Dribbling lets you move with the ball: bring it up the court, drive, get open, open a passing lane or escape a trap. The fundamentals are control habits: relaxed spread fingers, a hard push from the forearm and wrist, a bent-knee stance, the ball low and shielded when a defender is close, eyes up, and both hands. From a front camera the app reads your body (stance, how high your dribbling hand works, whether your head is up); the ball, your fingers and the defense aren't tracked.
Push with the fingertips
Spread your fingers evenly and keep the hand relaxed. The pads of your fingers touch the ball and the fingertips steer it. Keep the palm off the ball.
a soft, wide hand on top of the ball.
Push the ball into the floor with your forearm and wrist. Extend the elbow and snap the wrist at the bottom of the push. Don't slap at it with a stiff hand.
the arm pushes, the wrist finishes.
Push with force so the ball comes back to your hand quickly. A soft bounce spends longer out of your hand and is easier to tap away.
firm, quick bounces.
While you learn, keep the bounce no higher than your waist. In open court with no one near, you can push it higher to move fast (see Speed Dribble).
the ball meets your hand at or below the belt.
Stay low, protect
Bend your knees and sit in a slightly crouched, athletic stance whenever you have the ball. Low is easier to control and quicker to move from.
loaded legs, ready to go either way.
When a defender is close, dribble low, behind and close to your body, with your body between the ball and the defender. Turning your shoulder toward the defender adds protection.
the ball on the far side of you.
Hold your other arm out in front as a guard (an arm bar). Use it to keep space, never to push off.
your off arm between you and the defender.
Eyes up, both hands
Keep your head up and eyes forward so you can see teammates, defenders and the basket. Beginners often glance down at first; lift your eyes more as your control improves.
you feel the ball, you see the floor.
Train both hands equally. Do every drill with your right and your left so a defender can't force you to one side.
the weak hand starts to feel normal.
Go slowly first and add speed once the technique holds. Move as fast as you can, but never faster than you can control the ball.
speed you can stop.
Dribble with a reason (advance, drive, get open, escape pressure), not as soon as you catch. Once you start, don't stop your dribble until you can pass or shoot.
every bounce goes somewhere.
Feel it
A loose, spread hand; the forearm and wrist push the ball hard and it pops back fast. Knees bent, the ball at or below your waist, lower and tucked behind you when someone is close, off arm up as a guard. Your eyes are on the floor ahead, not the ball, and either hand feels usable. The app sees your stance, your dribbling hand's height and your head position from the front. It can't see the ball, your fingers or the defense.
Fix-its
- You slap the ball with a stiff palm, or claw it with your fingers together Relax the hand and spread the fingers evenly so the pads touch the ball. Push with the forearm and finish with a wrist snap.
- Your bounces are soft and the ball floats Push it into the floor with force. Stationary pound dribbles, as hard as you can, build this.
- The ball bounces too high when a defender is close Bend your knees, get lower, and keep the ball low, behind and close to your body with your body between it and the defender.
- You stare at the ball Pick a spot on a wall and keep your eyes on it while you dribble. Slow down until you can hold it.
- You only use your strong hand Do every drill with both hands, and give the weak hand at least the same time.
Drill
- Stationary dribble in one place, low athletic stance, fingertip control: 30 s right hand, 30 s left hand.
- Pound dribble at three heights, each hand: ankle (a couple of inches off the floor), waist, shoulder, as hard as you can, 15–30 s each. The whole stationary set takes about 5 min.
- Eyes-up: repeat the stationary dribble while you look at a spot on a wall instead of the ball, each hand.
- Moving: dribble down the sideline with your right hand and back with your left, under control first, then faster. Down and back twice.
- Protect: a partner reaches for the ball while you keep your body between them and the ball, ball low, off arm up as a guard (no pushing off). Switch hands.
By position
Guards who bring the ball up face the most on-ball pressure, so the protect and eyes-up habits matter most for them. Every position needs a dribble that doesn't get stolen and the discipline not to over-dribble: one player who dribbles too much can stall a whole team's offense.
Sources
- Coach's Clipboard — Dribbling and Dribble Moves
- Basketball For Coaches — How to Dribble a Basketball
- Jr. NBA — How to Dribble a Basketball
- Basketball For Coaches — 50 Basketball Dribbling Drills
- Basketball Manitoba — 5 Drills to Develop Youth Basketball Dribbling Skills (2016)
- US Sports Camps (Nike Basketball Camps) — 5 Drills to Help You Become a Better Dribbler
Last checked 2026-10-26.