Getting to the hoop quick in basketball is both a necessary and difficult skill when it comes to driving to the basket. Watching the pro’s cut through traffic with immense power, and confidence is exciting. Easier said than done, so I pulled together the best advice on improving your drive to the basket.
To drive to the hoop effectively in basketball you will need to improve your ball handling and dribbling skills as well as be able to move quickly on the court with the ball. Your main goal is to get past the defenders and to the hoop, crossovers and dribbling technique can help get you there.
Things that also matter is which is your weaker side when driving to the hoop and knowing your defender’s best skills. Going over all the tips and tricks at first may seem overwhelming, but once you put it into practice, the steps make sense.
Basketball Driving Tips
It’s impossible to make long shots or hit the three-pointers every single time you shoot the ball, especially under pressure. When games are evenly matched, it does come down to who can get to the rim and make that drive happen a lot of the time.
Having said that, it’s also one of the more difficult things to do when several people are trying to stop you from completing that mission. Consider having to navigate your way around several defenders instead of one and not trying to foul anyone.
Ideally, you want someone to foul you to get the And-1. But it’s not just about how you drive; it’s also about when you drive.
Below are the most basic and important tips to understand when powering your way through the key and to the basket. It’s not enough to just read it though, you have to go out and practice it on your own.
Make sure you’re practicing with a decent basketball if you can. I like to use this Wilson Evolution Game Basketball (link to Amazon) because it’s the most widely used ball on basketball courts in the US.
Gain Respect
It might seem a little counterintuitive, but being respected in other areas of your game as an attacker is important when it comes to driving. For instance, if your range of shooting is only limited to around the key, then the defender doesn’t have to worry about you putting up a lot of three’s. But if you can put it in from just about anywhere in the court, then the defender has to worry about a lot of different ground to cover.
If I knew that my opponent could only drive, then I would spend all my efforts and energy, keeping him or her as close to the three-point line as possible.
If you’re the player that can’t shoot outside the paint, ask yourself, are you getting double-teamed a lot? Chances are the answer is yes, because it’s an easy way to turn the ball over.
Do the work and become a better shooter in general, and you will earn the respect of your opponent to not leave you too much room. With a tighter guard, you’ll find that you have more opportunities to go around and get to the rim quickly.
Check out the How To Shoot A Basketball Guide for tips on upping your shooting game.
Being Unreadable
Being unpredictable is no surprise in any sport, let alone basketball. Just like a tennis player doesn’t want their opponent to know where they are going to serve, a basketball player on offense doesn’t want their defender predicting their every move. Otherwise, chances are you aren’t getting to the rim often or scoring many points.
So how does one be unreadable on offense? Having more weapons in your tool belt and becoming a triple-threat is the answer to this question. A triple-threat is someone who can drive, shoot, and set up their teammate with ease.
Even if you are great at all three, it’s also important to make sure that you clean up your weaknesses within each one.
If you are always going to your strengths and your strong side, then your defender will guess right nine times out of ten. Even the best shooters, ball-handlers, and players, in general, have their go-to moves, but it’s always important to stay versatile in your game-play.
A Quick First Step
Explosive movement is also no stranger to sports. The faster you can react and move, the better off you’ll be in getting some room. Efficiency is a part of that explosive movement as usually, the first movement is one of the most important of the process.
It’s not unusual for the first movement to be slow because you are either starting a force from little to no movement or changing the direction, which takes a lot of energy. It’s like a car that needs to get up to speed.
If that car happens to be really nice and has a sport mode, it may take half the time than a car that doesn’t have that option. Refining your fast-twitch fibers are like upgrading to that nice sports car. The reason why it’s so important is even if you are quick in general, the first step is what your defender or defenders will first see in predicting your path to the hoop.
If your first movements are incredibly slow, then you become incredibly predictable, and we are back to the first tip of not being readable.
Take this example. You are going to drive to the hoop, and you hesitate a little too much, making a slower first move. The defender has you beat every time and steals the ball. But imagine having such a powerful first step that you can fake one direction and still have time to pass the defender on your strong side. It makes a difference.
Trick Steps
Sometimes trick steps can get a bad rep for being a little too flashy and inefficient. That can be true when executed poorly, but when done in the right fashion, it can certainly be nice to look at, and effective.
Getting space from your defender in order to open up a pathway to the hoop can be difficult. That is why developing a few trick-shot types of moves can be helpful in fooling your defender into giving you that opportunity.
Consider the Eurostep, which has become quite popular in the NBA.
Giannis Antetokounmpo did a whole article with ESPN about why a move like this is the deadliest in the game and has caused him to rethink his defensive skills. The move is a two-step fake where the first step is a large step to the right or left of the defender to make them believe that’s the direction the attacker is going. Before committing fully to that side, the other foot goes in the opposite direction, to go around the defender.
Here’s a quick video showing the Eurostep in action so you can see how useful this can be when driving to the hoop. (I could watch this stuff all day)
The reason the Eurostep is such a good move is that it forces the defender to possibly move out of position and increases the chances to foul the attacker as they are not as steady trying to also change direction with the attacker.
The Long Step
This can be a little misleading as some coaches may encourage a long first step when starting your drive. This actually isn’t the time to use the long step. What happens when you use the long step a little too soon is that you become off-balance. You also lose range of motion and power, making you slower.
A good rule of thumb is if your planting leg is less than a 90-degree angle, you probably can’t support that position to well. Maybe think of the phrase “nose over toes,” which means leaning all your body weight forward, so even if you are lunging, there is still a chance for good balance and strength.
The long step can happen when you are going to make a drive for the hoop but are already really close to the basket. Typically, the long step is the last one step or lunge to the basket in a layup when you are trying to cover ground and distance in a speedy fashion without having to dribble too much.
Here’s another quick video showing some layups made by professional players in the NBA. Watch their footwork as they’re making the layup.
We’ve all seen NBA players use this step as their long limbs spread to avoid traveling once they’ve scooped the ball up after dribbling. Following their lead and use the long step in this type of moment at the appropriate time.
Speed Dribbling
Speed is not only important when it comes to the first step but also when it comes to handling the ball. Have you ever noticed that a player will warm up and bounce the ball really quick and real low to the ground with many repetitions?
This is to get better at handling the speed and increase strength in the hand, wrist, and forearm.
This is because quick dribbling when driving to the basket is a lot safer and effective than big drawn-out dribbles. The first issue you come across when dribbling high is the ball is slow, and you can’t move as quickly. The second issue is that you leave room for the ball to be stolen by the defenders you’ll come across.
Quick, powerful dribbles offer a lot more control as you approach the rim quickly. Control is important in case you need to change your route as a counter to the defenders. Practice dribbling with force while maintaining ball control. You can use that skill to make your drive to the basket more successful.
Shoulder to Hip
Standing up tall continues to give you the lack of control, which is why assuming a position that allows you to attack the defenders hip gives you a way to protect the ball and make your way to the basket. Making your defender come down to your level is a lot better than trying to get past a defensive player spreading out as tall as they possibly can.
Shoulder to hip doesn’t mean actually bulldoze them down.
It just means that your shoulder that is not the ball-handling arm should be angled down to the player’s opposite hip. So if it’s your left shoulder, that’s the free arm, then you want to point it to the left hip of your opponent. Opposite in terms of how you are facing them and not opposite in terms of left or right.
Here’s a video breaking down this shoulder to hip move as used by Kobe and Michael Jordan.
Not to mention, when we talk about being predictable, this plays a major role.
Offense and defense is a game of cat and mouse. You go high, they go high, you go low, so do they. The more stamina and energy they have to use the easier driving will become as the clock dwindles down. Evenly matched skill to skill may come down to endurance and fitness, and this is where cat and mouse come into play.
Flexibility
Being flexible with your body has it’s advantages, but that isn’t the type of flexibility we are talking about right now. The type that helps your drive is being flexible with your mind, and in order to be flexible with your mind, you have to be able to have options in your tool belt.
Mentioned above, being a triple-threat is important for being a good driver. But when you have all these tools, you need to know how to interchange them at the last minute by being flexible with your plans.
Being flexible requires another thing. Being alert. The best players in the NBA aren’t just athletically gifted or skilled; they’re smart.
Anticipation and alertness are huge when driving to the hoop. Going back to the topic of cat and mouse, you can also be good at the game if you are aware of what you’re doing and what your opponent is doing. Otherwise, you’re a dead mouse.
An easy team or defender might allow you to zip right by them with your plan A every single time. But make no mistake because a good team will counter your plan A, B, and C. This forces you to continually come up with something new every time to keep yourself…yup, less predictable.
Practicing drills that force you out of a situation that you previously planned, by allowing your teammate who’s guarding you to know your first move, is a great option in training flexibility. If your coach doesn’t allow much time for you to think out several plans, it will force you to react quickly and respond to pressure situations.
Here’s a great video showing some moves you can use to get past defenders and get the ball to the hoop.
When to Drive?
So now that you have a handful of tips on how to drive successfully, knowing when to drive is just as important. Despite it being the shot closest to the hoop, it’s one of the hardest to pull off, given the number of defenders and limited space.
A poorly executed drive can result in an easy block or a steal resulting in a turnover. Or worse, instead of getting the foul your team so badly wants, you ended up being the one to foul and costing your team because of poor decision making.
So how do we know when to drive? Well, there are a number of situations that encourage the right moment to execute getting to the hoop, so let’s go over them.
Tight Defending
Briefly mentioned before, tight defending can lead to an opportunity to blow past your opponent. When a point-guard slowly walks up to the middle of the court, it’s not just to scan the court of his teammates and opponents; it’s also an attempt to draw out his specific defensive guard—drawing the defense out of the key leaves for major gaps and openings.
The way you get your defender to guard you tighter is to demonstrate you can shoot.
Another way to get your defender to come close is to have quick passes between your team. This will likely draw a defender out in an attempt to steal the ball. Take advantage once they fall for the bait.
Keep in mind that the first time you maneuver past your opponent because of drawing them out will likely send them back again until they feel like they can read you better as an offensive player or attacker. That’s where you must become unpredictable and flexible.
When You Are Confident
Driving to the net takes a certain level of confidence that not a lot of players have. The reason being, is that once you have chosen to drive, there’s no turning around. Yes, there is room to change your footwork and ball-handling in an effort to keep the ball safe and to the hoop. But the goal remains the same, which means going forward.
This also means that you are going to likely get fouled and knocked down.
If you aren’t confident and get jumpy at the sight of someone stopping, you then driving is not for you. The reason being is that you want to be the one fouled on, but if you are not careful, a bad drive is going to result in a foul. Driving in general is tough, but once mastered, is a deadly threat to your opponents.
Helpful Links:
10 Basketball Drills You Can Do At Home
Recommended Basketball Gear
How To Shoot A Basketball Guide
14 Fun Basketball Games For All Ages
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The Ultimate Guide to Driving to the Basket (and why you should ALWAYS look to drive for a basket) : Basketball
No matter who you put in your list of the top three basketball players of all time (in terms of scoring): Kobe, Lebron, MJ; you find one similarity. These players were primarily slashers who seeked to drive at every chance they got, and only developed a jumper when their athleticism faded (which is not the case for Lebron yet). This is why the greatest basketball players of all time are not shooters, as much of a necessity as they are to a team. In order to further explain, let me use myself as an example. I am 14 years old, 5'7, 170 pounds, and I have been working on my jumpshot intensely for almost forever, and I'm still not the best player on my team. Others score with ease, I sit frustrated that I airballed because my finger placement was half a centimeter off. Hell, I'm very replaceable, even though I have the most work ethic and grit on my team and possibly the whole county. I just recently (right now, actually) discovered the importance of driving.
When I shoot and miss, 99% of the time it means that the other team gets the ball and I'm back on defense. Not only because you can't really predict where the ball will go, but because my own team doesn't see the shot coming, and the defense is closer to the basket (because they are between their man and the basket) to get a rebound. I beat myself up and I feel horrible, like I'm killing the flow of my team. A layup is SUCH an easy shot compared to a jumpshot, and it requires less skill and reps to get good at and master. Let's say that I drive to the basket and I miss. Not only does my own team see the drive coming, they will collapse in the paint (with the defense alongside them) and our team has a decent chance of getting the rebound back. And in high school ball, it is so damn easy to get fouled. I get fouled 9/10 times in game when I drive (which I rarely do, until now). Throw your head back when driving and its damn near a 100% guarantee that you get fouled. Learn how to draw fouls, even easier buckets. I don't know about you guys, but when I miss a layup, I am SOOOO much less mad at myself then when I shoot the ball and miss. I feel selfish when I shoot, even when I make it. Also, and one's get the team hyped and get the rhythm going super well. Lets say that you get cut off when driving and you fail. Guess what? Pass the ball, your man is either wide open or open enough that when you pass it to him and he swings it, someone is gonna get an open jumper, and you're already under the basket to get the rebound. Easy.
Of course, this doesn't mean to not work on your jumper. In order for your defender to not sag off of you and not let you drive, you need a jumper so he has to guard you fully. Jumpers are also a necessity. You do need to have some handles in order to get your defender out of the way when driving as well.
Guide to driving
Where's his top foot? Rip the ball in that direction, and go HIP TO HIP with him. You should leave no space and time for him to turn around and catch up with you. Get the ball, look at his feet, attack in the other direction and your hips should be touching when you make this move. Don't shatter your os coxa, leave an inch or two of space, but get as close as possible to his hip, as fast as you can.
Dribble
Pick up the ball
Shoot a layup and try to draw a foul. If you're scared of contact, you should just stick to shooting anyways. Try to jump into your defender so that you can immobilize them and get the really really basic simple easy layup. Also, you're on offense, it's not like defense where barely touching someone can get you fouled out. You can use your shoulder to bully them, hell even truck them (don't drop the shoulder and do that though). Hit them, hard. You won't get a foul called unless you ram them like a bull.
No layup opportunity? Pass to the wide open man, they will swing the ball if necessary to get a shot for someone else. Or you could just get fouled on purpose anyways by learning how to draw fouls.
Easy.
PRO NBA TIPS
When your teammate is driving to the basket, you want to face the person who is driving and BOX OUT your defender and get him behind you. Get yourself in between your defender and the player who is driving, so you basically eliminate the help defense. Don't get dunked on by your teammate though.
Get some IQ so that you know where the defense and offense is when you drive, so you can draw the help defense and pass it for a jumper.
Make freethrows
Have fun
Thank you all so much for everything you've taught me here, please be on the lookout for my name in the news soon.
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.
Dribbling drills
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 dribbling, 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. You may find it more comfortable to lower your free hand down. However, it is better to keep it ahead. This is necessary in order to close the ball from the opponent (Fig. 48). When dribbling, as well as when passing, the ability to see the court is the most valuable quality. A raised head will allow you to follow the actions of a partner and an opponent. However, remember that if each time you look in the direction where you are going to start the dribbling, then the opponent will be able to easily figure out your plan.
For instance, if your range of shooting is only limited to around the key, then the defender doesn’t have to worry about you putting up a lot of three’s. But if you can put it in from just about anywhere in the court, then the defender has to worry about a lot of different ground to cover. 
The move is a two-step fake where the first step is a large step to the right or left of the defender to make them believe that’s the direction the attacker is going. Before committing fully to that side, the other foot goes in the opposite direction, to go around the defender.
This actually isn’t the time to use the long step. What happens when you use the long step a little too soon is that you become off-balance. You also lose range of motion and power, making you slower. 
The second issue is that you leave room for the ball to be stolen by the defenders you’ll come across.
So if it’s your left shoulder, that’s the free arm, then you want to point it to the left hip of your opponent. Opposite in terms of how you are facing them and not opposite in terms of left or right. 
But make no mistake because a good team will counter your plan A, B, and C. This forces you to continually come up with something new every time to keep yourself…yup, less predictable. 
Despite it being the shot closest to the hoop, it’s one of the hardest to pull off, given the number of defenders and limited space.
The reason being is that you want to be the one fouled on, but if you are not careful, a bad drive is going to result in a foul. Driving in general is tough, but once mastered, is a deadly threat to your opponents.
This is why the greatest basketball players of all time are not shooters, as much of a necessity as they are to a team. In order to further explain, let me use myself as an example. I am 14 years old, 5'7, 170 pounds, and I have been working on my jumpshot intensely for almost forever, and I'm still not the best player on my team. Others score with ease, I sit frustrated that I airballed because my finger placement was half a centimeter off. Hell, I'm very replaceable, even though I have the most work ethic and grit on my team and possibly the whole county. I just recently (right now, actually) discovered the importance of driving.
A layup is SUCH an easy shot compared to a jumpshot, and it requires less skill and reps to get good at and master. Let's say that I drive to the basket and I miss. Not only does my own team see the drive coming, they will collapse in the paint (with the defense alongside them) and our team has a decent chance of getting the rebound back. And in high school ball, it is so damn easy to get fouled. I get fouled 9/10 times in game when I drive (which I rarely do, until now). Throw your head back when driving and its damn near a 100% guarantee that you get fouled. Learn how to draw fouls, even easier buckets. I don't know about you guys, but when I miss a layup, I am SOOOO much less mad at myself then when I shoot the ball and miss. I feel selfish when I shoot, even when I make it. Also, and one's get the team hyped and get the rhythm going super well. Lets say that you get cut off when driving and you fail. Guess what? Pass the ball, your man is either wide open or open enough that when you pass it to him and he swings it, someone is gonna get an open jumper, and you're already under the basket to get the rebound.
Easy.
Also, you're on offense, it's not like defense where barely touching someone can get you fouled out. You can use your shoulder to bully them, hell even truck them (don't drop the shoulder and do that though). Hit them, hard. You won't get a foul called unless you ram them like a bull.
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. 
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. -Step-5.jpg/aid43486-v4-728px-Play-21-(Basketball)-Step-5.jpg)
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. 
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. 
Now, starting to learn the dribbling, 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. 
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. 
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. 
During training, you will find the best distance between you and the ball when moving at any speed and in any stance. 
