To become a better basketball player and elevate your game, it’s imperative to improve your ball handling, regardless of your experience level. This applies to both novice and seasoned players alike.
In the past, handling the ball was primarily the responsibility of guards, but now days, having exceptional dribbling ability is crucial for players of all positions. To just a few advantages, proficient ball handling enables you to push the ball in transition, generate scoring opportunities for yourself or your teammates, and keep control of the ball (and avoid mistakes). So, how precisely do you improve your basketball handle?
This comprehensive guide on basketball ball handling will teach you ten tricks and a few drills to help you become a better handler and dribbler. You can build tighter handles and more confidence with the basketball by remembering these ball handling pointers and implementing the recommended activities into your training regimen.
Dribble Every Day
When it comes to honing your ball handling techniques, consistency is essential. Basketball players need to dribble every day in order to improve their handles. Even if you only dribble for a little while each day, make it a habit. You will increase your basketball coordination and build muscle memory by dribbling on a regular basis.
Whether it’s in the gym, on a walk, or in your driveway, set aside a specific period of time every day to focus on your handles. You’ll get more at ease handling the ball as you dribble more, which will boost your confidence and give you more control when playing.
Pound The Ball
You must pound the ball while you dribble in order to improve your basketball dribbling. This refers to dribbling the ball firmly and forcefully. Dribbling the ball gently is a common error made by novices or younger players. The ball won’t bounce back up into your hand if you don’t dribble hard enough, which makes losing control simpler.
In a game situation, it’s also simpler for someone to steal the ball from you if you dribble softly. Consider this: the ball takes longer to return to your hand when you dribble gently. A defender has more time to attempt to steal the ball if it takes longer for you to get it back in your hands. Practice smashing the ball with purpose and intensity to enhance your handling. As you extend your elbow, use the tips of your fingers to firmly push the ball into the ground. You’ll get a stronger and faster dribble when you produce power with your fingers, wrist, and elbow.Also, try to keep your eyes up as you dribble. By not looking at the ball, you’ll develop better court vision.
Get Better At Both Hands
Dribbling using both your dominant and non-dominant hand is a critical skill to master if you want to improve at handling the ball. Your ability to create an impact on the floor is significantly reduced if you are unable to dribble with your weak hand. You’re not playing basketball to your fullest ability. It’s easier to defend against you and more predictable when you can only dribble with your dominant hand.
By focusing on developing your weaker hand, you’ll become a more versatile player with more alternatives on the court. Begin by practicing simple dribbling drills with your non-dominant hand, gradually increasing the challenge as you improve. Concentrate on maintaining control and precision with each dribble. Consistent practice will result in considerable increases in your ability to handle the ball with both hands, making you a more versatile player on the court.
Do Both Stationary And Moving Drills
To improve your ball handling skills, practice both stationary and moving drills. Stationary drills allow you to focus on technique, control, and coordination without the extra challenge of mobility.
Stationary drills can include a simple pound dribble for a particular number of reps, dribbling between your legs, behind your back, side-by-side, and forward-and-back.Ballhandling workouts that require movement, on the other hand, are slightly more difficult and will help you enhance your ball control even more. Drills like these can involve dribbling while sprinting, changing directions, and manoeuvring around cones or defenders. By adding both sorts of activities into your basketball training, you will improve your overall ball handling skills.
Master Change Of Direction And Change of Speed
Being ability to shift direction and pace fast distinguishes excellent ball handlers from great ones. When you can perform both of these things, you can move anywhere on the court. Think of Luka Doncic. He is not the fastest player, but he can change speeds quickly, allowing him to get to any point on the court. To improve your dribbling abilities, practise drills that emphasise shifting direction and pace while keeping ball control.
This can include doing crossovers, between-the-legs dribbles, and behind-the-back dribbles while travelling in various directions. Also, practise speeding and decelerating to throw off defenders. By mastering change of direction and speed, you’ll become a more elusive and unpredictable player, making it difficult for opponents to adequately guard you.
Work On Combo Moves And Freestyling
Incorporate combination techniques and freestyling into your training to improve your ball handling abilities. Combo moves combine multiple dribble moves. Stringing moves together makes you less predictable and more difficult to guard. To keep your defender off balance, try different combinations of crossovers, through-the-leg manoeuvres, rotations, hesitations, and behind-the-back dribbles.
Another enjoyable and helpful approach to enhance your ball-handling abilities is to freestyle. Freestyling entails inventing your dribble and connecting together various combo moves without prior planning. Practicing this (especially against a defender) will improve your ability to respond to the defence in real-time.
Practice Dribbling Under Pressure
During actual games, you will frequently experience defensive pressure while dribbling the ball. To prepare for these scenarios, you should practise dribbling under pressure. Have a colleague or buddy serve as a defender, putting pressure on you while you dribble. Concentrate on protecting the ball, retaining control, and maintaining your cool when being challenged by the defender. Attempt to generate space with your dribble while your defender pressures you.
This can help you improve the ability to keep the ball under control even while under pressure, as well as become more confident and composed when confronted with aggressive defenders during games.
Practice Dribbling The Ball Away From Your Body
Another fantastic approach to enhance your ball handling is to practise dribbling away from your body. It is more difficult to control the ball as it moves away from your body while dribbling. It is easier to control the ball when it is near to your body. So, throughout your dribbling drills (where applicable), practise letting the ball go wide.On your side-to-sides, keep the ball as far in front of your body as possible and allow it to travel wide on each rep. When practicing your crossover, let the ball travel wide and away from your body before controlling it.
When performing a stationary drill such as pound dribbles, extend your arm away from you and pound the ball. Keep in mind, however, that it is not always a good idea to allow the ball to escape your grasp during game action. In fact, this could make it easier for your opponent to seize the ball from you. The difference is that when practicing, allowing the ball to move away from your body will help you improve your handling.
Incorporate Ball Handling Into The Rest Of Your Workout
To improve your ball handling skills (and save time), incorporate ball handling exercises into the rest of your workout programme. You may improve your handling while also working on abilities like as shooting and finishing. When doing shooting drills, use a dribble move before each shot. When doing finishing/layup exercises, incorporate some form of combo motion before going in for the layup. Combining ball handling with other aspects of your training allows you to get in more dribbling reps and improve your handles faster.
Take A Ball With You Everywhere
Take A Ball With You Everywhere Finally, carry a ball with you wherever you go. Having a basketball with you, whether at home or outside, helps you enhance your ball-handling skills. Use any free time to improve your handling, whether it’s dribbling in your garden, rehearsing techniques in your living room, or completing stationary exercises while waiting for the bus. Even if you can’t dribble, carry the ball around with you. Hold on to it. By having the ball with you wherever you go, you can become acclimated to its feel and become more comfortable with it.
Pistol Pete Maravich, one of the best ball handlers of all time, carried his ball everywhere. He even brought it to bed and slept by it.
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