Basketball Drills for At-Home Skill Development

One of the key elements of basketball player development is the reinforcement of unrequired hours, the time spent outside of training sessions and practice. Those 2 - 4 required hours a week aren't enough to master the skills needed to improve or make incremental progress. Players tell us all the time how many hours they spend outside at the court and at home in their driveway. The reality is if you're not working on the right things, you may as well do nothing. It doesn't benefit any player to repeatedly do something wrong, or aimlessly work on basketball skills at home. I know, there were lot of details in the skills and concepts your coach taught you. It’s easy to forget. Here are great basketball drills for at-home skill development.

Ball Handling

A strong handle gives you the necessary tools to confidently navigate on the court, builds an incredible mental edge to break down defenders and allows you to create plays in the game. One of the keys to great ball handling is to always maintain a loaded, A-frame stance (which is a wide base stance with your feet slightly shoulder width apart). Standing straight up or playing vertically will always create an imbalance and will cause you to lose control of the ball, giving your opponent the advantage.

Beginners should start with stationary ball handling to focus on building control, hand speed, and basic manipulation. Below are a few ball handling movements, that if practiced at-home are proven to boost confidence, rhythm, and familiarity.

• Pound dribbles. Be sure to alternate using the right and left hand. The pound dribbles can be executed for reps or time.

• Dribble at different heights. After establishing the basic pound dribbles athletes can shift into to dribbling the ball at different heights, which is needed need to perform efficiently in the flow of a game. Check out the levels. Low (shin level), medium (knee level), and high (shoulder level).

• Double crossover and V-dribbles. These two movements can make players shifty and is where handle creativity begins. Mastering shifty movements will help you build your pace and tempo, handling the ball at different heights and speeds.

  • Add a lateral step when performing the double crossover and v-dribble. Take two pound dribbles, step laterally as your cross the ball over and back. Be sure to try the same lateral step with the v-dribble. Combining the proper footwork with your handle is the recipe for success.

Once you're comfortable with stationary dribbling, add dynamic movement by setting up a few cones and pretending they are defenders. Cones can be set up in a straight line or in a zig-zag. When you approach a cone, perform a crossover or v-dribble and then continue the pattern throughout the cone set up. Remember to stay loaded and maintain control.

Another key component to ball handling is the retreat dribble. Retreat dribbles are used when a defender has cut you off and you need to create space. The two key components of the retreat dribble are keeping your eyes and off-hand/non-dribbling arm up opposite of the direction you are retreating. A few tips: use the first retreat dribble to create space and the second to establish vision. This allows you to see your defender and protect the ball. Incorporate retreats into your dynamic cone drills - dribble forward, retreat a few dribbles, then cross over and attack again.

Experienced basketball players should be able to master the basic four ball handling movements: crossover, in-and-out, (BTB) behind-the-back, and (BTL) between-the-legs. Giving them the foundation to explore and execute dynamic ball handling exercises like combinations, float dribbles, and various stops and drags.

These players should work on:

• Combination moves (e.g., crossover BTB, BTL crossover, in-and-out crossover)

• Selling your moves (always going with the motion and flow of the ball. Using your upper body to shift your defender).

• Changing speeds, focusing on COS (change of speed) & COP (change of pace).

  (e.g., float crossover, then an explosive counter move to attack)

Great ball handlers aren't just quick; they know how to control tempo and always engage defenders to react. Experienced players should be able to take basic moves and sell them to defenders. This is why basketball is called a 'game' - athletes get to build their own combo moves, challenge defenders, and continue to evolve their handle .

Shooting

Every basketball player loves to shoot, but throwing up random shots won't help you improve. Before working on shooting, it is essential to master finishing around the rim. If you can't finish layups, your shooting mechanics will suffer.

Beginners should focus on finishing around the rim. Right hand on the right side and left hand on the left side. Once this feels comfortable, add a little bit of contact by defense to the finish. Lean into the contact, not away from it. You can combine your ball handling skills with a finish around the rim. Dribble through the cones like you did in the ball handling section and then finish strong at the basket. These drills allow you to improve in both ball handling and layups. After you've completed layups, move on to the using floaters at different angles.

Once you can finish rim finishes and floaters, it is time to work on your jump shot. Footwork is the foundation of shooting. To get the footwork down, take it slow. Establish what we call your 1-2 steps before attempting to shoot. Focus on sticking your feet after the catch, left-right or right-left. Once you get the hang of it, speed up and work on 'punching' the ball. For example, perform a move to engage the defender, take a dribble forward, punch the ball, get the ball in your shooting pocket, and let it go. Being able to pickup the ball from your dribble is a key skill to have. The smoother that process is, the better your shot will be. When working on your jump shot, make sure to land 'on balance' as well. If your balance is off, your entire shot will be off. Another component to add to your jump shot is to really elevate, especially when you are shooting closer to the rim. Down low is where the tall defenders are that can swat your shot if you do not elevate upon shot release. Smooth footwork and mechanics separate good shooters from great ones.

Footwork and Agility

Unlike a sprinter in track, basketball athletes need to perfect more than just running forward. The game of basketball requires athletes to move side to side, forward and backwards, and change speeds. Because of all the different directions athletes are expected to move, it is crucial to work on footwork. Proper footwork will make you a better defender, more explosive on offense, and able to sell your ball handling moves. Buy a cheap jump rope or agility ladder from Amazon. Those 2 pieces and a desire to improve are all you need to stand out in this category. There are several ladder drills online to choose from. Focus on moving your feet quick and with intention. Stay in control! In basketball, athletes should stay in control and on balance. Jump roping will help with both staying light on your feet and conditioning.

Conditioning

You can have all the basketball skill in the world. That doesn’t matter if you can't keep up with the pace of the game. Elite basketball teams expect players to be in top shape before the season starts. It’s important to take this into your own hands and come up with a plan to be in good shape. It can be simple - sprints, pushups, lunge jumps, etc. The moment it starts getting tough is when you're actually improving. Basketball coaches notice players who show up in shape, ready to compete.

At-home Basketball Drills

Improving in basketball isn’t just about showing up to practice. It's about what you do in your own time when no one is watching. Stay consistent with these drills, push yourself, and over time, you’ll see great improvement.