Handling the ball?

[carpevicis]

I'm losing my ability to handle the basketball in an open court. In transition I'm pretty good, but it seems lately when I try and start a break in traffic the defense closes in on me and I turn the ball over or make a terrible pass. In the half court, when I try to cross my man up, I sometimes get the ball picked out from me.

How can I improve this? I can do the stationary dribbling drills pretty well but it seems like my actual game handle is weak.

[jerzymade]

well to me it sounds like the ball is too much into your palm. Idk i could be wrong but how you described it sounds like your not using your fingers or finger pads some ppl call it. To me stationary drills are pointless because it not really simulating a game situation. What i did was first of all i dribbled everyday, second i pounded the ball which could be another reason. Because if you aren't dribbling the ball hard enough you wont get a lot of backspin which helps with the finger pad control. It's like a give and take situation. IF you give a little expect like in return. SO pound the ball to get a better control. Work on pounding the ball on your crossovers and game like dribbles. Like i said earlier i never did drills but i practice game like moves full court for hrs when i was younger and i pounded the ball. Sorry this was an unorganized and unnecessarily long post/:D

[623baller]

dribble in a lower stance

get your entire non dribbling side of the body out in front of the dribble

practice the above in full court setting, just keep changing directions every 2~3 dribbles

get someone to play defense and rough you up as you change directions

you gona be slow at first but once you get it down, it will be hard to pick off your dribble without fouling you


things you can do immediately to avoid the problems you see now is to allow more space between you and your defender when you cross over , if you do it too close up, it's easy to get picked. from a stand still i usually cross the guy when there's a good 1~2 person gap between me my defender. in a fast break, i do it 2~3 person gap. never allow defense to close in on you. it should be the other way around.


you can probably do less of the stationary dribbles. i think it's great for beginners to build up the fundamental or for people who wants to develop better touch. but i dont think that's where your problem is right now

[Rake2204]

Great advice, fellas. I'll reiterate three things mentioned that I am sure to use in order to keep my handle tight:

1) Pound the ball when dribbling (and especially while practicing dribbling).

It's a little underrated by some outlets. There seems to be more concern on what dribble movies can be pulled off rather than at what speed. My reasoning for this type of practice is to get my handle tighter, quicker and stronger. I ask myself, "What's harder to pick off, a soft cross over, or a hard and fast one?" Further, a stronger dribble will allow for more maneuverability.

I warm up every day by just super pounding the ball in my hand for a few minutes. If nothing else, it gets the blood flowing in my hands, which gives me a better feel for the ball.

2) Dribble Lower

Again, even a slightly lower dribble may mean it can be twice as difficult for a defense to rip you off the bounce. Further, it'll also once again improve maneuverability, for the ball is returning to your hand quicker and more frequently, creating a reduction in the amount of time one must way for the ball in empty space. On top of everything else, every dribbling move ever is ten times easier to pull off in a lower stance.

And again to quote 623 Baller:

3) Practice your ballhandling against a real, live, active defender

I do believe in solo dribbling drills when that's all that's available. But I definitely believe there's no better way to improve ballhandling than by learning through trial and error while playing against people who will punish your mistakes. It suddenly becomes clear how much one must clean up their handles in order to succeed. It creates a clear goal to reach.

[Swaggin916]

My game handle isn't very good either because I have hardly played... but you have to do full court dribbling drills full speed, and also just just keep dribbling in games... keep trying. You will get some success and your confidence will go up. I played for the first time in well over 3 months yesterday and I got picked once bringing the ball up the court, and got picked from behind once. My handle was trash becuase I am not used to A. playign 5 on 5, and B, playing against swarming pressure defense (they were bringing a lot of doubles). Experience is your best friend, just keep at it and don't get down. Just continue to try and get better. Eventually you will get to the point where the defense is more afraid of getting shook then you are of turning it over.

[carpevicis]

Thanks for the tips, I used to have a little bit of a handle but I guess it degraded to now it's shaky even in an open court fast break.

I'll definitely do the full court dribbling drills, they work even when you're by yourself right?


Eventually you will get to the point where the defense is more afraid of getting shook then you are of turning it over.

The ultimate goal is for the other player to fear me offensively and defensively... too bad I'm not that imposing. I'm more annoying on defense than intimidating.

[jerzymade]

Yeah pounding the ball builds finger, wrist and arm strength. You will know if your going hard is when after your done with the pound drill you will feel it. Idk but if i haven't played ball in a long time i never really lose my handle, the ball just feels weird on my fingers, but you can never lose the coordination part.

[MannyO]

this happens to me at times. What you got to do is go back to the basics. figure 8s, around the world, pound the ball, etc. This will help you regain your feel for the basketball.

[jerzymade]

yeah don't mean to bump this but i wanted to say this, When i person learns the fundamentals of dribbling you usually hear "don't let the palm touch the ball" and "use your fingertips". It sounds basic but is really misleading (i was going to make a thread but i can't because i need my account to be activated or something). (Back to the topic) I had talked to the best ball handler on my team when i was growing up (AAU). I ask him if he can keep the ball off his palm. He said "no, the ball bounces on some of my palm not the whole thing. Another thing is that with that misconception a player finds themselves thinking about trying to prevent the ball from touching the palm. Which effects the rest of their game. Now the fingertips, dribbling, passing and shooting all use the same grip. The correct name is the fingerpads, which are the whole fingers, and pads under them here are examples of the fingerpads which are used for passing shooting and dribbling http://www.breakoutbasketball.com/tipoftheweek_06182007.html i use example one. Tips or info for players that didn't know :D

[AJ2k8]

yeah don't mean to bump this but i wanted to say this, When i person learns the fundamentals of dribbling you usually hear "don't let the palm touch the ball" and "use your fingertips". It sounds basic but is really misleading (i was going to make a thread but i can't because i need my account to be activated or something). (Back to the topic) I had talked to the best ball handler on my team when i was growing up (AAU). I ask him if he can keep the ball off his palm. He said "no, the ball bounces on some of my palm not the whole thing. Another thing is that with that misconception a player finds themselves thinking about trying to prevent the ball from touching the palm. Which effects the rest of their game. Now the fingertips, dribbling, passing and shooting all use the same grip. The correct name is the fingerpads, which are the whole fingers, and pads under them here are examples of the fingerpads which are used for passing shooting and dribbling http://www.breakoutbasketball.com/tipoftheweek_06182007.html i use example one. Tips or info for players that didn't know :D

Nice reply, repped:cheers:

[Swaggin916]

Well since this thread was bumped... I played again on Sunday (2nd time playing in 3 months... but 2nd in 5 days) and my handle was almost back to where it was. It was so bad last Tuesday that I almost didn't know what to do with myself :lol I had to go the park on Friday and do full court dribbling/finishing drills... and that seemed to really help because I had no problems and was confident out there on Sunday. I definitely have to recommend those full court drills... they really help with your control at higher speeds and also because it takes a lot of dribbles to get down court. I basically just freestyle my way up and down the court and envision defenders trying to stop me. I call it the John Wall drill :lol

[jerzymade]

Nice reply, repped:cheers:
thanks, i think it just misleading how alot of young players were taught. Drills wise i would say repetition that's all you need to get better. You don't even need to dribble the ball to get better. I have seen alot of professional players do simple drills such as around the world, figure eights, pound dribbles, swing the purse etc. But yeah i feel dribbling is alot easier than what most ppl make it out to be.

[bobbyflay]

yeah, you guys are right about the drills once again. I don't know how to explain it, but it seems that handling the ball is based off of reaction and how good you are dribbing for me. I used to just focus on reaction exercises and was able to pull off the crossover perfectly when someone tries to reach in. I couldn't pull off advanced stuff like crossover-spin move-behind the back-reverse layup or something until I started doing drills. My mistake was working on the drills most of the past summer and not working on my reaction anymore. It's just an example to warn people :O WORK ON EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR GAME.

[jerzymade]

cone drills are really good in improving handles. If you don't have cones then use imagination not just in dribbling but throughout your workouts. IF you imagine a swarming defender or a nba idol that helps keep the intensity up. Which make your practices efficient. your workouts should be about quality than quantity. I learn that players that were good players spend less time practicing than bad players that spend three hours on the court:wtf: . Why:confusedshrug: because the good players have a more intense workout and get ten times the results than, someone shooting the ball and jogging around the court:facepalm .

[scm5]

One of the most important aspects of ball handling, isn't really ball handling. It's learning to use your other hand and your body to protect the ball. Always put yourself or your other hand in a position that keeps your opponent from being able to get to the ball cleanly.

[jerzymade]

not just dribbling but don't be afraid to make mistakes:facepalm :banghead: , if your not making any mistakes then your not going hard. Mistakes make you a better player, so when you make a mistake while developing your handles be happy because your getting better:applause:

[Bballer360]

I wanna know how the NBA player's handle the ball cuz to me it looks like they use their whole hand. And I wanted to know what's the best way of handling the ball with just your fingers or pads of hands? Thanks

[Rake2204]

I wanna know how the NBA player's handle the ball cuz to me it looks like they use their whole hand. And I wanted to know what's the best way of handling the ball with just your fingers or pads of hands? Thanks
I'd definitely say not just your fingers. As ballhandlers, we want to maximize control. This doesn't mean palming the ball or striking it with our entire hand with each dribble, but it certainly won't mean only using our fingertips at all times.

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[magic14]

The best way to increase ball control is definitely two ball dribbling, just pound the ball ~100 times a day in your warmup. Other dribbling drills are good but two ball dribbling increases your control the most. As to why you're making so many turnovers, I think its just game experience. When I got cut from my high school team freshman year, I practiced 2-3 hours every day until my school's summer basketball program. However, I didn't get to play any games because my outside team ended in eigth grade, so when I played my first 5 games or so I was always in a rush to get rid of the ball and always threw it away, but in the most recent tournament I calmed down a bit and did a lot better.

[Bballer360]

Yo guys my dribbling is terrible I can't get control of the ball it bounces to high it bounces to my body them I carry I can't get good control with my hand on the ball can y'all give me some tips all help is appreciated thanks

[Rake2204]

I think its just game experience. When I got cut from my high school team freshman year, I practiced 2-3 hours every day until my school's summer basketball program. However, I didn't get to play any games because my outside team ended in eigth grade, so when I played my first 5 games or so I was always in a rush to get rid of the ball and always threw it away, but in the most recent tournament I calmed down a bit and did a lot better.
I think that's a good point and often overlooked by youngsters. Practicing ballhandling on your own is always a great idea, just like working on your shot. However, I do not believe isolated practice will always translate over into games. There are countless factors that occur in games that cannot be accounted for in dribbling or shooting drills. Therefore game experience, as you mentioned, should not be underrated.

Sometimes it's just a matter of failing, figuring out why you failed, then making the proper adjustments to make sure it doesn't happen again. At that point, you will be hopeful that the ballhandling skills you've worked on will allow you to make the adjustments needed.



Yo guys my dribbling is terrible I can't get control of the ball it bounces to high it bounces to my body them I carry I can't get good control with my hand on the ball can y'all give me some tips all help is appreciated thanks
It sounds as if you may really benefit from "pounding" drills. Of course, any ballhandling practice should be beneficiary, but for those who cannot seem to control it on the regular bounce (it's a more common problem than we think) pounding is a good place to start.

Just like I warm up my body with layups, stretching, and jumpshots, I like to warm up my ballhandling before games by pounding the rock in my hand. This means I push it to the floor as hard as I can. If we think about it, what's going to be easier to defend - someone who dribbles in slow motion or someone who dribbles with emphasis and a purpose? Learning to really pound the rock will train your hands and your body to prepare for a decisive dribble. Over time, your hands and your mind will be able to bounce the ball down and back up without an issue.

The idea is, in a game situation, you probably won't be pounding the rock every trip down the court. However, since your hands will be used to dribbling very hard, handling a regular dribble shouldn't be an issue. Just remember, the harder and lower you dribble, the nastier your results are going to be (in a good way).

[01amberfirewv]

Work on dribbling two ball down the court as fast as you can. Do this dribbling low which you need when dribbing through traffic and high which helps when the defender is behind you. Check out my man Ryan in the video below. It starts off with some full court work

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irH4mmbS31g

[Bballer360]

How do you dribble the ball with the whole hand without it touching you palm?

[Swaggin916]

Just adding to what Rake said. you don't always have to pound the ball in games, but it's good to have that skill so when you need to you can. the most effective basketball players who don't just have insane athleticism are always the one who change speeds the best... and changing speeds with your dribbles it's the same principle.

[Stuckey]

change speeds

low dribble

use arm bar to shield

use eyes and head for misdirection

practice fake dribble and explode left and right

turn ur back to them, fakes then explode

[Hollowman]

Confidence is a big thing with dribbling. I play for a team here in England and it's something I am trying to improve on all the time. Start with the basics, keeping up your shield, dribbling low, using your weak hand etc.

Once your confidence is up and your happy that you won't easily get the ball stole from you, then you can start learning more advanced techniques.

[Rake2204]

To reiterate what others have said, I feel it's worth noting that dribbling low to the ground is huge. Clearly, when sprinting down court, your dribble will naturally be higher. But when executing moves in a tight space, it is common for ballhandlers to believe their dribble is lower than it actually is.

The truth is a sharp crossover dribble is probably going to happen between your knees and ankles. For those struggling to complete basketball dribbling maneuvers under control, experiment with dribbling lower than you think you should be. And as lame as some of you may believe taping yourself practicing basketball may be, it could be quite beneficial. I know in my 8th grade brother's regard, he felt as if his crossover dribble was quite low enough. Upon seeing tape of himself playing, it was clear that what he felt and how it actually looked did not match up (his dribble often neared waist-high levels).

[01amberfirewv]

To reiterate what others have said, I feel it's worth noting that dribbling low to the ground is a huge. Clearly, when sprinting down court, your dribble will naturally be higher. But when executing moves in a tight space, it is common for ballhandlers to believe their dribble is lower than it actually is.



X2, a good rule of thumb is have your shoulders lower than your defenders.

[Bballer360]

How do you dribble the ball with your whole hand with out your palm touching it and when I dribble with just my fingers I don't have enough control and when I dribble with my whole hand it slides off my palm and I can't get control either tips please!!!! Appreciate it

[01amberfirewv]

How do you dribble the ball with your whole hand with out your palm touching it and when I dribble with just my fingers I don't have enough control and when I dribble with my whole hand it slides off my palm and I can't get control either tips please!!!! Appreciate it

Try doing kills daily. Kills are where you dribble high then slam the ball down and dribble low. I do these right handed, left handed then cross overs between the legs and behind the back. The ball sticks to my hand now

[Rake2204]

How do you dribble the ball with your whole hand with out your palm touching it and when I dribble with just my fingers I don't have enough control and when I dribble with my whole hand it slides off my palm and I can't get control either tips please!!!! Appreciate it
I've always tended to think about it as using the pads of my fingers. It sounds like you need to find a happy medium. As you've discovered, using fingertips alone doesn't work and having the ball entirely on your palm doesn't work. A natural dribble is going to involve your fingers and part of your hand (or palm, depending on what you declare your palm). A dribble should not be resting on the base of your hand (where it meets the wrist). You're likely going to just want to experiment for that comfortable "dribbling pocket", where the ball just feels right in your hand.

[Bballer360]

How do I make my own thread?

[Swaggin916]

How do I make my own thread?

got to have a certain amount of posts.

[Bballer360]

Hey guys I'm writing something that has nothing to do with the topic in here because I can't make post yet. I just wanted to know some tips for joining my juco team. See I never played organized ball before but I can play ball good just gotta work on the handles some more. Anyway I just wanna know if you guys can give me any tips on how to make the team and what to know n such. I really have a deep desire to play so can y'all give me some advice? Thanks

[Bballer360]

?
A

[Bballer360]

Come on guys help me out

[ClutchBucketz]

For me the major adjustments i needed to make was changing myself into a role player, force yourself to grab rebounds and do the little things.. Make sure your fitness is at a high enough level so you don't appear that you're struggling out there.

[jerzymade]

A dribble should not be resting on the base of your hand (where it meets the wrist).
That is probably the best way to describe the palm. THink of it as basically having the ball on your wrist. So if the ball is on that area then you will not have control. Everything else is fine, a drill which is overlooked by alot of older players is the no dribble ball wraps. I used those drills recently when I injured my ankle. I have a whole in home ball handling workout that takes about 20 minutes.

[C_lake2802]

played over the weekend, the weather was nice in VA. Anyways my handle was trash, felt real loose and sloppy during the 5v5 game. Everyone kept saying i was carrying but it honestly didn't feel like i was. My handle is so inconsistent, some days ill be just fine pushing the ball up the floor doing what i want. Next day losing the ball, getting called for carries, getting stripped. Anybody else have a problem like this?

[unbreakable]

i like to shadow dribble against "pretend" defenders in a full court of half court setting...

starting from halfcourt, dribble hard to the basketball with a few moves in between as well as cutting corners and angles like a real setting. you cant predict how the defender will play you, but you can predict how you will react to certain situations..

if a double is coming from the left, spin away to the right and dribble hard , same from other directions but with between the leg crossovers, hesitations, behind the backs, etc.

1on1 full court against myself really helps my game.. one direction is nothing but layups and the other jumpers.

[Pushxx]

played over the weekend, the weather was nice in VA. Anyways my handle was trash, felt real loose and sloppy during the 5v5 game. Everyone kept saying i was carrying but it honestly didn't feel like i was. My handle is so inconsistent, some days ill be just fine pushing the ball up the floor doing what i want. Next day losing the ball, getting called for carries, getting stripped. Anybody else have a problem like this?

Bend your knees all the time. Biggest mistake amateur ballhandlers make.

[C_lake2802]

Bend your knees all the time. Biggest mistake amateur ballhandlers make.

Yeah ur right. but it feels uncomfortable to a degree. I know ur suppose to stay low, but should i find a comfortable medium, or just remain low as possible?

[01amberfirewv]

Yeah ur right. but it feels uncomfortable to a degree. I know ur suppose to stay low, but should i find a comfortable medium, or just remain low as possible?


Work on getting comfortable being low. Try to keep your shoulders below your defenders.

[Pushxx]

Yeah ur right. but it feels uncomfortable to a degree. I know ur suppose to stay low, but should i find a comfortable medium, or just remain low as possible?

It does seem weird at first sometimes. There are some players in the NBA who always look a bit off when staying low. It doesn't matter, though. You gotta find out how to make it comfortable.

[C_lake2802]

It does seem weird at first sometimes. There are some players in the NBA who always look a bit off when staying low. It doesn't matter, though. You gotta find out how to make it comfortable.

Thanks for the advice:rockon:

[Pushxx]

Thanks for the advice:rockon:

Np man. Keeping your knees and the ball low will help your first step, make it easier to cross your man, and protect the ball better.

Also makes it a lot easier to go between your legs and behind your back.