There is no question that dribbling is one of the most important aspects of basketball. If you cannot dribble, you cannot play. In this guide, we will discuss four different ways to improve your dribbling skills. We will provide tips and tricks on how to improve your dribbling in basketball.
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Why does being a good dribbler make you a better player
Dribbling is an essential part of offensive plays. When you can dribble well, it opens up more scoring opportunities. You can take the ball to the basket, set up a teammate for a shot, or even pull up for a jump shot.
You can keep the ball away from defenders longer when you can dribble with both hands. This gives you more time and space to decide what to do with the ball. It also makes it harder for defenders to steal the ball from you.
Good dribblers are also good passers. They can quickly get the ball to their teammates when they are open. This is because they can keep the ball under control even when not moving.
So, as you can see, dribbling is an essential skill for all basketball players! If you want to become a better player, you need to work on your dribbling skills. The tips and tricks that we will discuss in this guide will help you improve your dribbling skills.
I used to struggle with dribbling as a beginner, and I’d always complain and say: “I can’t dribble a basketball,” but things got much better once I had mastered the basketball dribbling fundamentals: dribbling mechanics(form), dribbling stance , hand-eye coordination etc.
How to improve your dribbling in basketball
The 4 main things we will point our attention towards in this guide are:
- Dribbling form
- Hand control
- Speed and agility
- Hand-eye coordination
How to Improve your dribbling form
Having good dribbling form will help you be more efficient when moving with the basketball. This includes keeping your head up, maintaining a low center of gravity (COG), and using proper footwork. Here are some tips on how to improve these elements of dribbling form:
-Practice dribbling in a mirror so that you can see how your body looks when dribbling and make corrections if needed
-Record yourself dribbling and watch the video back to identify areas where you can improve your form
-Practice on different surfaces (e.g., grass, sand) to help adjust your footing as needed
-Ask a friend or teammate to watch you dribble and provide feedback on your form
How to improve your hand control
One of the most critical aspects of dribbling is having good hand control. When you are able to keep the ball under control, it makes it much easier to make decisions with the ball and avoid turnovers. There are a few things that you can do to improve your hand control:
-Practice dribbling with your weak hand
-Practice bouncing the ball off of different surfaces (e.g., wall, floor)
and catching it again before it hits another surface
-Use an oversize basketball or a smaller size basketball to develop better control of your hands when handling larger and smaller-sized balls, respectively. Practicing with a weighted basketball can improve your grip, wrist, and forearm strength. Check this out if you want to get a heavy basketball for dribbling.
How to improve your speed and agility when dribbling
Dribbling is all about being able to control the ball and move quickly. When you can move faster than an opponent, it gives you more time to make decisions with the basketball to score or make a pass. Here are some tips on how to improve your dribbling speed:
-Sprint through cones while dribbling as fast as possible without losing control of the ball (use one hand or both hands simultaneously)
-Do cross over and between the legs crossover dribbles at full speed in order to improve your control at high speeds
-Dribble around obstacles (e.g., chairs, tables, people) by weaving in and out of them quickly
-Jump up and down on one foot while keeping the ball under control (this will also help with improving your balance)
-Start sprinting, then quickly change directions multiple times while dribbling
How to develop better hand-eye coordination
Hand-eye coordination is an important aspect of dribbling because it allows you to see the ball, respond quickly with your hands, and control its movement. This is how you can improve hand-eye coordination:
-Practice catching passes while running at full speed
-Use visual cues (e.g., looking up at the rim) to help track where you want to go with your dribble
-Practice catching and throwing back a tennis ball against a wall
How to improve your dribbling in basketball with drills
If any of the things you are looking for is:
- How to get better at dribbling with off hand
- How to become a better ball handler
- How to improve your hand speed in basketball
- How to dribble a basketball while running
- basketball drills for dribbling under pressure
- dribbling drills basketball for advanced and beginners
- change of pace basketball drills
- basketball dribbling drills with cones
Then you should absolutely try these drills:
Drill # One: Dribble Around Cones
This drill is designed to increase your speed and agility when dribbling. Set up cones in a zigzag pattern and then dribble around them as quickly as possible without losing control of the ball. You can do this drill with one hand or both hands simultaneously.
Drill # Two: The Figure-Eight Drill
This drill aims to improve your hand control and coordination. Set up four cones in a figure-eight shape and then dribble through the cones while making sure that you keep the ball under control at all times. This drill can be done with one hand or both hands simultaneously, so it can be beneficial if you aim to improve off hand dribbling.
Drill # Three: The Speed Dribble Drill
This drill will improve your speed and agility when dribbling. Set up four cones (square shape) and then dribble around the perimeter of the square as quickly as possible without losing control of the ball. You can do this drill with one hand or both hands simultaneously.
A lot of benefits can be seen from this particular basketball dribbling drill. If you are right-handed and wonder how to get your left hand better in basketball, then practicing this exercise using both hands is a great idea.
Drill # Four: Keep The Ball Under Pressure Drill
This last drill is a 1v1 in which you aren’t allowed to turn your back to the opponent when you possess the ball. Make use of pace and levels changes, separations, and your offhand to dribble past your opponent in a very tight space(lane line to lane line). The ball handler needs to touch half-court to win. The benefits of this drill will become very obvious whenever an opponent is pressuring you in a tight area during a game. If it’s still unclear how this drill works, check out this video.
For more basketball drills (including dribbling ones) check out these Basketball Training Drills.
Conclusion
These tips will help you improve different aspects of your dribbling skills. However, it is essential to remember that these are not the only ways to improve your game. There are many other aspects of basketball that can be improved as well! The ability to defend, pass or shoot should get an equal amount of importance.
If you follow our tips on how to improve your dribbling in basketball, you will see significant improvements in your ball-handling skills, and you will be on your way to becoming the best dribbler on your team. Be creative and experiment with different techniques to find what works best. The most important thing is that you continue practicing regularly and have fun doing it!
Thanks for your insights on basketball Drill! I agree, focusing on fundamentals is crucial for young players. Keeping the training fun and engaging is also important. Do you have any favorite drills or games for teaching basketball skills