How To Improve Dribbling
- shaunbenderson
- Apr 10, 2018
- 2 min read
In basketball, ball-handling is an invaluable skill. Against a good defender, a not-so confident player would struggle keeping the ball and this could lead to turnovers, and could eventually cost the game. So how can one improve dribbling?
Image source: Stack.com
As a basic skill, there are drills designed to improve ball-handling. Here are a few:
Dribble with your finger pads. Don’t simply pound the ball with your palm or finger tips. Dribble the ball by smoothly pushing with your finger pads. Dribble with a similar hand placement when shooting.
The second is to dribble hard. The less time the ball is not in your hands, the more control the player has over it. The faster it hits the hardwood, the faster it returns to your hand.
Another key drill is to stay low while dribbling. Bend your knees, dribble hard, and get as many dribbles in 30 seconds. This trains a player’s strength, stability, and agility when movement is applied. Keep in mind, the lower the player is while dribbling, the harder for the defender to steal the ball.
The next drill is all about defending the ball. The wrong way of protecting the ball is having your body look away from the basket. An attacking player has to be in an attacking position, facing front. The problem with the former position is that it provides poor court vision. The correct position should give an attacker a good look at the court, his team mates, as well as the defender.
Hi there, I’m Shaun Benderson, a college student from the University of Florida. I love sports writing and my favorite sports include football and basketball. For more hoop action and insights, visit this blog.
