Ball Handling Skills
Learning to become a good
ball-handler, and developing a feel for the ball is vitally important in
becoming an excellent all-around player.
Hold The Ball Correctly:
The most difficult skills, including shooting, passing,
catching, dribbling, and rebounding, involve holding the ball. Work on these
skills every day. Here is how to practice holding the ball:
Hold the ball with your fingertips.
The palms of your hands should not touch the ball. Make sure
your fingers are far apart. Hold the ball as much as possible at
home while watching TV or listening
to the radio or music. It is said that the
great Pete Maravich slept with his basketball and held it
during his sleep!
While watching TV, you can hold the ball (with both hands) and spin it around
in
your hands.
These Are The Drills:
▪ Do each one about 30 to 60 seconds
and then move to the next one. With all of these drills, try to keep your eyes
forward, without looking at the ball. Be sure to click the "show
video" links to see the video clip of each drill.
Finger Grabs:
- Hold the ball with the fingertips, squeezing it while rotating it back and forth from hand to hand.
- The ball should not touch the palms of the hands.
Slaps:
- Pound or slap the ball hard from hand to hand.
- Ball Slaps
Tipping:
- Tip the ball back and forth from one hand to the next, starting with your hands straight up over your head.
- Then gradually move the ball down, while continuing to tip it back and forth.
- Go down to your chest, then your waist, knees, and ankles, and then back up again.
- Keep your elbows straight.
- Tipping
Circles:
- Put your feet together and make circles around both legs.
- Then circle around the back. And then circle around the head.
- Around the Legs:
- Around the Waist:
Around Each Leg and Figure Eights:
- Put one leg forward and move the ball in a circular motion around the leg.
- Then do the other leg. Finally, spread your legs out wide with the ball in front of you.
- Move the ball around through your legs in a figure-of-eight motion.
- Keep your eyes forward and don't let the ball hit the floor.
- After 30 seconds, reverse the direction.
- Around Each Leg:
- Figure 8:
Drops:
- Put the ball between your feet and grab it with both hands.
- Start with the left hand behind your left leg and your right hand in front of your right leg.
- Drop the ball and let it bounce once.
- Quickly, move your left hand in front of your left leg and your right hand behind your right leg, and catch the ball as it bounces up.
- Drop it again and switch your hands back to the original position (left behind, right in front) and catch it. Repeat this motion continuously.
- For a more difficult variation, try catching the ball before it actually hits the floor!
Toss Up and Catch Behind:
- Here's a fun drill the players like.
- Toss the ball up over your head.
- Reverse pivot and catch the ball behind your back.
