It is imperative for any basketball player to be able to dribble the ball. If a player cannot be in command of the ball, their lineup will pay the price, maybe at the nastiest possible time. There are certain tips that will help in overall ball control.

Dribble the ball in place

Once an athlete gets the feel for the ball there are numerous tools that will help him control it while dribbling. A basketball player should start off by dribbling in a circle around the right foot and then with the right hand and then dribble in a circle around the left foot with the left hand. Another drill is to dribble in a figure eight motion around the exterior of the right leg, between your legs and then crossover to the outside of the other leg.

Keep your head up

Avoiding to look at the ball is important. This way a ball player can be mindful of his opponents and have his eye on the rim and his teammates either ready to make a shot within short notice or make a beautiful assist by trouncing the defense.

Dribble at a speed where you can control the ball

Dribbling too quickly and losing control of the ball will not help you improve at dribbling a basketball. Push yourself while controlling the ball. Remember, practice always make perfect and helps increase in speed and dexterity.

Regular drills

By frequently scheduling these practices over and over you will gradually augment at dribbling a basketball. One by one you should look to improve your game by adding and improving on existing and newer concepts. One step in how to pick up at dribbling a basketball is to get used to dribble while in motion. Get used to dribbling at high speeds and while changing directions. This will improve game performance.

Do it when it matters

By this I mean to put up a stellar performance in a match because this is the testing point for your skills. No amount of practice outside of serious games can prepare you for this. A player has to go out there and earn his game time to get the experience. Finally, a basketball player will know they've mastered dribbling when they are able to securely dribble the ball under control around defenders.

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