The player that dribbles without a purpose is ultimately a selfish player. When a player is dribbling too much, he will miss potential scoring opportunities for teammates. Too much dribbling also makes it easier on the defense because it slows down ball movement. Simply put, dribbling too much and without a specific purpose makes you a poor basketball player.
With that said, however, being a good ballhandler is a necessary skill. Ballhandling should be practiced frequently so you can gain the skill and confidence necessary to handling the ball against a defender. It is also important to handle the basketball effectively so you can do so with your head up and seeing the entire court. You must be able to confidently handle the ball so you can see all of your teammates -- not just one or two nearby.
Dribbling and ballhandling must also be practiced often so you can learn to stay low over the basketball. Dribbling too high gives the defense easy opportunities to steal the ball and it increases the chances or error.
Beyond practicing individual stationary ballhandling drills (see ballhandling workout program here) which develop and greatly improve ballhandling, it is imperative to learn how to dribble and how to be proficient with the following 4 types of dribbles:
1) Control Dribble
- This dribble is used when heavily guarded
- Stay low and over the basketball
- Control the dribble with finger pads; top part of hand/palm may touch ball
- Push ball firmly with fingers and wrists; do not pound the ball
- Fingers, arms, and wrists should be relaxed
- Head and eyes are up and seeing the whole court so you can be ready to pass quickly
- Keep the front leg, bent off-arm, and body between the basketball and defender
- Dribble should be kept low, at least below the waist and sometimes lower
- Once you have started your dribble, do not pick it up until you have somewhere to go with it or if you are in danger of losing possession of the basketball.
2) Speed Dribble
- Used in fast break and open court situations
- Similar to control dribble except the ball will be dribbled out in front, higher, and the body will be more upright
- When executing the speed dribble, push the ball as far out in front of you as you can while still maintaining control of the ball
3) Hesitation Dribble
- AKA 'Stop & Go', 'Change of Pace', 'Shake 'n Bake'
- Pause, stop, or slow your pace near a defender. As he closes the distance to you, change your pace and blow by him.
- A combination of the control and speed dribbles
- Incorporate head and shoulder fakes
4) Crossover Dribble
- Cross the ball in front of the body from one hand to the other
- As the ball is dribbled low across the front of the body, the body should be lowered
- A quick change-of-direction move useful when defender is close, but not close enough to interfere
Note:
Other types of dribbles such as behind-the-back and between-the-legs are excellent skills to have. I don't list them here because they are not necessary for every player. Guards should work on them, but post players probably won't need them very often, if at all.
One type of dribble I don't stress is the reverse dribble, or spin dribble. It can be an effective dribble but it can also be overused. The 'overuse' comes in when using this dribble against a press or trapping defense. Far too often a player executes a reverse dribble right into a double team or trap. I don't mind the use of the reverse dribble, I simply don't stress it because I don't want my players to use it too frequently.
All of the above 4 types of dribbles are useful for any player at any position. Every player will have to dribble sooner or later so having the ability to control it, take some dribbles in fast break situations, and dribble-drive in the halfcourt set are necessary fundamental skills. |
