3. Fundamentals – Dribbling

Dribbling

• Dribble the ball more toward your fingertips and not with your palms. The ball must be dribbled with one hand at a time, and ideally, the player keeps his/her head up while dribbling (to have a better spatial orientation, know where defenders are, or see open teammates).
• To protect the ball when dribbling, use your off hand to defend against opposing players, or you can slightly turn your body so it is in between the ball and the defender.
• Don’t dribble more than you need to. Remember, passing often creates more openings and is quicker than dribbling, in terms of advancing the ball up the court.
• Players can often use dribbling strategies, such as the cross-over, behind the back, or in-between the legs to change directions or juke the defender. Sure, it is great to be able to dribble with both hands independently while keeping your head up, but being able to transfer the ball from one hand to the other in a controlled and quick manner (cross-over) makes your it harder for your defender to guard you because you can dribble with both hands and change directions very quickly.

Watch the instructional videos on the dribble technique and strategy