Want to learn how to play basketball and get good at it? Do these drills.
Basketball is not an easy sport to play.
It’s dynamic and there are many things you need to be able to do to play the sport well.
I remember the first time I played, I kept double-dribbling the ball because I didn’t know how to dribble and what the rules were.
I also couldn’t shoot the ball. I just chucked it at the basket with no form and hoped it went in.
But after learning how to play from my friends and from my P.E. teachers, I was able to pick up some drills and exercises that helped me work on the fundamentals of the game.
I did these for years and eventually got good enough to get onto my middle school basketball team, where I played for two seasons.
I was by no means the best player on the team. But I was good enough to get a spot on the roster.
So, here are the 9 drills and exercises I did to learn how to play basketball:
1) The Mikan Drill
Getting the feel for making close-range shots is something that many players have trouble with.
The Mikan Drill can help you with this by teaching you how to shoot around the rim.
By doing this drill on a regular basis, you’ll be able to learn the angles and touches of shooting close shots and layups.
You can learn how to do it here.
2) Form Shooting
Form shooting was one of those exercises that I neglected for years.
I never understood the purpose of it because you’re just standing in front of the basket and shooting close shots.
I always said that I could already shoot from beyond the perimeter, so why should I practice shooting right in front of the rim? Thus, I never put much effort into doing it.
But looking back on it as an old person, I found out that it was because of my neglect of this drill that I couldn’t make shots consistently when I was younger.
Needless to say, this drill is important.
It teaches you how to shoot with proper form and lets you get comfortable with your shooting mechanics.
It’s also a great warmup that lets you get into the rhythm of making shoots.
Watch the video below to learn how to do it:
3) Free-Throw Shooting
Practicing your free throws is another great way to work on your shooting form.
The only difference between this and form shooting is that free throws are further away from the basket and you’ll have to put more legs into your shot.
However, regardless of both drills pretty much serving the same purpose, you should still do both because I said so. I’m most likely older than you and you should listen to your elders.
But jokes aside, the two shooting drills work on different aspects of the shot because of the distance from the basket. Some of it is physical and some of it is psychological.
So, it’s important that you work on both.
You can learn how to do it here.
4) Lane Dribbling
Dribbling the ball is a fundamental basketball skill that all players have to learn, regardless of position.
One of the easiest ways to learn this skill is with lane dribbling because all you’re doing is dribbling the ball up and down the court (or sidewalk, or hallway, etc.).
I know it sounds boring, but this drill will teach you ball-handling fundamentals. It’ll also serve as a way for you to practice your off-hand (or weak hand) dribbling if you can already dribble with your dominant hand.
By doing this on a regular basis, you will get comfortable with ball handling and moving while dribbling.
Here’s how to do it:
Walk and dribble with your right hand for one block (or up the half-court line in a gym).
Then, walk back to the start point while dribbling with your left hand. Do it 10 times.
5) Defensive Slides/ Zig-Zags Slides
Defense is a big part of the game and you need to know how to defend.
Defensive Slides is the easiest drill to learn the basics of defense. They are great for improving your movement on defense and strengthening your legs.
Doing this drill will help you stay in front of your opponent (or close to them) throughout the game, preventing them from getting close to the basket or getting clean shots.
You can learn how to do it here.
6) Around the World
Being able to shoot at various spots around the basket is a hard task for new players (well, it was for me anyway).
Around the World is a great game to help you learn how to shoot the ball from various spots around the court.
You’ll get to work on your shooting form and practice shooting from different angles around the basket.
You can learn how to play it here.
7) Lay-Up Line
Lay-ups are tricky for new players to learn. The reason why is because of the footwork involved.
I know I had troubles with it at first.
With the lay-up line, you’ll be able to do the movements slowly so that you can learn and build the muscle memory of doing layups correctly.
You’ll also get to practice it on your weak side so that you can do layups on both sides of the rim.
Watch the video below to learn how to do it:
8) Running Lines
Having enough cardio to play a game is something that many new players tend to not have.
The Closeout, Slide, Backpedal Drill is a great way to resolve this.
By doing this exercise, you’ll improve your cardio and develop the energy and stamina needed to play for a long time. You’ll also work on footwork for defense.
You can also do other cardio exercises, but I personally like this drill because it’s simple and you can do it in a small-(ish) space; you don’t need a big field or track to run on.
You can learn how to do it here.
9) Burpees
A lot of new players also don’t have the strength to bang on the court.
They get pushed around easily and when they can’t hold positions, they tend to foul.
So, burpees are a great way to build upper and lower body strength.
You also get the added benefit of working on your cardio as you burp and pee (sorry, that was a terrible joke, but it was just right there).
Watch the video below to learn how to do it:
Want To Get Better At Basketball?
I’ve created a basketball activity guide that can help you (or your disciple) improve quicker than if you just did random exercises at the park.
This 8-day guide lays out daily exercises and drills for you to do so you can master the fundamentals of basketball and start winning as soon as possible.
So, if you’re sick of putting time into workouts that aren’t helping you get better, then give my Old Man Game Basketball Guide a try.
In it, you’ll work on:
- The fundamentals of shooting with various shooting drills
- Your conditioning with various bodyweight exercises
- Ball handling and defence with skills and conditioning exercises
- …And more
If you’re interested in this activity guide, click here to learn about it.
Final Thoughts
As I mentioned earlier, learning how to play basketball is not easy.
Improving at it is just as difficult, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing.
So, hopefully, these 9 drills and exercises will help you improve at the sport.