Be a better ball handler with these basketball drills

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Dribbling is a fundamental skill in basketball.  Without it, players won’t know how to move with the ball.  Some of the greatest players in the NBA were insane ball-handlers.  Players like Pete Maravich, Magic Johnson, Allen Iverson, Steph Curry, Chris Paul, and Kyrie Irving could mesmerize both the audience and their opponents with their ball-handling wizardry.

Let’s take a look at some dribbling drills to improve one’s ball-handling drills.

Two-balls

Dribbling two balls is great for facilitating ambidextrous skills.  Through this drill, a player can concentrate on developing dribbling with his weak hand.  This is a staple drill in training camps which can be modified just as easily.  Players can start by staying stationary, and moving forward slowly when they get the hang of it.

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Finger pads

The use of finger pads over the past few decades has improved the dribbling of so many young players.  Dribbling with the fingers (not with the palms) is the correct way of dribbling, since it gives the player more control over the direction of the ball.  Finger pads also discourages players from using their palms.

Low and hard

The principle here is that the shorter the time the ball spends out of one’s hand, the harder it is to steal.  Learning to dribble low and hard will pay dividends in the future.  Players should do this drill, especially with their weak hand. 

Stephen Varanko III used to play and coach basketball. Read more about sports by visiting this website.

Drills that can improve your lacrosse stick skills

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High-class stick skills help lacrosse teams win games.  The ability to catch and throw the ball accurately and even under defensive pressure can make or break victory.  The best way to develop stick skills is to undergo drills, examples of which are discussed below:

Wall Ball

This is probably the most accessible drill, as everything one would need to do this are the stick, a ball, and a wall.  This drill involves throwing the ball repeatedly on the wall and attempting to catch it as ricochets off the surface.  This can develop a player’s dexterity, especially his or her non-dominant hand skills.  Even the best players in the world still hit the wall on a regular basis.

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Lacrosse golf

A simple, yet enjoyable, way to improve throwing skills is to play lacrosse golf.  All a player would need is a lacrosse stick, ball, and a bucket.  The goal is to shoot the ball from various distances.  Players can do this on their own or make it a competition with teammates.

Waterfall Drill

The Waterfall Drill helps develop the players’ ability to make and catch short and long passes.  The drill starts with two players standing on the same end line, at least ten yards apart.  Both players would then run to the other end line while passing a ball back and forth.  Upon reaching the end line, the players would move further away from each other before running again to the first end line, and this time, making long cross-field passes.

Stephen Varanko III used to play lacrosse when he was in high school. He even served as captain of his school’s varsity team. Read more about the sports by visiting this website.