AROUND THE WORLD

Circle the ball first around your head, then your waist, finally, put your legs together and take the ball around both legs at the knees. Then around your waist and back around your head. This will give you a feel for the ball and help you become more comfortable in your ball handling. A good hand speed and coordination drill, also great conditioner for your arms. Do for 30 seconds...then change directions and go the other way!

CRAB WALK

This drill can go from baseline to half court. Step forward with your left leg and pass the ball from your right hand to your left under your left leg. As you take your next step with your right leg, pass the ball from your left hand to your right under your right leg. Continue this pattern all the way down the floor.

PASS & CATCH

With two hands, make a bounce pass between your legs from front to back and catch the ball with 2 hands behind you. Then bounce the ball through your legs from the back to the front, and catch the ball in front of your body.

TOUCH-TOUCH-TOUCH

This drill is called touch-touch-touch because that is what you do... while keeping the ball between your legs, you touch the ball once with your right hand(fingers) in front, then with your left hand(fingers) in front, then with your right behind you, and then with your left behind you. Continue in this manner as fast as possible. Before long, you will master this skill.

Scissors

To start the drill, place your left foot ahead of your right and dribble the ball once between your legs from your right hand to your left. As the ball gets to your left hand switch your feet so that your right leg goes ahead of your left and bounce the ball back between your legs. This switching of your feet will occur with every dribble.

Figure 8 Passing

Spread your legs, bend at the waist, pass the ball through your legs, around one leg, back through your legs, and around your other leg, making a figure eight. This will help you get a feel for the basketball as you move it around. Keep your head up not looking at the ball and increase your speed.

Dribble Situps

While doing bent-knee situps, dribble up with your right hand as you sit up, and around your feet, then switch hands to your left as you go back down, and then dribble with your left hand as you sit up, back around your feet, switching back to your right hand. Continue as quickly as possible.

CATCH-CATCH-CATCH

This is a drill to work on your ballhandling. Hold the ball between your legs, with both hands on the ball, right hand in front and left hand in back. Quickly switch your hands,(now left hand in front and right hand in the back), without letting the ball touch the ground. Do as quickly as possible...this drill is one of the hardest to master... but it just takes lots of practice.

FIGURE 8 DRIBBLING

This is a drill to practice your ballhandling. Dribble the ball as quickly as possible in a figure 8 through and around the legs. Use the fingers when you dribble, and dribble very low and quickly. Switch from the right to the left and back to the right. Try to go as fast as possible, and your dribbling skills will improve with daily practice.

BANANA SQUEEZE

This is a drill that helps increase the strength in your fingers. Hold the ball in front of you at eye level with two hands. By squeezing your fingers and thumb together with one hand at a time, you move the ball from one hand to the other as quickly as you can. More finger and arm strength will improve your ball control.