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- 10 Creative Ways Athletic Programs Can Use a Video Board to Raise Money by Coach Williams
- Mastering Basketball Defense: Techniques, Drills, and Strategies for Success by Justin Tran
- 2023 NBA Draft: Skills and Technique from Top Prospects by Justin Tran
- From College to the Pros: Transitioning the Dribble Drive Offense by Justin Tran
- Positionless Basketball: Redefining Roles on the Court by Justin Tran
- Revolutionize Your Offense: Proven Concepts to Elevate Your Basketball Game by Justin Tran
- 5 Essential Fastbreak Drills Every Basketball Coach Should Know by James Locke
- Game-Changing Strategies: ATO Plays in the EuroLeague and Olympics by Justin Tran
- Off-Ball Movement Tips and Strategies: Lessons From the NBA Finals by James Locke
- Player Development: Scott Drew’s Tips for Producing NBA Guards by James Locke
- Four Quality Quotes From Four Final Four Coaches by Grant Young
- A Guide to the Pack Line Defense by Alex Martinez
- Battle of Two Great Coaches: Best Plays from the NBA Finals Contenders by Justin Tran
- Zone Defense In the NBA Eastern Conference Finals by James Locke
- Mastering Court Mobility: Tips for Effective Movement in Basketball by Justin Tran
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- 6 Points of Emphasis for a Successful 5 Out Offense by Jaycob Ammerman
- Effective and Efficient Methods to Practice During the Basketball Season by Justin Tran
- 5 Components to Creating a Winning Basketball Program by Justin Tran
- Guide to Becoming a Lethal Scorer in Basketball by Justin Tran
- 4 Defensive Technique Drills from Boston Celtics Assistant Coach Brandon Bailey by Marek Hulva
- 5 Drills to Improve Ball Handling by Tyler Linderman
- 13 FUNNY BASKETBALL GIFS by Alex
- BASKETBALL SPEED AND AGILITY: 8 QUESTIONS FOR COACHTUBE EXPERT RICH STONER by Jaycob Ammerman
- Defensive Strategies for Basketball by Ryan Brennan
- 4 Keys To Turning Your Program Into Championship Contender By Dallas Mavericks Coach Sean Sweeney by Marek Hulva
- What You Need to Know About the 2 Side Break by Lason Perkins
- 5 Out of Bound Plays vs. the 2-3 Zone by Marc Hart
- Repeat after me: Shooting is about practice, practice, practice by Brandon Lawrence
- 3 Keys To Shooting Better Off The Pass by Tyler Linderman
- 10 Shooting Tips That Will Increase Your Shooting Percentage by Brandon Ogle
- The Best Ways to Practice Dribbling by Brandon Lawrence
- How Coaches Can Help Build Team Chemistry by Criag Haley
- 2021 Men's NCAA Tournament Teams Courses & Playbooks to Study by Jaycob Ammerman
- 3 Actions from Southern Utah's Highly Ranked System by Jaycob Ammerman
- Coaching Analysis of Thursday NCAA Men’s Tournament Games by Jaycob Ammerman
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- Full Court Press Drills by Emily Reich
- 3 Transition Offensive Drills to Play Fast by Jaycob Ammerman
- Running Inbounds Plays in Youth Basketball by Craig Haley
- New Favorite Actions from Around the World by Lason Perkins
- How to Create a Pick-and-Roll Offense by Brandon Ogle
- Improving Your Three-Point Shot by Ryan Brennen
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Coaches….And People, Too by Lason Perkins
- 5 Spain PNR Plays for Your Playbook by Lason Perkins
- Three Skills Every Guard Needs by Derek Brown
- Top 4 Pre-Season Basketball Drills by Derek Brown
- 3 Plays From Zipper Actions To Create Open Looks by Coach Lason Perkins
- Favorite Plays From Around The World: The Argentina Cross Screen Action by Coach Perkins
- Throwing A “Grenade” Into Your Offense!! by Coach Perkins
- More Zipper Plays From Around the World by Coach Perkins
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- MARCUS GINYARD TALKS AAU BALL, ROY WILLIAMS, AND PLAYING PROFESSIONALLY by Brandon
- My Failure as a Coach by Tom Kelsey
- How can I improve as a coach? by Tom Kelsey
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- 3 REASONS STEPH CURRY HAS SEPARATED HIMSELF IN THE NBA by Chris
- 4 Basketball Offenses You Need to Start Running by Derek Brown
- How to Get the Most Out of Your Team Practice by Derek Brown
- 5 THINGS I WISH I KNEW AS A YOUNG COACH by Jamy Bechler
- Communication Between Coaches and Players by Kyle Ohman
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- Drills To Improve Speed And Endurance With And Without The Basketball by Fran Kilinski
- 5 Strength Training & Plyometric Methods to Improve Rebounding by Alli Williams
- Text from Parent to Coach by Derek Brown
- Game Day Guide: How to Prepare for a Basketball Game by Brandon Ogle
- Coaching Generation Z by Derek Brown
- 5 Strength Training & Plyometric Drills to Improve Rebounding by Alli Williams
- Tips for Running and Handling the Ball in Transition by Brandon Ogle
- The Art of the Outlet Pass by Frank Kilinski
- How To Play Off-The-Ball At A Young Age by Brandon Ogle
- 4 Tricky Basketball Moves That'll Keep You On Your Toes by Fran Kilinski
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The Best Ways to Practice Dribbling
When we talk about basketball, there’s no need to describe dribbling. It’s the lifeblood of the sport; moving with the basketball isn’t possible unless the player in possession is dribbling.
Players learn how to properly dribble at a very, very young age. While a child’s motor skills develop, some of the simple concepts of dribbling aren’t instilled until later years.
For example, traveling and double dribbling – both violations of the rules when they are strictly enforced – don’t necessarily come easy to those learning how to play the game.
When players are young, there’s only one focus: get the ball in the basket, regardless of what it takes.
As players get older, dribbling and passing become the two functions of moving the ball on offense. While it’s not every player’s strong point, dribbling should be something in which everyone, even the big men or women, should be fluent.
It is the point guard’s responsibility to get the ball up the court every single play, which means dribbling the ball effectively is a large part of the position’s game. But dribbling isn’t always everyone’s favorite thing to practice.
But it has to be done, and there are plenty of players that take more pride in making the pass that leads to a pretty basket, or making a defender look silly with a great crossover move. Naturally, the best way to improve dribbling skills is to practice heavily. For those looking to improve, there are dozens of ways to do so, and all you need is a ball and some space.
Try These Dribbling Exercises
Start with the simple right-handed low dribble.
When a player is dribbling the ball, it’s always best to stay low with much of his or her body shielding the ball from the defender. So it’s important to do the same in practice to get familiar with the feeling.
Dribbles should be quick, short and with force. And a player should never be looking at the ball when dribbling – there are far more important things that should command their attention. A player needs to develop a feel for the ball and know where it’s going to be when he or she is dribbling.
Then switch to high bounces, using excessive force to pound the ball into the floor. The dribbles should come up to roughly the player’s shoulders. He or she wouldn’t dribble like that in a game, but the point here is getting used to the force that is exerted with each pounding dribble. It develops a type of coordination with the ball.
All drills should be done with both hands. Being ambidextrous with the ball is an essential part of the game. So incorporate crossover drills and, if you have access to them, set up some cones through which you can dribble. Being elusive with the ball in your hands is part of the job, and a good crossover move might be the most useful in a player’s arsenal of tricks. Two ball drills are a great way to work on being confident in dribbling with both hands.
Once a player gets the hang of basic dribbling, he or she can move on to more complicated drills that involve between-the-legs movement, behind-the-back drills, and everything in between.
There’s no shortage of ways to practice dribbling. The better a player is at handling the basketball, the easier time he or she will have out on the court. Being an adept dribbler leads to other stronger aspects as well.