Basketball Drill - Full-Court Dribbling Moves Drills

By Dr. James Gels, From the Coach’s Clipboard Basketball Playbook
"Helping coaches coach better..."

Full-Court Dribble-Moves Drill #1

This drill is one of our favorites. We use this full-court dribbling drill to practice specific dribbling moves. Refer to diagram A. Use two lines, and start out using the right-handed dribble.

On each end of the floor, have an assistant or manager stand at the arc as a token, stationary defender (does not actually steal the ball or defend). You could also use chairs or cones. Each player has a ball. The first player in each line starts at the half-court sideline and dribbles up to the token defender, and then executes a prescribed dribble move.

This could be a hesitation (rocker) move, an "in and out" move, an "in and out" - crossover combination move, a stutter move, a crossover dribble, a rocker step combined with a crossover dribble, a stutter cross-over, a behind the back move, a through the legs move, etc. (see Dribbling). Also see the video clips that demonstrate all of these moves.

Here are some of the common dribble moves:

Cross-over dribble (show video)
In-and-out move (show video)
Hesitation (rocker) step move (show video)
Behind the back move (show video)
Between the legs move (show video)

After making the move, the player dribbles around and shoots the lay-up (or a jump stop and short jumper on the crossover move to the lane). He/she gets the rebound, dribbles to the opposite corner, pivots and dribbles up the sideline. We have two chairs (or cones) along the sideline and we have them make another dribble move on each chair and then get into the line going the other way.

Pointer: when dribbling around the defender (or chair) to the hoop, we want players to get all the way to the hoop with just a one-bounce dribble, if possible. Push the ball forward when getting around the defense.

You can practice some or all of the dribbling moves above. Then have the lines face the opposite direction, move the chairs (or cones) and repeat all these moves with the left-hand (diagram B).

Note that the upper part of each diagram shows the crossover move to the lane, while each lower court shows the non-crossover move - this is just for illustration. Have all players do the same move on both ends of the floor. For variety, we may have them shoot a lay-up on one end and a pull-up jumper at the other end.

Full-Court Dribble-Moves and Lay-up Drill #2

See diagram C. Have your players line-up on the baseline. Player #1 speed dribbles down the court with the left hand. After reaching point A, he/she makes the prescribed dribble move, speed dribbles to point B, makes another dribble move, angles toward the basket for the left-handed lay-up, gets the rebound, and starts back up the floor on the opposite side, again using the left hand, finishes the lay-up and moves to the end of the line.

Have each player do a prescribed move when reaching points A, B, C and D. You can do a rocker step, in and out, crossover, behind the back, thru the legs, spin move, etc. The next player starts as soon as the preceding player reaches half court. Have all the players go around several times. Younger teams can run this drill first with the right hand, and then do the left (even more conditioning).

Variation, Finish the Lay-up Against Pressure.

Place a defender in the paint or under the basket at each end (a coach or manager), who offers a token defense against the lay-up - no blocks or steals allowed (nothing that would slow the flow of the drill). Sometimes our assistant will use a football blocking pad and give the offensive player a little shove or contact when shooting the lay-up (to get them used to finishing when there is contact).

---