In order to advance the basketball you need to learn how to dribble, simple as that. Sure, passing would be the preferred choice but sometimes you need to get up the court yourself. When you perfect the dribble you are able to:
- Go around defenders
- Spot up on the fly without hesitation
- Use your dribbling skills to draw defenders, leaving players open
- Advance the ball without the need of anyone else
- Create an open shot for yourself
Now, the fundamentals are important to master; just like any other aspect of basketball. There is a big difference in being able to dribble and being able to dribble great. Dedication and determination paired with the right drills will allow you to be a more efficient dribbler, leaving defenders dizzy.
Let’s take a look at the 5-step approach to dribbling a basketball.
1. Bend Your Knees
The first step to becoming a great dribbler is body position. You want to start off with your knees bent. Being in an upright position will allow low mobility and defenders to knock the ball away.
2. Fingertips Only
When you bounce the ball, the only part of your hand that should be in contact with the basketball is your fingertips. Using your fingertips creates the control you need to bounce the ball left, right, back, forward. When you use your whole hand to dribble there is less control and you will find yourself picking up the ball alot. A tip to keep in mind is if you were dribbling with a white glove the only parts that should show any dirt is the fingertips!
3. Waist High
Keeping the ball as low as possible without losing any momentum is important. The ball should never be above your 
waist or it will get stolen.
4. Hard Dribbles
The difference between a soft dribble and a hard dribble is a steal. A defender will have a much harder time trying to steal the ball if it’s bounced hard; they have less time to react to your move.
5. Eyes Up and Ahead
All basketball players should practice with the chin up and eyes ahead; never look at the ball. Even if your child is starting out, have them practice looking up while dribbling. When you constantly look down at the ball you don’t see the defenders or your teammates ahead of you. All great dribblers view the entire court and plan their next move.
Rules of dribbling
There are some rules we need to keep in mind when you are dribbling a basketball:
- A double dribble is when you pickup your dribble and bounce the ball again.
- A carry is when you put your hand under or on the side of the ball in the act of dribbling.
- A travel is when you pick up the ball and move forward without dribbling the ball.
Some Important Dribbling Drills
Below are 5 drills to work on to become a better dribbler. We have more on our site but these five are a great place to start.