You may want to check out the first 21 ball handling drills on our first page of basketball dribbling drills.
On this page, you’ll find ball handling drills 22-41… “Two Ball Drills”, “Basketball Dribbling Drills on the Move”, and “Group Drills”.
As always, we recommend you set aside time to practice on a consistent basis. That’s the only way to get yourself to the point of domination.
Remember, even Michael Jordan invested hours and hours into practicing his basketball drills.
Stationary Two-Ball, Ball Handling Drills
22) Figure Eight
Similar to the one ball version (Drill #12) on our first ball handling drills page, except now you dribble in a figure eight pattern with both balls going in the same direction. After you master that, try another version of this advanced ball handling drill: Dribble in the figure eight pattern with the balls going in opposite directions.
23) “X”
Cross the two balls back and forth in front of you. Variation: Cross the balls behind your back.
24) Leg Circles
Dribble one of the balls around one leg while dribbling the other ball around your other leg. Variation: Dribble the balls in opposite directions around one leg.
25) Control Dribble
Dribble both balls at the same time, making sure they both hit the floor at the same time. Variation: Alternate bounces so one ball is high when the other is low.
Ball Handling Drills On The Move
26) Walking Dribble
Great ball handling drill for beginners because they must first get comfortable while walking up and down the floor. Before starting, pick out a spot on the wall at the opposite end of the court. Dribble toward that spot with your right hand, keep your head up and your eyes on the that spot. On the way back, pick a new spot and use your left hand.
The key here is control. If you can’t use both hands to dribble, you won’t be effective. After you can do this with control walking, move up to jogging and then running. Develop both hands!
27) Figure Eight
Dribble the ball in the figure eight pattern as you walk down the floor. (See #12 of the Stationary Ball Handling Drills section on our first basketball dribbling drills page for more info on this ball handling drill)
28) Reverse Spin
Place a chair in front of the foul line. Pretend the chair is a defender and dribble toward it with your right hand. Plant your left foot as you come to the chair and spin to your right side. Switch the ball to your left hand and go in for a lay-up around the chair (defender). Then practice leading with your left hand, planting with your right foot and spinning to the left side.
29) Suicide Dribble
Start on the baseline, dribble with your right hand to the foul line, turn and dribble back to the baseline with your left hand. Now, dribble with your right hand up to half-court, turn and return to baseline using your left hand. Next, dribble with your right hand to the opposite foul line and return again using your left hand. Finish the ball handling drill by dribbling with your right hand to the opposite baseline and then back with your left hand.
30) Slalom Course (Crossover)
This ball handling drill develops your crossover dribble. Place cones (or chairs, etc) in a straight line about 10 feet apart. Dribble in and out of the cones, always using the hand farthest from the cones (defender). Once you get past the last cone, go back through the obstacle course again.
31) Pull-back, Crossover Drill
Move forward two steps as you are dribbling. Keep your head up as you step two steps back using the pull-back dribble. Then cross the ball over to your opposite hand and repeat the ball handling drill.
32) Stop & Go
Pick a hand and speed dribble from the baseline to the foul line and stop quickly while maintaining your dribble. Speed up to half-court and stop again. Speed to the next foul line and stop quickly. Finish by running to the baseline and stopping quickly once again. Never stop dribbling during the entire ball handling drill. Now do the same thing back down the court using your other hand.
33) Full-Court Dribbling
More advanced version of the Walking Dribble (see Ball Handling Drill #26 above). Start at baseline and dribble the length of the court using one of the following types of dribbles: control, speed, change-of-pace, crossover, spin, behind the back, or between the legs. Work on certain types of dribbles each time you work on this ball handling drill.
34) Dribble-Penetration
You can use any one of the following dribble moves during this ball handling drill: inside-out, behind the back, crossover, change of pace or between the legs. Begin at half-court, dribble hard to the foul line, execute a dribble move and then drive in for a lay-up. Grab the rebound, dribble back to the foul line, execute another dribble move and then dribble back to half-court.
Two-Ball, Ball Handling Drills On The Move
35) Straight Line Dribbling
Dribble the length of the court, bouncing the balls so they hit the floor at the same time. Variation: Dribble the length of the court alternating bounces.
36) Zig-Zag Dribbling
Dribble the length of the court, moving from side to side.
Group Ball Handling Drills
37) One-On-One
For this ball handling drill, have players line up in three or four lines equally spread along one of the baselines. The first player in each line is the defender and the second player in line takes the ball. Staying within a 10-foot lane, the player with the ball tries to dribble upcourt against the defender. The player with the ball is forced to use many of the dribble moves to get upcourt because they are forced to stay within that 10-foot lane. They must also use both hands and focus on keeping their eyes off the floor. When the players reach the other baseline, they switch positions and back down the court.
38) Speed Race
Line up the players in 4 or 5 lines just behind one of the baselines with an equal number in each line. The first player in each line has a ball and on signal they dribble to far end line and then back again. When they return, they pass the ball to the next player in line and that player dribbles up and back, also. The team that gets all players up and down the court fastest, wins. This ball handling drill can be done with the left or right hands only, or with alternate hands.
39) Speed Relay
Split up into 3 teams of 5 players each. Have 3 players from each team lined up at one baseline with the ball and the other two players from each team at the other baseline facing their teammates. The first player with the ball on each team dribbles to the far baseline and passes to a teammate there. That teammate then heads back to the opposite baseline. The first team to end up in their original starting positions, wins this ball handling drill. Drill on the right hand and then the left.
40) Control & Speed Combined
For this ball handling drill, have players line up in 3 lines of 5 at one baseline. Each player has a ball. The first player in each line uses the control dribble with a change of pace and direction until they reach mid-court line. Then they speed dribble to the opposite baseline and wait for the others before repeating drill to the starting baseline. Each player starts the drill when the player in front of them has gotten about 20 feet ahead.
41) Press Breaker
Position 3-5 defenders at various spots down the court. A player with the ball starts dribbling from the baseline while the defenders try to force the offensive player into the corners or “traps”. The offensive player must keep their eyes up and work downcourt without picking up the dribble or losing control of the ball during the entire ball handling drill.