football player is ideal for:

• Run.
• Stretching on the Swedish wall.
• Pull-ups and hanging on the horizontal bar.
• Walking on hand walkers.

Classes on workout sites - the best warm-up for a football player

You can start ball control exercises in panna football with juggling.

Juggling

Master the simplest juggling:

1. Throw the ball to the ground from chest level.
2. When the ball bounces and starts to fall, kick it up with your foot.
3. Catch the ball with your hands at stomach level.
4. Repeat this scheme, changing legs, until you start to get good at it.

Benefits of exercise : Helps to feel the ball better when hit, make cool shots, develop balance and reaction speed. You can juggle for hours, as Ronaldinho did. But for a beginner, 15 minutes a day is enough for good progress.

Working with the ball standing still

Standing still, do the simplest rolls:

• Roll the ball from toe to heel, heel to toe.
• With the sole of your foot, push the ball away from you and stop it with the inside of your foot.
• Roll the ball left and right from the sole to the inside, then to the outside of the foot.
• With the sole of your foot, pull the ball behind your back and bring it back forward with the instep of the foot.
• Roll the ball diagonally back and forth with the sole of the sole.
• Push the ball left and right with the soles of both feet in turn.
• Drive the ball away with the inside of the instep and stop it with the sole of the same foot.
• Drive the ball behind your back with the sole, turn around and stop it with the sole of the other foot.
• Take the ball behind your back with the sole and stop it with the sole of the other foot, but without turning.

Benefits of exercise: rolling with the sole will teach you to feel the ball well, help you master feints, make turns and change direction.

Tip: look at the field, not at the ball. Look through the eyes of an imaginary partner, as in a live game!

Ball toss

With a light kick with the inside of the left foot, throw the ball to the right foot and back. This is called "tossing the ball", it will teach maneuverability.

Walking with the ball in a straight line

Move in a straight line:

• Rolling the ball with the outside of the feet.
• Rolling the ball with the insides of the feet.
• Rolling the ball with one foot - either the inside or the outside of the foot.

Tip: Watch how far the ball flies away from you. You need to learn how to calculate the force of the push so that the ball does not fly far and you do not lose control of it.

The inner and outer sides of the foot are the most active in ball control.

The inner and outer sides of the foot look like this:

Inner and outer side of the foot

Zigzag with the ball

But this is more difficult! Line up 6-7 practice pieces in a straight line about one meter apart. Move between the tiles by rolling the ball:

• Sole of the right foot - 2 circles.
• The sole of the left foot - 2 circles.
• The inside of the left foot - 2 circles.
• The inside of the right foot - 2 circles.
• With the inside of the left, then the right foot - 2 circles.

When you go around the chips, turn around and dribble the ball back.

Benefits of Exercise : The zigzag movement will teach you how to get the ball away from your opponent.

Ball control with inner instep

Inner instep

Dribble with the inside of the lift:

• In a straight line 10-20 meters long.
• Easy run in a straight line of 10-20 meters.
• Easy running in a straight line with two accelerations.
• Light running in a circle.
• Easy run in a circle with two accelerations.
• Eight easy run.

Ball control exercise

Ball control with outer instep

Outer instep

Dribble with the outside of the instep:

• Right foot to the right in an arc.
• Left foot to the left in an arc.

Use of Exercise : This skill will be useful for you to accelerate and turn during the game.

Stopping the ball

Hit the ball against the wall, catch it with your hands or stop it with the outside, then the inside of the instep of each leg.

The wall is a great imitation of the opponent's strikes in football training

Quick foot exercise

With one foot reverse the direction of the ball three times in a straight line, figure eight or circle. Do it as quickly as possible!

Beginner tips

• Develop both legs. For example, football players often have a “wooden” left leg. The right one, of course, is easier to work out the movements, but try to work with the left as well.
• Practice juggling so that the ball bounces about the same height. Then it will be easier for you to manage it.

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