Whether youâre a basketball coach, P.E. teacher, or parent of a budding player, having a set of basketball drills at your fingertips is a must. Good drills fine-tune the basketball fundamentals of dribbling, passing, and shooting. While most people are familiar with the classics like Horse and Knock-Out, they certainly arenât the only drills to add to your rotation. In addition to perfecting your playersâ shooting or dribbling technique, youâll also want to work on teamwork and communication. Check out our list of the best basketball drills to try today. Theyâre equal parts fun and skill-building!
Basketball Shooting Drills
1. Around the World
This is a great drill because it works on receiving a pass and taking a shot in real time. The coach in this video does a great job explaining the ways in which this drill can be amended so that it can be used for different ability levels.
2. Horse
Horse is a classic basketball shooting game that can be played with as few as two people. If time is short, you can always play Pig instead. This shooting drill is a great way to work on shooting while also introducing some friendly competition.
3. Minute To Win It
Basketball shooting drills that focus on teamwork are definitely some of our favorites! First, divide players into two even lines and have them start on the two elbows of the foul line. During the game, both lines shoot, rebound, and pass to the next player in line. The team with the most baskets made at the end of one minute are declared the winner!
4. Knockout
Knockout is a staple of gym class and basketball practice since it is the perfect combination of instructional and fun. We especially love that it works on rebounding, shooting foul shots, and even layups. The first player in line shoots a foul shot and if they make it, they pass it to the next player in line. If they miss, they have to hurry and make a shot from anywhere on the court before the player behind them in line sinks their own shot.
5. Pianos (1:48)
Make this simple drill more fun by timing kids and having them compete against one another to see who can complete the most pianos in the time allotted. The best part is kids will learn how to use their hips for force while also having a lot of fun!
6. Square Up Shooting
The concept of squaring up is an important one for young basketball players to grasp. This drill reinforces that while also encouraging good passing.
Basketball Dribbling Drills
7. Stationary Handle Drill
Before beginning, make sure that everyone has an appropriately sized basketball. Youâll also want to make sure all of your players understand the different commands like ââpoundâ and âkill.â This type of stationary drill is perfect for teaching beginner players to maintain control while also keeping their eyes up.
8. Pac-Man
This is a basketball take on a retro video game. Designate a few players to act as ghosts while the rest of the players act as pac-men. The pac-men are the dribblers and must stick to the lines on the court whether that be the foul line, the baseline, etc. The ghosts begin on the baseline and then begin trying to tag the dribblers.
9. Gimme Five
Dribbling drills should work on coordination and agility like this one in which players must high-five their teammates while maintaining their dribble. This is a great drill to play during the first few practices since teammates can get to know one another by saying their teammatesâ names as they high-five.
10. Snake
Basketball drills need to teach fundamentals like dribbling, but the best ones also focus on teamwork and coordination. Before playing, decide who will be the snake. That player must try to tag players who are dribbling around them. Once tagged, that person joins the snake and they continue trying to tag players. This drill works on communication and teamwork since as the snake gets longer, players must talk to one another about where to go and when.
11. Pattern Dribbling
This drill helps young players know their way around the court while emphasizing dribbling and ball control. The coach calls out different parts of the court like foul line, sideline, and baseline while players race to the area with their balls.
Basketball Passing Drills
12. Pass the Rock
Basketball passing drills like Pass the Rock emphasize making good passes with eye contact while acting quickly. Half the players stand around the three-point line and half stand in the paint. The players in the paint must make and receive as many passes as possible in a predetermined amount of time.
13. Passing Tag
We love that this passing drill focuses on pivoting since it is such an important basketball skill to have. Teaching players about their pivot foot can be tedious so this game makes it fun!
14. Basketball Tennis
Whatâs better than practicing a favorite sport? How about combining two of your favorite sports into one effective drill? We love that this drill mimics a real game situation since it requires that players work on catching not-so-perfect passes.
15. Different Types of Passing
While learning different types of passes as well as the proper way to execute those passes can be tedious, it is also necessary. Teach your players to pass with both hands as they practice chest passes, bounce passes, overhead passes, and wrap around. As they get better with those basic passes, introduce more advanced passes like baseball, behind the back, hook, and pocket passes.
Basketball Warmup Drills
16. Pass, Fake, and Drive Drill
Odds are if youâve ever played youth basketball, your coach probably had you do the standard pass and layup drill before the game. We like that this simple variation teaches kid an easy yet effective move to get around a defender and drive to the paint.
17. Dynamic Warmup
Basketball warmup drills that are straightforward like this one are the perfect thing to do before your game gets underway. Start with jogging, then work your way up to high knees and other forms of movement.
18. Dribbling/Shot Variations
This warmup drill would be best for middle school or high school players since it incorporates some more complicated types of dribbling. We especially love that setup and cleanup are minimal since all youâll need to do it is a few cones.
19. Stop and Start
Who remembers the famous scene from Hoosiers when Gene Hackman makes his team practice without a ball? This warmup series reminds us of that since it utilizes a lot of different movements without a ball.
Basketball Defense Drills
20. Three-Touch Defensive Drill
The best basketball defense drills work on footwork, reaction time, stance, and speed. This drill combines all of those things while also serving to make your team the best conditioned on the court at all times.
21. Help the Helper
The best basketball drills relate back to real-life game scenarios. In this drill, players learn about help defense so they know what to do if their teammate gets beat in a game.
22. Zigzag Defense
Defense wins games, so it is vital to work on the basics like a strong defensive stance. This drill teaches players to shuffle while tracking their opponent. The player with the ball dribbles in a zigzag pattern while the defender follows along.
23. Three Second Box Out Drill
This is a fun way to teach kids the basics of boxing out. Set basketballs on cones and then put two kids behind each basketball. The player in the back needs to try to get to the basketball while the player in the front boxes them out to prevent them from getting it.
Basketball Cone Drills
24. Gates Dribbling
Before playing, you will need to make gates all over the court by setting out cones about a foot and a half apart. Each player must try to dribble through as many gates as possible before time runs out. This drill can be played in soccer as well.
25. Builders and Bulldozers
Basketball cone drills like this one really force players to work on multiple skills at once, like agility, coordination, and dribbling. Before playing, divide the players into two teams with one team being the bulldozers and the other being the builders. Lay cones out around the court with half of them upright and half of them laying flat. Builders need to put as many cones upright as possible in the allotted time, while bulldozers need to knock them down.
26. Cone Dribbling
Basketball cone drills use a simple piece of equipment to teach valuable skills. In this drill, the cones simulate defenders so players can work on dribbling around them. Players are encouraged to make sure they arenât carrying the ball as they work on crossover dribbling and other skills.
Basketball Drills for Beginners
27. Layups
Layups are an important move to master in basketball, so teaching this skill to beginners is of the utmost importance. This video shows how to teach a layup as a progression in which players start without a ball. It also demonstrates some different variations of a basic layup that can be introduced as players gain skill and competence.
28. Obstacle Course
Basketball drills for beginners should be fun while including the fundamentals of basketball like dribbling, passing, and shooting. Obstacle courses are a great way to incorporate those elements in a way that is fun for newbies.
29. Rob the Nest
Besides being totally fun, Rob the Nest is versatile since it can be changed to work on different kinds of dribbling and passing. Beginner players will be gaining valuable skills while having a blast in the process. Divide players into four teams and then send them into different corners that will act as their ânests.â Place a large pile of basketballs in the middle, which will serve as the draw pile for players. Once all of the basketballs have been taken from the middle, players can steal basketballs from an opposing teamâs nest, hence the name of the game!
30. B.E.E.F. Shooting
This funny acronym will definitely help beginner players remember the proper shooting technique: Balance, Elbows, Eyes, Follow-Through.
31. Partner Passing
Have partners break off into pairs and then stand back to back. You will want one small basketball between each pair. This drill is perfect for beginners in the 4-7 year old range. Simply have them practice handing the ball back and forth from the sides and then over their head and through their legs.
Basketball Drills to Teach Plays
32. 3 on 3 Play Development
This video shows how playing 3 v 3 can mirror game situations. There are a lot of variations and plays that can be taught while practicing with fewer players. Plays include pass and cut and screens.
33. Smoke Stack
This is a very basic inbounding play that can be effective, especially for younger players. Simply have four players stand in line being careful not to have them line up too close to the out of bounds line. The third person in the line back screens for the top person. The first two people in line split and go to either corner or wing.
34. Defense Switch
While this video advertises these plays as being for Grade 1, we think they would work well for any beginner basketball player. If you want to learn a simple screen play, go to 1:15 in the video above. In it, the speaker explains that the intention of the play is to force the defenders to switch which causes a mismatch of guards covering post players.
35. Full Court Press Break
This video instructs how to beat a full court press. The simplest of these methods is simply to have players 1 and 2 cross positions as a third player inbounds the ball. He also explains what options are available to the offense once the defenders press.
What are your favorite basketball drills to play with your team? Come and share in our HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Plus, check out our favorite old-school recess games for the classroom.
