How to Improve Your Ball Handling Skill

Improving your ball-handling can help you take your basketball skills to another level. It allows you to do things like create shots off the dribble for yourself. Ball-handling skills can also improve the games of players at every size and height. Point guards need to be able to dribble well to run the offense. Taller players like forwards and centers find ball-handling skills useful in preventing players who are low to the ground from stealing the ball. Hence, basketball players at every position can profit from learning how to improve their ball-handling skills.

Instructions

    • 1

      Practice maintaining a steady dribble without losing control of the ball because you will need ball control to drive past defenders. Avoid dribbling the ball using the palm of your hand but instead let your fingertips bounce the ball. Fingertips increase your ability to control the ball more than your palms do. Practice firmly bouncing the ball at your sides. Bouncing at your side lowers the chance for defenders to steal the ball. You should also have your eyes straight ahead and practice bouncing the ball without looking at it. (Reference 1)

    • 2

      Perform exercises that are useful for improving your ball-handling skills. One such drill is called the scissors drill. Put your left foot out in front of the right one. After dribbling the ball through your legs, shift your feet so that your right and left feet switch places. This step is done with every bounce. Also, practice another exercise called "one-on-two." Work on using your ball-handling to get past two defenders simultaneously. This drill helps with focus and ball protection. (Reference 2)

    • 3

      Practice wisely because certain kinds of practice can get better results than others when it comes to improving your ball-handling. Work on your dribbling drills at full speed just like you'd play at full speed in a real game. Do your drills using more than just the hand you're most comfortable with. Perform drills using your left hand if you're right-handed, and using your right hand if you're left-handed. (Reference 3)

    • 4

      Practice being able to bounce two balls at once to improve your dribbling ability even more. Go to one side of the court and carry two basketballs. Walk straight ahead and dribble the ball first with the right hand. Bounce the ball in your left hand as soon as the other ball has bounced from your right hand. Continue walking ahead and bouncing both balls; one with your right hand and one with your left. Walk forward and practice dribbling both balls from baseline to baseline. (Reference 4)