BALLHANDLING

First, you need to learn how to handle the ball effectively or in other words, how to dribble well. Dribbling a basketball may seem easy, but to dribble smartly and give your defender a hard time, you've got to learn some special tricks and practice diligently.

Basic Tips: Dribbling Dos and Don'ts

Use your fingertips, NOT your palm

At the end of practice, check your hand. If your palm is clean and your fingers are dirty, it means you're dribbling correctly.

Do not overdribble

Do not keep dribbling until you are no longer guarded. You should pass the ball as soon as you see a teammate become open. If you keep dribbling, your teammates will stop trying to get open after a while, as they know they won't get the ball from you.

Dribble by feel

Learn to dribble by feel so that you can always keep your head up to spot defenders and open teammates.

Push the ball hard and keep your hand low

Quick defenders have plenty of time to steal the ball, from the moment you push the ball to the floor until it bounces back to your fingertips. Hard dribbles shorten the time that you have no control over the ball and accordingly, minimize the risk of losing the ball to your defender