Little League Basketball Drills

When you are teaching young kids the basics of basketball, it is important to stay as close to teaching the fundamentals as possible. While there are many intricacies in the game, little league basketball players need to know about things such as how to dribble properly, throw a pass and rebound.

  1. Dribbling Drills

    • Have the kids on your team stand in one place and dribble the basketball with their dominant hand. Instruct them to not try to walk or run with the ball. The idea with this drill is to simply allow them to get comfortable with the way a ball bounces and how it feels on their hands. After a few minutes, line the players up vertically across the baseline and instruct them to begin to slowly walk from there to half court. Stress that speed in doing this is not important as the quality of their dribbling is.

      As the kids become more comfortable dribbling the ball while walking, encourage them to begin running while dribbling. This drill should take place over the course of several practices. It may take a while for the kids to become comfortable enough dribbling to be able to run while bouncing the ball.

    Jump Shot Drill

    • The jump shot is the most common shot in basketball, therefore it is vital that a young player understands the proper form associated with this shot. To perform the jump shot drill, mark an area about 10 to15 feet from the basket where the player will stand. Assign a couple of other players to rebound. Have the shooter stand facing the basket, with feet about shoulder width apart. Instruct him to keep his elbows in and align the fingers on his shooting hand behind the ball. His non-shooting hand should be to the side of the ball. Make sure he understands that this hand is not used for shooting, but for balance only. Instruct the player to shoot several shots in a row from the position you have marked. The best way to help him keep his form is to not allow him to move around. Have the rebounders throw him a ball after every shot.

    Hands Up Drill

    • The best way for a young player to get a rebound is for him to learn that his hands should go up every time somebody takes a shot. Have one or two players shoot the ball from the perimeter. Instruct two or three other players to stand close to the rim. Their job is to rebound the ball. Call "hands up" every time one of the shooters shoots the ball. The rebounders will learn that this is the proper way to get a rebound. Soon, every time they see a shot go up, they will instinctively put their hands up to get the rebound.