Tips on Ball Passing

1. Chest Pass - The chest pass is the most efficient way to throw the ball. Use it in order to get the ball to a teammate quickly when there is no defender in the way. You should step forward when you do this pass because you lose power by not stepping. However, passing without stepping is quicker. So just use your judgment to decide in each situation whether quickness or accuracy is more important.
2. Bounce Pass - If you are in trouble with the ball and need to slip a pass by the defender to a teammate who can score, the bounce pass is the best option. It forces the defender to unnaturally tilt his torso in order to reach the ball as it is whizzing by, which makes it harder to intercept. It may look pretty cool to throw a bounce pass with fancy spinning, but that often brings a turnover instead of a good play. So unless you are Kobe Bryant or Chauncey Billups, try to resist the temptation and keep it simple.
3. Overhead Pass - The overhead pass is the best way to pass the ball when the defense is in your face. You should also use it to feed the inside players and to get off an outlet pass after a rebound. Just remember that the pass is meant to be caught at chin level or above, so the receiver won't have to decide whether he should catch the ball with thumbs up or thumbs down. If the ball bears in on the receiver's waist, it basically handcuffs him.

The Sweep

Imagine you are in triple threat position on the wing, and the defender has his left foot forward, which takes away your right-hand dribble. Now what would you do?

Here is where the sweep comes in. Quickly shift your weight from right to left. Sweep the ball across your belly, then move your right foot outside of the defender's right foot, blocking him off. Then do a hard left-hand dribble or two, and you're on your way to the hoop!

But be careful not to hold the ball too far away from your body, for it will likely be poked away by the defender. When you become more proficient on this move, try throwing in a head fake to the right so that the defender may go off-balance and you can get even more room.

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

Michael Jordan teaching basketball-Swinging the ball low

Michael Jordan Basketball Training - Passing the Post

Michael Jordan Basketball Training - Defensive Stance

Michael Jordan Basketball Training - Protect