Basketball is a game that gives an individual a chance to practice even when he does not have a full team around to scrimmage on a full-court basis. Players can practice in three-on-three or two-on-two situations, but an individual can also practice when by himself. Players can practice shooting, dribbling and conditioning with a basketball, a basket and a pair of gym shoes.
Shooting Drill
A disciplined player can accomplish quite a bit when practicing shooting by himself. Don't just go out on the court and start chucking up shots without some kind of game plan. Follow this game plan: Go to the right baseline about 18 feet from the basket and take five shots. Move to the right elbow---5 feet outside the free-throw line---and take five more shots. Do the same at the top of the key, the left elbow and the left baseline. Take a one-minute break and repeat the drill. Keep track of how you did in your shooting by writing down your results in a notebook.
Dribbling Drills
You don't need to have a team around you in order to work on your dribbling. Start off by dribbling around the perimeter of the court. Go once around with your right hand and once around with your left hand. Then set up five chairs just past midcourt. Each chair should be 3 feet apart. Dribble to the right of the first chair, the left of the second, the right of the third chair and continue on in that matter until you have gone past all five chairs. Speed dribble back to midcourt. Make sure you use your right hand when going to the right side of one of the chairs and your left hand when going to the left. Finally, dribble two balls at the same time. Dribble the ball in your dominant hand and start walking towards midcourt. As soon as you hear the first ball hit the ground, you dribble the second ball. When you reach midcourt, pick up the pace and jog while dribbling both balls.
Conditioning Drills
You can become your own coach when it comes to discipline and conditioning. Start off at the baseline and sprint to the free-throw line, then return to the baseline. Sprint to midcourt and back, the far free-free throw line and back and then the baseline and back. Give yourself a minute to recover and then repeat the drill. Go through your shooting regimen and dribbling regimen and then do one more double-set of conditioning runs.
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