Daily work on ball handling skills is a key component to our basketball camps in Rocklin, CA. Ball handling is the easiest way to work on your game and become a great all-around player as all you need is a ball and a flat surface.
Just as in all areas of basketball, the foundation of working on ball handling is to make sure you are balanced and in an athletic position. Dribbling the ball in a balanced position, make sure your knees are bent and your chest is up; this enables you to look forward and see the floor. Avoid looking down while you dribble as that takes away from your court vision. Lastly, use your fingertips to dribble the ball and spread your fingers out, as it helps cover the ball and give you more control of your dribble. Only using your arms (do not use your entire body), dribble the ball as quick and hard as you can without worrying about making mistakes. If you lose your ball, no big deal, just retrieve it and start from where you left off.
Remember, practice makes perfect, and you can only make perfect by practicing outside your comfort zone!
WARM-UP
- Ball Slaps – slap ball as hard as you can with one hand as the other hand holds the ball. Rotate hand on every slap.
- Finger Tips – Extend arms out and push ball back and forth with your fingertips. Once you feel comfortable with the ball extended out in front of you, move the ball high above head and low in front of your ankles working the ball in the same way.
- Wraps – Wrap ball around your head, then around your waist, and finally around your ankles. Do each one separate, and then do all three together as one rep.
- Figure 8 – Wrap ball around legs going in front in between your legs first then wrapping behind one knee. Then bring ball back in front in between legs then behind other knee. Continue that motion continuous.
BALL HANDLING DRILLS
- Pound Dribble (1 Ball) – Dribble the ball as hard as you can with one hand, not allowing the ball to go higher than just above your knees. After 30-45 seconds, rotate hands.
- 2 Ball Dribbling – Similar to the one hand pound except for you are now dribbling with both hands at one time. You can do 2 ball rhythm and 2 ball alternating for 30-45 second each.
- Single Leg Dribbling (1 Ball) – Dribble the ball with the Right hand making circles around your Right leg, the alternate doing the same with the Left hand and leg.
- Figure 8 Dribble (1 Ball) – Same as Figure 8 in warm-up, but now we are dribbling the ball instead of wrapping it.
Source: ussportscamps.com