You don't have to be a gym rat to improve your basketball skills. There are basic, and easy, drills that can help even the rawest player elevate his game. Before you can motor down the court dribbling the basketball behind your back or sky for the dunk, you have to master the small stuff.
Dribble and Drive
Step 1
Basketball is one sport where practice drills can help develop skills and be fun at the same time. It all starts with the dribble, which is the key to running even the most complex offense. Young players can begin development by using the "6 Cone Dribble Drill." Two lines of three cones are set up approximately 10 feet apart. The player starts at the far right and dribbles straight ahead from one cone to the cone directly across. The player touches the cone with his free hand and dribbles backward to the starting cone. From there, the player dribbles across to the middle cone, back to the middle cone and then completes the drill to the far left cone. It's an effective drill for learning how to handle the basketball moving forward and protecting the ball dribbling backward.
Step 2
The layup is the most common shot in basketball for kids, and it's where most of the points are scored during a game. With practice, layups should become a high percentage shot for young players. The key is dribbling to the side of the basket at the proper angle. You don't want to be too close to the hoop or too far away. Footwork is also key to making a layup. Right-handed shooters need to push off their left foot for the layup, and left-handed shooters need to push off their right foot.
Step 3
A fun, effective speed drill combines dribbling and scoring and can be run with as few as two players. With two kids, two basketballs are placed at the midcourt line. On the whistle, each player runs to midcourt from opposite baselines, picks up a basketball and dribbles to the basket in front of them. Whoever scores on a layup and then dribbles back to the center line first wins the drill.
Tips and Warnings
- Try to stay under control. Whether it's dribbling, shooting or playing defense, use the form and technique you practice. Don't go all-out every second on the floor. Basketball is high energy sport, and you need to conserve as much as possible.
- Always keep your head up when dribbling the basketball. It's the best way to avoid turnovers. When it's time to shoot, keep the palm of your hand underneath the basketball to get the smoothest release.
Things You'll Need
- Basketball
- Basketball shoes
- Shorts
- Loose fitting T-shirt
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