How to improve handling in basketball

Basketball Dribbling and Ball Handling Video Clips, Fundamentals, Drills, and Tips

Most coaches use dribbling and ball handling interchangeably. Though they are linked, the 2 skills are definitely separate.

Dribbling and controlling the ball is a skill that can be practiced alone and is separate from the other ball skills on the court. Ball handling, however, involves knowledge of the game and integrates dribbling, passing and decision-making.

Practicing and improving your dribbling is a simple task. There are innumerable dribbling drills that are in use today that are challenging and effective. The set of drills that have come to be known as "Maravich Drills," (after the late ball-handling wizard Pete Maravich) are widely known. They include drills such as passing the ball around your body, dribble figure 8s, spider dribbling, drop and catch.

Practicing and improving your ball handling requires imagination, as you have to put yourself in game situations.

One of our favorite series of ballhandling drills that helps develop better ballhandlers is the Maravich series! Watch it below.

9 Tips To Improve Your Dribbling & Ball Handling

Here are 9 tips from pro coach Don Kelbick.

1. Dribble the ball hard. The more time the ball spends in your hand, the more control you have of the ball. The harder you dribble, the quicker it gets back in your hand.
2. Head up at all times. Look at the rim or a spot on the wall during all practice.
3. Use your finger tips to control the ball, not your palm.
4. Use your imagination. Picture when and how you would use each of the dribbles.
5. Teach mentality. There is too much dribbling for no reason in our game today. I like to teach that the primary purpose for putting the ball on the floor is to get a lay-up. If you don't have an opportunity, don't put it on the floor.
6. Basketball is a game of length. Work on lengthening the dribble. Work to get your opportunities with 1 dribble. You don't beat defenses with your dribble. You beat people with your feet; you SEPARATE from your defense with the dribble.
7. Basketball is also a game of angles. Try to move in straight lines. Whenever you make an "East-West" move (something that takes you toward the sideline), re-capture a "North-South" path (direct line to the basket) as quickly as possible.
8. Don't do things in 2 dribbles that you can do in 1.
9. Practice outside your comfort zone. Experiment; go faster than you are used to, use your imagination. When working on new skills, don't be concerned with losing the ball. Just pick it up and do it again. If you practice only things that are comfortable, then you will never improve.

More Ball Handling Tips and Articles

Executing The Basketball Pick and Roll

The Importance of the Back Up Dribble and How It Reduces Turnovers Against Pressure

A Secret to Chris Paul's Success - Change of Pace

Handling Ball Screens Like Steve Nash

Chris Paul Hesitation Move & The Importance of Counter Moves [VIDEO]

Other Blog Posts About Ball Handling

Dribbling Practice

"Maravich Drills" are very good at getting players comfortable with the ball. Below are some examples.

• Dribble Figure 8's - Spread legs about shoulder width. Dribble the ball through and around legs in a figure 8. Can be done multiple ways - front to back, back to front, low dribbles (as many dribbles as possible with dribble about shoe height), as few dribbles as possible (high dribble about waist high), can even be done walking. For even more of a challenge, try the drill with one hand instead of two.
• Spider Dribble - Feet spread about shoulder width. Dribble the ball between your legs in the following manner - left hand, right hand in front of your legs; left hand, right hand behind your legs. Work to as fast a possible.
• Drop and Catch - Hold ball between your legs with right hand in front of your body, left hand behind. Drop the ball and exchange you hand position and re-catch the ball before it hits the ground.

These are just examples. There are too many of these drills to list here. Pete Maravich devised these drills out of his imagination, his need for challenge and his drive to improve. You do not need to be bound by other people's drills; challenge yourself to come up with your own drills.

Dribbling Warm Ups

I prefer to practice skills in combinations that are relevant to multiple aspects of the game. It saves time and instills a great sense of urgency.. It saves time and has a great sense of urgency. One of the ways I do this is to add dribbling into my stretching exercises.

• Hamstring Stretch - While dribbling with your right hand, cross right leg over left. Bend at the waist, touch the floor with your left hand and bring your dribble down to shoe top level. Hold for an 8 count. Reverse position and switch hands.
• Lower Body and Achilles Stretch - Dribble waist high while standing up. Step as far forward with your right leg as you can, keeping your back straight and your left heel on the ground. At the same time bring your dribble forward of your right foot, keeping the ball at shoe-top height. Hold for an 8 count and then stand up. Switch legs and dribble hand.
• Crossover - Same as above except, step forward with left leg. As foot goes to the floor, switch hands, right to left, keeping dribble shoe top height. Cross back when standing up.
• Through Legs - Same as above except instead of crossing over, put ball through legs at shoe top height.
• Multiple Through Legs - Same as above except put ball through legs 3 times (left, right, left) on quick, successive dribbles shoe top height.
• Torso Twist - Spread legs outside of shoulder width, dribble with right hand. Keeping legs straight, bring ball across body to left side, outside left foot and dribble at shoe top height behind left foot.

These are just samples. You can develop a dribble stretch for any part of the body.

Two Ball Dribbling Drills & Videos:

I think the most effective way to improve your dribble, however, is by using 2 balls. Any dribble or drill you can do with 1 ball, you can do with 2. Stationary practice at first will build confidence. Stand on the baseline and try to control both balls. Then start to move. Go half court, then full court. Follow the lines around the court or in any route you can come up with.

To see more DRILLS & VIDEOS Click Here.

The difference between dribbling and ball handling is intent. Dribbling is the skill of controlling the ball as you bounce it to the floor. Ball handling (at least 1 aspect of ball handling) is what you do with that dribble.

Whether you use it to go to the basket, make a passing angle, escape from pressure or anything else, those situations have to be imagined and practiced.

Here are some situational drills:

• Full Court Lay-ups - Start on the baseline. Dribble full court with right hand in 5 dribbles and make a lay-up, come back with left hand. Then reduce the number of dribbles to 4 and then to 3.
• Chair Changes - Place a chair about 21 feet from the basket. It can be on top, on the wing, or in the corner. Start about 8-10 feet beyond the chair. Dribble straight at the chair. At the chair, use a change of direction dribble (crossover, inside out, behind back, etc) to go beyond the chair and make a lay-up. Try to get to the point where you only need one dribble to get to the lay-up. Practice all the changes.
• Two up - Two back - Set a chair such as in the drill above. Take 2 hard dribbles at the chair. When reaching the chair, take 2 backup dribbles. After the second dribble, push ahead into 1 dribble lay-up or pull-up jumpshot.
• Dropstep Dribble - (works on footwork and ballhanding)
• Chair Curl - This is another great multi use drill. It combines shooting, ball handling and speed and high intensity change in direction.
• Chair Curl Phase 2 (With 2 Chairs)
• Two Ball Dribbling Drills & Moves - Excellent way to improve one on one moves.
• Basketball Pick and Roll Drills

Shooting drills can also be adapted to work on ball handling aspects by adding changes of direction and pivoting to create 1 and 2 dribble opportunities for either jumpers or lay-ups.

Once you have developed a feel for the ball, it's very important that you practice your ball handling in competitive, game-like situations with defenders present. In the DVD 30 Competitive Skill Development Drills, you will find 12 drills that are specific to improving your ball handling skills in game-like situations.

More Dribbling and Ball Handling Drills

Coaches, go here for more Dribbling & Ball Handling Drills

Players, go here for more Dribbling & Ball Handling Drills

Recommended Training Resources:

Youth Ball Handling & Workout App - Over 200 ball handling and footwork drills. 24 Different Levels.

Attack & Counter Workout App - Ball Handling, Shooting, Guard Play, & More

Recommended Training Material:

Basketball Tip: Drills to Improve Your Ball Handling - Mike Allen Sports

Basketball Video Tip

Presented by Mike Allen, Camp Director

Often times people equate dribbling with handles, but handles are so much more. Dribbling can be practiced on its own, while handles are practicing game scenarios and working on skills like moving around defenders or creating space. Follow along with Nike Basketball Camps director Mike Allen and learn how you can improve your handles.

Stationary Ball Handling Routine:

5-10 reps of each drill
Fingertip touches (above your head, at your waist, at your feet)
Ball slaps
Body circles
Around the ankles, knees, waist, head, around the world (5 times in each direction)
Around 2 / Around 1 (2 around your waist, 1 around ankles)
1 hand in front / 1 hand behind – quick hands
2 hands in front / 2 hands behind – quick hands
Figure 8
Figure 8 behind the back
Body circles
Overhead tosses – catch behind back
Stationary Dribbling Routine: 5-10 dribbles on each drill
Pound dribble (high, low, side, front, back, middle)
Push- pull dribble (Right hand on side, forward and backward – Repeat left side)
Side to side dribble (Right hand in front, Left hand in front)
Crossovers
Behind the back crossovers
1 dribble and crossover
1 dribble and crossover behind the back
1 hand figure 8’s (each direction)
1 hand figure 8’s (each direction)
Spider dribble
Mirror drill (make as many moves as possible in a short time)
Mirror drill with 2 balls

Two Ball Dribbling:
2 Ball Pound
- Out in front
- Side
- 1 high / 1 low
- Side to side
- Push/ Pull
- Changing balls
- 3 balls

Full Court Ball Handling: (STAY LOW)
Low walking crossover
Walking between the legs
Hesitation
Pull back + Explode and push off back leg
Zig-Zag dribble (together)
Zig-Zag dribble (alternating)
High Dribble (together and alternating)
Low Dribble (together and alternating)
1 hand high / 1 hand low
Hesitate, back dribble and go at each line (FT, half court, FT)

Box Drill:
Start in one corner of the court
- Make 2 inside out moves before the half court
- At half court (you are still on the sideline), make a spin dribble. Change hands and dribble across the mid-court line.
- At mid-court make a pull- back crossover
- Just before you get to the opposite sideline, make a half spin move
- At the opposite sideline, make a behind the back move and head for the elbow on the SAME side of the court that you started on. (The drill never goes over half court).
- At elbow, make a hesitation and cross over move and finish with a lay-up
**1 repetition = starting from the right corner and then from the left corner

Point Moves:
Place a chair at the corner of the free throw line. Start at half court. Attack the chair and make a move to get by. Vary each finish in the paint. Imagine the defender or help coming, so you may finish the lay-up or pull up jumper in the paint. Make each move with your right and then your left hand. Start with your right hand and finish 5 times with a lay-up. Then start with your hand and finish 5 times with pull-up jumpers. Then start with your other hand and do the same! Total = 20 shots 10 lay-ups and 10 jumpers).
Use the following moves:
Inside out
Hesitation
Cross-over
Behind the back
Pull-up jumper before the chair
Guard Moves:
Place a chair at the elbow. Start at half court with outside hand. Make one move at the hash line, and the next move at the elbow to get past the chair. Finish with 5 lay-ups and 5 pull up jumpers (starting on both the right and left sides of the floor)
Total = 20 shots
MAKE SURE TO CHANGE SPEED AND DIRECTION WITH EACH MOVE!
Use the following moves:
Spin
Behind the back
Cross over
Pull back cross over
Hesitation cross over

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How can a basketball player develop without access to the gym?

4 tips to become a better player, athlete and personality

It happens to everyone that you want to train, move forward, progress, but there is no access to the court and the gym. This article contains 4 recommendations for this case. Read and apply.

1. Start monitoring your nutrition and sleep

One of the most important components of progress and development on the site is recovery, and nutrition and sleep are its foundation. Without this, stretching, contrast showers and everything else make little sense.

So you can not sit if you sleep 4 hours a day

2. Work on your body

This does not always require a basketball hall or even a gym. Charging, yoga and stretching, some other recovery procedures (only with a really heavy load), core is the minimum that can be done at home.

In fact, at the initial stage, it is possible to exercise effectively and beneficially for the body at home. Add this and you will already become the best around, because you will train more.

Images from our online school where you can train at home

3. Analyze matches

This will help you better understand the game and increase your basketball IQ. Analyze your game and the game of professionals you want to be like, analyze your opponent. And always pay attention to details.

Kobe Bryant was a crazy basketball player down to the last detail. He watched the matches and noticed the details so much that he knew how his opponent would act in any situation. In his book, he described a moment where, thanks to analysis, Kobe dunked through the center opponent, because he knew how he would put his hand to resist, and was able to remove it.

Curry said that when he watches his games, he pauses and notes what decisions he can make. Then he chooses the best and turns on the tape to test himself in the game. You can do that too.

You can also look at professionals. You turn on the match of a player you are similar in style to and follow his every move.

Kobe does not waste time and watches the game during the flight

4. Learn

Read books, watch educational and useful videos, be interested in something else. You may not become a professional basketball player, but you can always become a good person.

To be successful in the game, one must not only have good athleticism and skills. Knowledge in psychology will help you better understand the actions of opponents. Communication skills will help build better relationships with teammates. Good time management will allow you to use your time more efficiently. A successful career consists not only of playing on the court, but also of acting outside of it.

We add material and tools to the online school that help not only in basketball, but also in life. Some guys start to study better and do more things in a day, because they become more disciplined and learn a lot of new things. This is important because life does not end with basketball.

LeBron has been using the slogan "More than an athlete" for several years now. Because basketball goes beyond the sport where everything ends in the hall. Now this is life.

Nikita of coachmen

Founder Ball in

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