Basketball Drills to Improve Individual Skills
- While some basketball players are born, many more are made. In order to pick up the necessary skills to succeed in the game, it takes diligent practice. If you're looking to enhance your hoop skills, there are a few drills that can help.
- Before you can be good at dribbling a basketball, you have to be comfortable holding a basketball. It can be as simple as spending time every day just holding a ball in your hands. Work on gripping it with your fingers spread and your fingertips on the ball; not letting your palms touch it.
Spend time moving the ball from one hand to another, eventually working on making circles with it around your back or figure eights through your legs. You can also toss the ball from hand to hand while not using your palms to toss or catch it. - A good way to begin to practice dribbling is to stand and dribble the ball waist high. Start bouncing the ball harder until it is going as high as you can get it without jumping. Once you have gotten comfortable with that, begin to lower your dribble until you can get as low to the ground as possible without losing it.
Next, try dribbling circles around your legs, switching from the right hand to the left. A helpful variation is the figure eight, in which you use the right hand to dribble a circle around your right foot, then switch to the left side.
To work on your speed, start at one baseline and try to get to the other end as quickly as possible while remaining under control. When you reach the opposite free throw line, come to a strong jump stop. Walk to the baseline and repeat the drill.
With all of the drills, work on increasing your speed and dribbling without looking at the basketball. - Perhaps the most well-known passing drill is the three-man weave. Three players line up along the baseline. The player in the middle begins the drill by passing to one of the players near the sideline. The first player then follows the pass, circling around behind the receiver. The second player then passes to the third, following the pass by again weaving behind the receiver. The pattern continues as the three players make their way down the court. The ball should never be dribbled except allowing for one dribble before the final player makes a layup.
Begin the drill by using nothing but chest passes. The second time through, run the drill using only bounce passes. In both cases, the final pass before the layup should be a bounce pass. Receivers should move toward the ball and put their hands up to give the passer a good target. Players should run the drill at full speed at all times. - Begin with the fundamentals of shooting. With your shoulders squared to face the rim, hold the ball in your dominant hand with it resting on your fingertips. Place your off hand alongside the ball as a guide. Keeping your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle, push your arm up and flick your wrist.
Once you've become comfortable with the basics, stand two to three feet from the backboard on one side of the basket. Using the form you have practiced, take 15 shots before switching to the other side. After shooting from both sides, step back another two to three feet and repeat the process. - Good defense takes quickness and good footwork. To help both, do things like jumping rope, running sprints and stairs and doing cone drills. By working on these things, it will help you beat your opponent to any spot on the floor and make you a better defender.