Basketball Dribbling Games for Teams

Dribbling is an essential part of basketball. Without capable ball-handlers, teams will not get very far on the offensive end.

Teams should be sure to focus on dribbling during practices. It is a good idea to work on group dribbling for at least 15 minutes every practice. Partner up and participate in various contests to further develop those skills.

A great game that is both fun and really develops dribbling skills is "Dribbling War." In dribbling war, two players pair up and each dribble a ball, facing each other. The goal to knock their partner's ball away by simultaneously hitting their partner's ball and protecting their own. Every time they hit their opponent's ball, they get a point.

This teaches each player to dribble with their head up, control the ball with their hand on top of the ball, and protect the ball with their body. This game should last at least five minutes. You can pick a winner from each group and have a final championship contest.

Another great game for improving ball-handling is Dribbling Tag. To initiate dribbling tag organize players into groups of five, each with their own ball. One person is "it" and must chase the other players and tag one while still dribbling at full speed, changing hands, faking in and out, and stopping and going. Restrict the players to half of the court, then a quarter of the court in order to shorten the distance. Play for five minutes. The person who is tagged the least in that time period wins. This is a great game for all ages and great for conditioning.

A third game is "Dribbling Races." Divide players into groups of 4 or 5 and give each player their own ball. The players then relay race from point A to point B, while focusing on speed and control.

All of these games stress the same fundamentals, are fun, and are also competitive. They add a level of enthusiasm to a practice and help to teach and reinforce the basic skills of dribbling.

Sometimes it is a good idea to mix things up and divide the gym into stations. Each station focuses on one of the above games or other drills. Players rotate every ten minutes so they can practice every skill for a period of time. There are many basic individual drills and team drills that can be worked on in large group or stations. Creative coaches are able to make up their own drills as well. Creative players can take these ideas and create their own individual practice routine. When it comes to dribbling, there is truly no such thing as too much practice.