Basketball--improving ball handling

[TheWorstPlayer]

Really there is no way to improve ball handling except for a)play a ton of ball - less effective or b)do tons of ball handling drills - more effective. These are the ones that I used to do (make sure you keep your head up on all drills - no looking at the ball!):
1. Pound the ball low and hard (around knee level) in a good athletic stance for 30 secs. Switch hands. Repeat. I would do about 5 sets with each hand then rest and repeat the whole thing.
2. Dribble 'inside out'. I.e. with only one hand and without looking at the ball, dribble from side to side so that you make sorta a 'V' with the ball. So you'll be moving, say, your left hand from the upper left side of the ball to the upper right side of the ball and back while bouncing it on an angle. This will work your 'exterior' muscles and help your cross over. Same routine as first drill: left, right, left, right, etc. 30 second reps. When you get tired, rest and repeat.

3. Dribble 'front to back'. Same as 'inside out' but forwards and backwards instead of side to side.

4. Finally I would start moving. I would run from sideline to sideline making a move in the centre each time. First I'd stutter step. Then I'd cross over. Then I'd go around my back. Then I'd combine them. E.g. stutter then cross over. The key is to always stay on balance, and really sell the move like there is a defender. Another great move to practice is to come up, stop advancing (while maintaining dribble, of course) take two slide steps back, then cross over and bust out. Simulates getting trapped in the backcourt and having to get out of the double team.

Good luck.

[bones]

Video

If you're serious about improving your fundamentals, this is the way to go. The kids from the video went to a neighboring high school and their fundamentals were absolutely sick.

[Jack of Arcades]

Del: You play with your balls a lot.
Neal: I do NOT play with my balls.
Del: Larry Bird doesn't do as much ball-handling in one night as you do in an hour!

[Popinjay]

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I play a lot of ball, and had the same shortcomings initially. Other than playing a lot, I would suggest you get these - a lot of NBA guys use them.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty good about this because I have been trying to keep my head up for most of my basketball career.

Thanks TheWorstPlayer for your advice. I was looking for specific drills or exercises or things to do while playing, because obviously playing a lot will get you better, but not as quickly.

[M2d]

not basketball per se, but the same concept could apply. a friend of mine was a short white guy in middle school. for some reason, he loved volleyball and wanted to play for our high school team. since he was short, ball handling was of utmost importance, so his father (who was a basketball coach, but knew nothing about volleyball) gave him the best advice possible: have a ball with you at all times. he did this, even going to bed with the ball, setting over and over again to himself as he lay there in bed, in the dark.
long story not as long as it could be, he developed massive handling skills, grew out of his pubescent shortness, is now kicking butt on the beach tour and has a very real shot at making the next olympic team.

if you want to get good at a precision athletic movement, you have to do it over and over again.