Playing basketball is an exciting and enjoyable physical activity, but it is more than just shooting the ball to the hoop. You have to learn how to handle the basketball well in order to control the ball better and also dribble it with much ease and finesse. Gather your team and practice your ball handling skills through a series of drills that we have listed here.

One on two – Try to advance the ball against two defenders. This will force you to use a variety of maneuvers while being alert to the defense.

Crab walk – Step forward with your left leg and pass the ball from your right hand to your left under your left leg. As you take your next step with your right leg, pass the ball from your left hand to your right under your right leg. Continue this routine until you have worked your way down the floor. This drill can go from baseline to half court.

Figure 8 – Spread your legs while standing. Bend at the waist and put the ball through your legs, around one leg, then another. This routine would make the ball create a figure 8 around the legs. This will help you get a feel for the basketball as you move it around. Remember to keep your head up (without looking at the ball) while doing this drill and increase your speed as you become more used to it.

Figure 8 Drop – Do the Figure 8 Drill around the left and right leg. When the ball gets between the legs, let the ball bounce and then quickly reverse your hands—your right arm at the back brought to the front and your left arm at front quickly shifted to the back—and catch the ball before it bounces again. Once you catch the ball, continue with the Figure 8’s.

Catches – This drill focuses on your ball handling. Hold the ball between your legs with both hands, right hand in front and left hand in back. Quickly switch your hands—right hand at the back and left hand in front—without letting the ball touching the ground. Switch hands as quickly as possible. It may be hard at first and it takes a lot of practice to master it.

Squeeze the banana – This drill helps increase your finger strength. Hold the ball in front of you at eye level with two hands. By squeezing your fingers and thumb together with one hand at a time, move the ball from one hand to the other as quickly as you can.

Figure 8 running in place – Move the ball around your legs like in the Figure 8 Drill while running in place. This teaches your limbs to coordinate to each other while dribbling.

Ball circle – Stand with your legs together. Start with making circles with the ball around your head, then around your waist, and finally around your knees as you bend your waist. Work your way up as you circle the ball around your waist and head. Continue this routine for several counts.

Around the world – This drill is similar to Ball Circles, only this time your legs are spread and after circling the ball around your head and waist, move the ball around one leg then another.

Touches – Stand with your legs apart. Bend your waist and bring the ball down between the legs. Then, pass the ball from your right hand fingers to your left hand fingers as quickly and as lightly as possible. Continue doing this for several seconds before doing it this time with both hands at your back.

Pass and catch – With two hands, make a bounce pass between your legs from front to back and quickly catch the ball with two hands behind you. Bounce the ball again between the legs, from the back to the front, and quickly catch it with both hands in front of your body.

Up the ladder – Hold the ball in front of and pass it back from hand to hand using only your fingertips. Go from out in front of your waist to above your head and back. This will help you develop the fingertip control that you will need to properly handle the ball.

Sit-up dribble – While doing bent-knee sit-ups, dribble up with your right hand as you sit-up, bringing the ball around your feet, then switching hands to your left as you go back down. Sit-up again and dribble with your left as you pass it around to your right hand. Once you perfect it, you can perform this drill as quickly as possible.

Between the legs scissors – Place your left foot ahead of your right and bounce the ball between your legs from your right hand to your left. As the ball gets to your left hand, shift your feet so that your right leg goes ahead of your left and bounce the ball back between your legs. Shift your feet after very bounce.