Below are basketball skill drills designed for players to work on their fundamental skills on their own. These drills allow for players to work INDIVIDUALLY and all of the BALL HANDLING DRILLS can be done in a fairly small space, all you need is a hard surface that will allow for dribbling such as a garage, space in a storage room with a concrete floor, the driveway when weather permits, etc.
TIP: Do not get frustrated or give up if you can not do all of these drills very well right away, just keep chipping away little by little and the more difficult drills WILL get easier and you WILL get better!
These drills are most effective when done CONSISTENTLY 3-4 days a week for 20-40 minutes at a time.
Ball Handling Skill Drills
Players will need 2 BASKETBALLS and a TENNIS BALL
A video demonstration of these drills is included below so that you can follow along and see what each drill should look like and how to do it.
- Standing 2 Basketball Dribble
25- Pound Together (waist-shoulder high dribble)
25- Low Quick Dribble
25- Alternating Dribble
25- Cross Front
25- Cross Legs
25- Cross Back
25- Front-to-Back Swing Dribble
25- Side-to-Side Windshield Wiper Swing Dribble
25- In-&-Out Swing Dribble
25- Behind & Around Leg (right & left)
25- Behind & Around Leg Alternating
ADVANCED DRILL: 2 Balls- 2 Pounds then Double Cross Front/Legs, “Kill” 1 Ball & Double Cross 1 Ball Front/Legs, Pick up “Killed” Ball & Repeat Right Away but Kill Opposite Ball this time
- 1 Basketball & 1 Tennis Ball; Toss to Self (catch tennis ball overhand)
25- Right Hand Only then Left Hand Only
25- Alternating Toss Between Hands
ADVANCED DRILL: Toss tennis ball up and do a DOUBLE CROSS before catching it (TIP- we are looking for a QUICKER cross, NOT a higher toss)
- 1 Basketball & Tennis Ball with Partner or Against a Wall (catch tennis ball overhand)
25- Right Hand Only then Left Hand Only
25- Cross BB in Front then catch Tennis Ball coming back from partner or wall
25- Cross BB between legs then catch Tennis Ball coming back from partner or wall
25- Cross BB behind back then catch Tennis Ball coming back from partner or wall
10- Double Cross then Pass to Partner or Wall
- 2 Basketballs & 1 Hand Pass with Partner or Against a Wall
25- Right Hand Only then Left Hand Only
25- Double Cross BB then 1 Hand Pass After Double Cross
- 1 Basketball Dribble into Shot Form
25- Right Hand 1 Pound Dribble into Shot Form
25- Left Hand 1 Pound Dribble into Shot Form
- 1 Basketball Work on Shot Form
50- Shot Form Straight up While Laying on Back (strong wrist snap); ball should go straight up and straight back down to player
Additional Basketball Skill Drills
A video demonstration of these drills is included below so that you can follow along and see what each drill should look like and how to do it.
- Step Back Off the Cone Dribble
Attack dribble at cone then break dribble down (turn body so dribble is by back foot and body is between cone and dribble), big back dribbles away from cone then cross BB to other hand (front, legs, back) & dribble around cone (be sure to go around cone so dribble is in hand farthest away from cone)
- Ladder Drills (if you do not have a rope ladder, you can draw one with chalk on concrete or tape one down, athletic tape works pretty well if you have some)
1 BB In & Out- 1 dribble in & out of each of the ladder boxes (right & left)
1 BB In & Out w/ Cross- 1 dribble in ladder box then cross (front, legs, back) then move up to next box all the way thru
2 BB Sideways Pound- pound each BB in a box and move your way down the ladder sideways (down & back)
2 BB Sideways Double Pound- double pound each BB in a box and move your way down the ladder sideways (down & back)
ADVANCED DRILL: 2 BB In & Out- dribble 1 BB while moving the 2nd BB in & out of each of the ladder boxes (right & left)
ADVANCED DRILL: 2 BB In & Out w/ cross- 1 dribble each BB in ladder box then cross (front, legs, back) then move up to next box all the way thru
- 1 Basketball & 1 Tennis Ball
Toss-Bounce-Go Get It: While dribbling 1 BB, toss the tennis ball up and a short distance away from you, let it bounce 1 time and go catch it (while keeping the BB dribble) before it bounces again
ADVANCED DRILL: Toss-Bounce-Go Get It- do a cross (front, legs, back) before moving to catch tennis ball
- Walking Cross (forward & backward)
Bounce the BB 1 time between each step as you walk forward (stay low, bend at the knees not the waist)
- Calipari
1 BB- Quick crosses (front, legs, back) while stepping sideways slowly along a straight line (quick crosses, SLOW feet)
- Behind the Back Pass
1 BB- Behind the Back pass to partner or against a wall (with no dribble then with 1 pound dribble & pass)
ADVANDED DRILL: 2 BB Behind the Back Pass- Dribble 1 BB while passing the 2nd BB behind your back to a partner of against a wall
Finishing Drills
Below are basketball finishing drills that we would love for our youth players to work on if you have access to a basketball hoop.
A) Mikan Drill (2:55-4:09 on video)
B) Layups (4:10-5:18 on video)
Click HERE to view FINISHING VIDEO
Individual Core Strength, Speed & Agility Workout
We have made arrangements with Loyalty Training to offer you their online home workouts for FREE. Click on the link below to view and follow the workout plan and video demonstrations.
Click HERE to view the Loyalty Training Online Home Workouts
