Dribbling Do’s and Don’ts
Dribbling Do’s
- Maintain the dribble until a pass or shot opportunity is created
- Vary the speed and direction of the dribble so defenders cannot anticipate steal opportunities.
- Keep a body-ball-defender relationship when dribbling the ball near an opponent.
- Cross over, or switch dribbling hands, after dribbling past an opponent to protect the ball
- Stay in the middle areas of the court and away from the corners when dribbling to avoid getting trapped
Dribbling Don’ts
- Don’t automatically put the ball on the floor and begin dribbling immediately after receiving the ball unless a layup opportunity is evident.
- Don’t pick up or stop the dribble with no apparent option (shot or pass) available.
- Don’t dribble into a crowd, because the ball is likely to be stolen.
- Don’t try to get fancy, when the basics of dribbling are difficult enough.
- Don’t hesitate, because an unsure dribbler is a turnover waiting to happen.
The above ideas were taken from the American Coaching Effectiveness Program
