Basketball Drills to Help Your Team Elevate Their Game

Are your players growing bored of their current basketball drills? It may be time to throw some new ones into the mix. Not only will they enhance your players’ abilities, they’ll keep them engaged and excited about playing. Here are a few of our favorites.

Mikan Drill

The Mikan Drill, named after basketball pioneer George Mikan, is a classic exercise that benefits both centers and forwards. This drill helps them develop rhythm and timing for rebounding while helping outside players improve their layups. It also teaches kids how to use their weaker hand.

Here’s how to do it: stand on one side of the basket, facing the baseline and slightly inside the block. Jump and shoot a layup, making use of the backboard. Your jump will transition you to the other side of the hoop. (If you’re shooting on the left, your jump will take you to the right, and vice-versa). Repeat this process side to side, exercising both hands.

Cone Dribbling

This drill is a classic for a reason! Not only is it straightforward and fun, it helps teach ball control within a short area. To perform, arrange cones in a straight line or zigzag pattern, and have players dribble the ball around each cone.

The goal of this drill is to keep the ball close while using both hands to navigate the course. Go ahead and reduce the space between cones or incorporate more challenging maneuvers as your players become more nimble.

Partner Passing

Another classic! This drill is great for all ages, but especially younger players who are first starting out. It lets kids practice different types of passes and correct their technique.

Start by having players pair up, standing a few feet apart and passing the ball back and forth using different types of passes, such as chest, bounce and overhead. The distance can be increased as your players grow their skills, or you can have a third player go in the middle to put them under defensive pressure. It’s that classic schoolyard game, “Pickle in the Middle,” with an emphasis on skill-building.

Buzzer Beater

Thanks to movies like Space Jam, we’ve all dreamed of scoring that buzzer beater shot. Now your kids have a chance to shoot for glory with this drill.

To perform, set up scenarios with a limited time frame – 3-5 seconds at most. Players must try to score before the “buzzer,” or your whistle, sounds. This drill is great for kids to practice quick decision-making, last second shots and ball control under intense pressure.

3-Man Weave

This classic warm-up drill is perfect for improving your players’ passing, communication and catching. To perform, players form three lines at the baseline, with one player in the middle holding the ball. The drill starts when the middle player passes to an outside player and sprints behind them, creating a continuous motion as players weave up the court. After reaching the other end, players finish with a layup before returning to the starting point.

While the 3-man weave doesn’t perfectly mimic game situations, it reinforces important skills like making accurate passes and layups. Players must call out names while passing, enhancing teamwork – arguably the most important skill for youth basketball players to develop.

Elevate Your Team’s Game with MYAS

As a coach, you’re a huge inspiration to the kids you teach. It’s vital to instill a strong work ethic and positive mental attitude in them, and great basketball drills are a way to do that.

MYAS provides resources and support to help coaches and teams reach their full potential. Reach out today to enhance your team’s game!