Day 9: Dribble, dribble, dribble
September 9, 2010 in 30 Days
This article is part of the series “30 days to being a better basketball player“.
"Killing Time" by wishymom, via flickr
You can dribble just fine, I’m sure. Yeah, I know it comes easy to you. After all, you’ve been doing it since you started playing basketball.
With dribbling being such a key component to the game (the only way to legally move more than two steps with the ball), it’s worthwhile not taking it for granted.
And the best way to do that is to practice your dribbling in a way that adds to your game and makes it more natural to you. In order to feel comfortable with the ball, dribble when you’re not thinking about it – whether this means walking around with a ball all day or just practicing the dribbling while you’re concentrating on other (mental) tasks like studying or watching television.
Do it so that you can comfortably dribble with your head up and not looking at the ball. And for those times when you’ll need a bit more oomph, practice dribbling at game speed for in-game break situations.
"after the rain" by foreversouls, via flickr
Here are six important aspects to practice, from basketballsuccess.com (read the full article here):
- Practice at game speed.
- Keep your head and eyes up when you dribble.
- Stay low to the ground and keep the dribble low.
- Work on using both hands, not just your strong hand.
- Work on your footwork.
- Players playing all positions should practice dribbling.
So there you have it. One of the most basic elements of your game, but one which offers a lot of benefits for those who do it well.
