How to dribble with your head up basketball

Ultimate Hoops - Tips to improve your basketball dribbling

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Dribbling is a key skill to master in the game of basketball. The better you can dribble the more opportunities you have for you and your teammates to score. A great goal to have is to be able to dribble the ball with either hand without looking down at the ball. Keeping your head up gives you the ability to see where your teammates are on the court and look at what the defense is doing.

Spread your feet should-width apart. Bend your knee, drop your hips back and get in a low stance. Make sure your body is balanced giving you the opportunity to move quickly or change directions. Avoid bending at your waist.

Start with your dominant hand first and pound the ball into the ground, extending your arm and snapping your wrists to send the ball to the ground. Each time the ball returns to your hand, don’t catch it, push back towards the ground. Placement of your bounce should be in front of your body slightly to the side of the foot that is on the same side of your body as the hand you are using. You want your dribble to be quick, steady, and controlled.

When you dribble it’s important to have good ball control. Using your fingertips gives you more control over the ball and the more control you have the less strength needed to keep it bouncing. Using your fingertips also allows you bounce the ball faster. Spread your fingers out across the surface of the ball for a wider, more even contact area. Try to keep the palm of your hand directly over the ball so it bounces up into your fingertips.

Do not bounce the ball too high, keeping your dribble low will improve your control but also makes it harder for the defense to steal it.

Keep the ball safe by using your body and your non-dribbling arm to keep the ball shielded from defenders. Keep your body between your defender and the ball, never dribble the ball on the same side of your body as the defender is on.

A basketball player needs to develop dribble equally well with both hands. This increases their opportunities on offense and makes it harder for the defense to stop.

This is important skill in basketball, you need to be able to look at the defense and also see where your teammates are on the court. Practice dribbling without looking at the ball.

Know what you can/can’t do with the basketball while you are dribbling.

Traveling: Moving the ball without dribbling

• Taking an extra step or shuffling your feet

• Holding on to the ball while you walk or run

• Moving or changing your pivot foot when stationary

Double Dribble: Two separate meanings

• Dribbling with both hands at the same time

• Dribbling, stopping your dribble, and then starting to dribble again

Carrying: Catching the ball with one hand and then continuing to dribble (without stopping the dribbling motion). Your hand makes contact with the bottom of the ball, then turns the ball over while dribbling.

Know where you are going to go and who is around you. The way you dribble the ball should change based on where other people on the court are. If you are in an open court (dribbling the ball down the floor with no defenders) you can dribble the ball in front of you. If a defender is close, you will want to protect the ball and dribble it to the side of your body so the defender cannot steal it. Good court awareness is also important to avoid dribbling into trouble. Look out for dribbling into double teams (two defenders), or into your own teammates.

Know what you are going to do with the basketball before you pick up your dribble. If you stop dribbling your options are to shoot or pass the ball. Remember once you stop dribbling you cannot start dribbling again.

Reasons to dribble

• To advance the ball up the court

• To open up a passing lane, increased chance of pass completion and to help a teammate get open

• To drive to the basket

• To get open to shoot

• To get out of trouble (defensive trap)

• To run out the clock at the end of a game

Here are a few moves to practice to give you separation from your opponent on the basketball court. We will break these down in future tutorials.

• Crossover

• Behind the back

• Through the legs

• Hesitation dribble

• In-and-out dribble

• Spin move

• Start with stationary drills and work your way up drills that include movement around the court

• Improve the strength in your hands, squeeze a stress ball or tennis ball to give you greater control while dribbling

• Dribble with two basketballs

• Setup a dribbling obstacle course using cones or props from your garage

• Practice both hands

• Practice dribbling with a tennis ball

• Implement only the moves you have mastered into a game

• Have a friend or parent guard you when practicing

• Don’t worry if you mess up, get out of your comfort zone by pushing hard to try new things

• Check out more tips from Ultimate Hoops Trainers here.

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5 Basketball Ball Handling Drills to Break Down Any Opponent

Dribbling on the basketball court is a difficult skill.

Not because dribbling is a tough skill to improve necessarily, but because it's difficult to teach players when, where, and why to use their dribble.

As the famous Australian basketball coach, Lindsay Gaze, once said...

"You dribble to score, not to explore."

That's something all coaches and players need to remember.

The following 5 basketball ball handling drills will assist players to learn the basics and put them on the path to becoming an efficient dribbler.

1.

Players dribble around a designated area while avoiding 1 - 2 defenders who are attempting to steal the basketball off the rest of the players. The coach circles the playing area holding up numbers between 1 - 5 and the dribblers must call out the numbers while evading the defenders. When an offensive player fails to call out a number or has their basketball stole, they’re out.

A fun dribbling drill that forces players to keep their heads up and focus on the the coach while evading defenders. This is important so players can read the other players on the court instead of looking at their defender.

• Decide on a playing area depending on the number of players you have. This can be the key area, within the three-point line, or a designated area using cones.
• 1 - 2 defenders without a basketball.
• The rest of the players have a basketball and start inside the playing area.
• The coach stands outside the playing area.

1. On the coach’s call, the drill begins and the offensive players start dribbling around within the designated playing area.
2. The defenders run around looking to deflect or steal the basketball away from the other players.
3. The coach will then walk circles around the playing area holding up numbers from one to five.
4. The players must immediately call out the number the coach holds up or they’re out. It’s up to the coach to decide which players failed to call out the number.
5. If a player has their basketball stolen or deflected out of the playing area they’re out.
6. The last player left in is the winner.

Coach Doesn’t Move - Instead of walking circles around the playing area, the coach can simply stand at the top holding up numbers.

Number of Defenders - Select the number of defenders depending on the amount of players you have. This will vary depending on the level but there should generally be 1 defender for every 5 - 8 offensive players.

Opposite Hand Only - A fun variation is to instruct all offensive players to dribble only in their opposite hand. This usually means the drill will end quickly.

• Offensive players should be in a low stance and have their arm bar up protecting the basketball at all times.
• The defenders must not foul. If an offensive player is fouled while having the basketball stolen from them or deflected, they stay in the drill.
• Players should be shouting out the number the coach is holding up loudly. The coach should be 100% sure each player called out the number.

2. 

Players complete a course that will allow them to practice different dribbling moves. The coach can customise the drill to what their team needs to work on.

The drill is designed to improve the dribbling and ball-handling skills of the players on your team by working on different moves that they would use throughout a game.

• Every player has a basketball.
• All players begin the drill on the baseline in the corner of the half-court.
• Cones or D-Men if you have them.

1. The drill begins with all players on the baseline with a basketball.
2. The first player in line completes the dribble slalom through the 3 cones.
3. They then speed dribble to the corner before slowing down and completing a reverse spin at the corner.
4. After the first player has completed the reverse spin, the next player in line starts.
5. Players then perform a retreat dribble at the next set of cones.
6. They then perform a wider slalom making sure to use both hands.
7. Finally, they finish the course with a layup, midrange shot, or three-point shot before joining the end of the line.

Create Your Own Course – Improvise and experiment with a different types and combinations of dribbling moves. The list of potential courses you can create is endless!

Weak Hand Only — A fun variation I sometimes use in the drill is to get players to only use their weak hand. Doing so will get them out of their comfort zone and improve it.

• Players must keep their heads up while completing the course.
• The course must be completed at game speed. Encourage your players to push themselves!
• Make sure to go through all the different stations/moves with the players before starting the drill so that they understand how to perform them.

3. 

Every player starts the game with a basketball. The coach selects one or two players who are the taggers and they must attempt to tag everyone out. When you’ve been tagged, you must sit on the sideline or the baseline and wait until the next game.

Similar to scarecrow tiggy, this drill is great for improving dribbling skills because the dribblers have to focus on the taggers and not their dribble.

• The coach first decides on the playing area which will depend on the amount of players you have.
• All players start the game with a basketball.
• The coach selects one or two players to be the taggers.

1. On the coach’s call, the taggers must dribble around the playing area attempting to tag the other players.
2. The other players must dribble around without committing a dribbling violation and avoiding getting tagged.
3. If a player does get tagged, they are out and must sit down out-of-bounds and wait for the next game.

Taggers Don’t Dribble - If the taggers are having a lot of trouble getting other players out, consider allowing them to run around without dribbling.

Two Balls - If you have enough basketballs for two each and your players are skilled enough, give each player two basketballs that they must dribble while the taggers only have to dribble one.

• If the taggers are struggling to tag anyone, consider allowing them to run around without having to dribble a basketball.
• Vary the size of the court and amount of taggers depending on the amount of players you have.
• If a dribbler commits a dribbling violation, they are automatically out.

4. 

Players find a partner and stand 2 metres away facing each other with a basketball. One player is the leader and one is the follower. The leader continuously performs stationary dribbling moves while the follower must attempt to mimic them and keep up.

One of the best ball handling drills for improving dribbling ability. The follower is forced to keep their head up throughout the drill and the leader must be creative and constantly improvise.

• All players find a partner.
• Every player must have a basketball.
• Players line up approximately 2 metres away facing each other.

1. The drill begins with the coach choosing a leader from each of the pairs.
2. The coach then starts the drill by calling out ‘Go!’ or blowing a whistle.
3. The leader immediately starts performing stationary dribbling moves or ball-handling moves.
4. The follower must keep their head up and do their best to mimic exactly what the leader is performing.
5. Every 30 seconds the coach must call out ‘Switch!’ and the players swap roles.

Two Basketballs - For advanced players, you can have each player controlling two basketballs throughout the drill.

• Players can either use dribbling moves (behind the back, through the legs, crossover, low dribble, high dribble, in-and-out dribble, etc) or ball-handling moves (around the waist, around the head, around one leg, candy cane, etc). Let them get creative and have fun!
• Encourage players to push themselves out of their comfort zones. Praise the players who are working hard even if they lose the basketball.
• Watch that players aren’t dominating the basketball with their strong hand. All players must be working hard to improve their weak hand.

5. 

All players have a basketball and find a spot on the floor where they can see the coach and have space to dribble. The coach then takes them through a series of stationary dribbling and ball-handling drills.

Simple ball-handling drill to use with younger players. Players work on keeping their heads up while performing a variety of creative dribbling and ball-handling moves to improve their feel for the basketball.

• Players spread out on one half of the court facing the coach.
• All players have a basketball.
• The coach stands at the front of the group with a basketball.

1. The coach stands at the top and calls out a variety of different dribbling and ball handing drills listed below.
2. Each drill should last 15 - 30 seconds depending on the level of the players and which drill the players are doing.
3. The entire set should last approximately 5 minutes.

1. Ball slaps
2. Ball flips
3. Pound dribble (waist height) - right hand
4. Pound dribble (waist height) - left hand
5. Shoulder high dribble - right hand
6. Shoulder high dribble - left hand
7. Low pound dribble - right hand
8. Low pound dribble - left hand
9. Continuous high to low
10. Continuous crossover
11. In-and-out crossover
12. Behind-the-back continuous
13. Through-the-legs continuous
14. Scissors
15. Dribble around left leg
16. Dribble around right leg
17. Figure 8 dribbling
18. V dribbling on each side
19. Wraps around head
20. Wraps around waist
21. Wraps around legs
22. Candy cane
23. Wraps around right leg
24. Wraps around left leg
25. Figure 8 wraps, etc…

Two Basketballs – If the players are accustomed to the drill and maintaining control of one basketball, add a second basketball for each player and complete two-ball drills.

Count Numbers Out Loud - A great game to have players to keep their heads up is to hold up numbers from 1 - 5 with one hand. The players must keep their heads up while performing the drills and yell out which number you’re holding up.

• Encourage players to push themselves out of their comfort zone once they understand the drill. Players should be making occasional mistakes or they’re not going hard enough.
• Use drills that you think are slightly out of the ability of the players you’re training. It’s a great way for players to get creative and improve their dribbling.
• Don’t allow the players to simply go through the motions!

Basketball dribbling | Basketball coach

Dribbling is the second way to move a basketball around the court after a pass. Many coaches have a negative attitude towards excessive dribble across the clearing, arguing that only a pass can allow you to play fast basketball and develop tricky combinations. There is some truth in their words, of course. A lot of players pull the ball over and thump it all the time, when it would make much more sense to pass the ball. Basketball is no longer basketball without dribbling, so today we'll talk about how to comprehend this element of the game.

Technique of dribbling

Dribbling in basketball consists in moving the player with the ball around the court and simultaneously making alternate bounces of the ball off the floor with one hand. Simply put, you hit the ball on the floor, and it bounces and comes back. The technique of dribbling in basketball is not difficult, but not every player is good at dribbling the ball. The fact is that the enemy at any second can take it away from you or simply knock it out. Basketball dribbling is mainly used to transfer it to someone else's half or to beat the opponent and then throw the ball. Dribbling out the ball to minimize the risk of a long pass loss and to give teammates time to get into position in the opponent's half of the field. Everyone knows that big players are mostly bad at dribbling and it is easy to take it away from them. And not only because of their height (for tall people, the ball bounces higher and it is easier for small players to knock it out). The fact is that the big ones work out the dribble a little, concentrating exclusively on working under the basket, rebounds, fighting for the position. On the one hand, this is how the roles in the team are distributed in basketball. On the other hand, high-quality possession of the technique of dribbling will add versatility to you as a player and will allow you to create a much more serious threat to the enemy.

Learning to dribble is a constant practice. On the street, in training, at games. The more you drive the ball, the better you will be at it. This is the first truth. The second truth is to drive the ball without looking at it. this is especially important for point guards, who can dribble and analyze the situation on the court at the same time in order to instantly pass or command a combination. In order to quickly learn dribbling in basketball, you must also do various exercises. We recommend up to 15 minutes of dribble practice before each practice using special dribble goggles that cover the view below so the dribbler does not see the ball and learns to feel it.

1. Regular dribbling. Before training, when the body is not yet warmed up, you can work on dribbling with a run and kill two birds with one stone.

2. Dribbling with two balls. This is a very useful exercise, but to get the maximum effect, you should alternate the method of dribbling: sometimes with a simultaneous rebound of two balls, then with a variable one. You can throw a second ball with a different rhythm.

3. Dribbling backwards and sideways. Try to move the ball and at the same time make a shuttle run around the court, or horizontal movements.

4. Constant dribbling. Even outside the basketball court or court, dribble. Mom asked me to meet you from the stop - take a walk there with the ball. Meet up for a couple of streetball games with friends 3 blocks away - walk around and hit the ball. Dribbling on uneven surfaces is especially effective in developing your coordination.

The Internet is full of manuals and other dribbling aids that recommend doing one, two, three, ten drills that will enable you to become a first-class dribbler. For example, some people recommend sitting on a chair and driving the ball while sitting between the legs or constantly spin the ball between the legs with a rebound height of 10-15 cm. Such exercises will certainly give a certain effect, since the technique of dribbling the ball in basketball can be quite different. But will they be useful in a real game? Perhaps at a streetball game or a freestyle show, but not in an official match. Practice these exercises as you wish. Our team recommends the following video of Indiana Pacers forward Paul George sharing his dribbling secrets.

First of all, Paul emphasizes that while dribbling, always keep the hand above the ball (and not under it) and actively work the wrist using the pads of the fingers (not the whole palm). You should crouch as deep as possible to dribble the ball at the lowest possible height. When dribbling, you can make a crossover (crossover), that is, transfer the ball from one hand to another. At the same time, the body maintains a straight position, and the eyes look forward. The next element of dribbling, which is actively used in games, is the transfer of the ball between the legs. It is very important to do this translation so that the body is straight with the leg forward and a good squat. Translation behind the back is also often used by basketball players. At its core, it is similar to a crossover, only the ball bounces behind your back. Paul George often uses a turn while dribbling with a change of hand. It is extremely important to learn how to perform these exercises so that you do not look at the ball, but see the entire area in front of you. This is a huge bonus to your speed and reaction to what is happening on the field. practice these 4 basic elements of dribbling before each training session and very soon the progress will be very good.

On the field you will always have someone to take care of and prevent you from dribbling calmly. Therefore, you should dribble the ball near you, partially covering the body and the second hand. Always dribble the ball with the hand farthest from the opponent, and with the other - in the truest sense of the word - block his (her) hand from trying to knock the ball.

Summing up . Basketball dribbling is the movement of basketball players around the court with the ball. The ability to dribble balls well allows you to become a much more dangerous player. However, in order to learn how to drive well, you should constantly practice: in the hall, on the court and just on the streets. It is necessary to dribble the ball as low as possible, without looking at it and constantly hiding from the opponent with the body and the other hand. Do a basic set of dribbling drills every practice and the ball will become your best friend in life and on the court.

Keep training with your basketball coach!

Dribbling | Playing technique

From Pivot's notebook

1. Don't be careless when making passes.

2. Pass quickly.

3. Be decisive when passing.

4. When releasing the ball, control it with your fingertips.

5. Before passing, distract the defender with your head and eyes.

One of the basics of basketball is the ability to securely control the ball. Now, starting to learn the dribble, it's time to get acquainted with another important skill - the ability to control the movements of your body when in possession of the ball.

A dribbler or dribbler will only be able to keep the ball and beat the defense if he is constantly in a position of balance and has the opportunity to control his movements (diagram 41).

Guidance is achieved by movements of the forearm, hand and fingers. In the starting position, lean forward slightly, relax your knees, keep your forearm parallel to the floor and completely relax your arm. From this position, raise the forearm 10-15 cm up, keeping the fingers and hand relaxed, then lower it 30 cm. Keep the shoulder motionless, acting only with the forearm in the elbow joint with relaxed fingers and hand (Fig. 42).

The dribbling of the hand should not be like slapping the ball, but rather like pushing down with relaxed fingers. Practice these pushes until you can perform them smoothly and rhythmically with either hand. Then, using the same relaxed motion, start hitting the ball to the floor (fig. 43). Don't slap the ball, just push it down and then lift your hand up with the ball. After the push, keep your hand down, waiting for the ball to bounce. Then raise your hand up with him.

Now push the ball down again. During the movement of the forearm up and down, the fingers should constantly control the ball - this will allow better control of the ball during the dribbling.

Try the same with the other hand and practice until you can freely dribble the ball with either hand without looking at it. You need to look at the floor a few meters in front of you.

Once you have mastered the dribbling on the spot, start moving forward while continuing to dribble. Try not to look at him. If you look at the ball, you will not be able to see what other players are doing at that time. Walk first.
Remember: to move forward, you need to push the ball slightly forward, and not down, as when dribbling on the spot (fig. 44). When you learn to dribble the ball without visual control while moving slowly forward, transfer it to the other hand and continue to practice dribble with the other hand. Don't try to switch to fast dribbling until the movements of the legs and arms become free and natural.

It is quite obvious that while you are in a high stance, the ball is relatively unprotected. The defender will be able to easily hit the ball making a long journey from your hand to the floor (fig. 45). To prevent this, bend your knees, reducing the distance between your hand and the floor. Try this stance without the ball first. It is somewhat reminiscent of a sprinter's stance at the start. Move in a low stance.

Then, keeping a low position, proceed to dribble. Now you need to be especially careful in choosing the distance between you and the ball (fig. 46).

If you dribble the ball too close, there is a danger that you will hit it with your knee and lose it. Conversely, if you push the ball too far, it will be difficult to keep control of it while dribbling. During training, you will find the best distance between you and the ball when moving at any speed and in any stance.

When you master the low dribble and start to increase your speed, you will have to move back up to the high stance. But at the slightest threat from the opponent, you need to switch to low dribble.

Figure 47 shows how to cover the ball while dribbling. The lower the dribble, the more difficult it is for the opponent to take the ball away.

Keep both hands in front of you while dribbling.

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