182 basketball drills, free to read
Shooting, ball handling, finishing, defense, passing, IQ, and conditioning — filterable by skill, with age group, duration, and equipment for every drill. Build these into a full practice plan free in the app.
Every drill here lists the skill it develops, how long to run it, the age bands it suits, an intensity rating, and the equipment you need — enough to slot it into a session and know what it's for. 20 of them also have a full breakdown: setup, numbered steps, the coaching points that matter while it's running, the mistakes players actually make, and how to scale it up or down. We're working through the rest.
If you're building a session from scratch, work backwards from the skill you want to move rather than picking drills you like. Pick one primary skill per practice, give it the longest block while players are fresh, then layer in the secondary work. Competitive and conditioning drills belong at the end — they raise intensity but they also degrade technique, so anything you're trying to teach should come first.
The counts below are live. Filter by skill area, or start from a ready-made practice plan if you'd rather not sequence it yourself. For the reasoning behind how a session is put together, see how to build a basketball practice plan.
Drills by skill area
Shooting drills build a repeatable release through high-rep, low-distraction reps before adding movement, defense, and game speed. Track makes, not just attempts, and keep form the priority until it's automatic.
Ball-handling work develops control at increasing speed and pressure — stationary control first, then movement, then live reads against a defender. Both hands, every time.
Finishing drills train footwork, touch, and body control through contact near the basket. Reps with both hands and both feet build the habit of finishing strong regardless of angle.
Individual defense is built on stance, footwork, and effort before scheme. Drill the fundamentals — stance, slides, closeouts — until they hold up at full speed and under fatigue.
Basketball conditioning should mirror the stop-start demands of the game — short, intense bursts with real recovery, not steady-state cardio. Tie conditioning to competitive targets whenever you can.
IQ and decision-making drills put players in live, small-sided situations where they have to read a defender and choose correctly — the muscle memory of good decisions, not just good mechanics.
Passing drills build accuracy, timing, and footwork on the catch. The best passing work is done on the move, since that's how the ball actually gets delivered in a game.
Footwork is the foundation under every other skill — pivots, jump stops, and change-of-direction work should be drilled on their own before they're asked to hold up inside a live move.
Rebounding is won with positioning and effort before jumping ability — teach the box-out first, then the pursuit of the ball, then the outlet. All three, every rep.
Team offense drills build spacing, timing, and decision-making between multiple players — the goal is a correct read repeated until it's automatic, not just running a set.
Screen Navigation (Over/Under)
Defender chases a cutter through a series of stationary screens, practicing fighting over the top on a shooter and ducking under on a non-shooting threat. Trains the read of which technique fits the screener's opposite man.
Post Defense Fronting
Defender plays in front of a post player who is trying to seal for entry position, using a hand and foot in the passing lane to deny the direct entry pass. Reinforces denial positioning against a bigger post threat.
Taking the Charge
Defender slides to beat a driving attacker to a spot, plants both feet, and takes contact with proper form before the offensive player reaches the rim. Practiced at low speed first to build the correct feet-set mechanics safely.
Reverse Layup Package
Drive baseline and finish with a reverse layup on the opposite side of the rim from the defender's help side, alternating hands each rep. Teaches using the rim as a shield against shot-blockers.
Up-and-Under Finish
Catch on the block, show a shot fake to lift the defender off their feet, then step through to the opposite side for an unopposed finish. Classic post move for beating an aggressive shot-contester.
Contact Finishing with Pad
Attacker drives through a coach or partner holding a pad at the rim, absorbing the hit while still elevating and finishing through contact. Builds the strength and balance to finish and-one opportunities.
One-Foot Balance Shooting
Shoot from three feet out while balancing on one foot through the catch, hold, and release. Forces balance and a controlled motion before adding footwork.
Elbow-to-Elbow Spot Shooting
Catch and shoot from both elbows, five makes each side before rotating out. Focus on squaring the feet before the catch, not after.
Free Throw Routine Reps
Shoot free throws using the exact same pre-shot routine every time - breathe, spot, release. Track makes out of ten to build pressure awareness early.
Figure-8 Dribble Series
Weave the ball in a figure-8 pattern between and around the legs without looking down. Start slow and add speed once control stays consistent.
Around-the-World Ball Control
Circle the ball around the head, waist, and both knees in one continuous loop. Builds hand strength and ball feel for absolute beginners.
Stutter-Step Dribble Attack
Dribble at a cone, stutter-step to freeze the imaginary defender, then explode past on a hard crossover. Repeat attacking both directions.
Off-Hand Layup Repetition
Finish layups exclusively with the non-dominant hand from both wings. Slow the approach down until the footwork and touch are clean.
Power Layup Two-Foot Finish
Catch off a jump stop and finish with a strong two-foot power layup through light contact. Builds a physical finish option beyond the standard one-foot layup.
Mirror Drill (Partner Slides)
Partners face off and mirror each other's lateral movement in a defensive stance, one leading and one reacting. Switch roles every 30 seconds.
Deny the Pass Stance
Defend an off-ball cutter with one hand and one foot in the passing lane, denying the catch. Reinforces ball-you-man vision and active hands.
Help-Side Bump Positioning
Position help defenders one pass away with a foot in the lane, then bump a driving cutter before recovering to their own assignment. Teaches gap responsibility.
Line Touch Sprints
Sprint from the baseline to each court line and back, touching every line with a hand before reversing. Simple conditioning that also builds court awareness.
Jump Rope Foot Speed
Jump rope in 30-second intervals, alternating two-foot hops with single-foot switches. Builds calf strength and rhythm for quicker defensive feet.
Spacing Recognition Walkthrough
Walk through a five-out alignment and have players call out who is standing too close before running it at live speed. Builds the habit of scanning the floor.
Read the Defense Freeze Drill
Coach freezes play mid-possession and asks the ball handler to identify open teammates and defender positioning before continuing. Builds real-time court reading.
Two-Line Chest Pass Relay
Two lines face each other and relay crisp chest passes while stepping into every pass. Emphasize hitting target hands and passing off the correct foot.
Partner Overhead Pass Series
Partners exchange two-hand overhead passes at increasing distance, snapping the ball from above the head. Groundwork for skip passes and outlet reads later.
Pivot-Pass Precision
Catch, execute a strong pivot away from a shadow defender, then deliver an accurate pass to a moving target. Links footwork directly to a purposeful pass.
Triple Threat Pivot Series
Catch in triple threat and rehearse the jab, pivot, and square-up sequence with no defender. Builds the base position every scoring move starts from.
Inside-Out Pivot Escape
Catch facing a cone defender, pivot away to create space, then attack the opposite side. Teaches escaping ball pressure with footwork instead of the dribble.
Two-Ball Rebound Reaction
Coach tosses two balls off the rim in quick succession, forcing the rebounder to secure one, outlet it, and react to the second. Sharpens reaction speed.
Rebound Put-Back Series
Toss a shot off the glass and have the rebounder go back up strong with a put-back finish before landing. Reinforces attacking the rim right after a miss.
Spacing and Cutting Fundamentals
Players hold five-out spacing marked by cones and take turns cutting through open space when their spot fills up. Establishes floor balance before adding defenders.
Ball Reversal and Relocate
Swing the ball side to side through the point while off-ball players relocate to stay in open passing lanes. Teaches unselfish spacing on the weak side.
Down Screen Basics
Set a down screen for a cutter coming off the block, then teach the cutter to read curl, fade, or straight cut based on the defender's path.
Fingertip Pound and Pat
Stationary fingertip pounds and pats on the ball's seams at chest height, building the fingertip control that keeps a live dribble off the palm.
Seated Ball Slaps
Seated on the floor, players slap the ball side to side and front to back without losing it, isolating hand strength and control before standing dribbling.
Figure-8 Weave Through the Legs
Stationary figure-eight dribble around and through both legs at a steady rhythm, speeding up only once the pattern stays clean.
Wall Dribble Reaction Taps
Dribble low facing a wall while reacting to a partner's random hand signals behind you, forcing the eyes up while the ball stays live.
Crossover Speed Ladder
Stationary crossovers building from a slow controlled pace to max speed in timed intervals, resetting to slow anytime the ball rises above the waist.
Showing 73–108 of 182 drills
All 182 drills
Every drill in the library, A–Z.
Basketball drills: common questions
- How many basketball drills should be in one practice?
- For a 90-minute practice, six to eight drills is a workable ceiling — roughly 8–12 minutes each once you account for transitions and water. Fewer drills held longer beats more drills rushed: players need enough reps in one drill for the correction to stick. Young teams (U10 and below) do better with shorter blocks and more variety, closer to 5–6 minutes per drill.
- What basketball drills should a beginner start with?
- Start with stationary ball handling (both hands), form shooting close to the rim, and simple footwork like the triple-threat pivot series. Beginners need the movement pattern before speed or defenders get added. The Mikan drill is the single most efficient beginner finishing drill — it teaches touch, footwork, and both hands at once. Filter this library to Ball Handling or Shooting and sort for the shortest, lowest-intensity drills.
- What's the difference between a drill and a practice plan?
- A drill is one activity — the Mikan drill, shell defense, a 3-man weave. A practice plan is the ordered sequence of them with timings, so a two-hour session actually fits in two hours. Every drill here shows its duration and intensity so you can build a plan that balances high-intensity work against teaching segments. There are ready-made practice plans if you'd rather start from a template.
- How long should each basketball drill run?
- Most drills in this library run 5–15 minutes. Skill-acquisition work (shooting form, ball handling) rewards longer blocks because repetition is the point. Conditioning and competitive drills should be shorter and harder — if intensity drops off, the drill has run past its useful length. Each drill page lists a recommended duration and an intensity rating.
- Are these basketball drills free?
- Yes — every drill page here is free to read, and nothing is paywalled. Each lists its skill focus, duration, intensity, age bands, and equipment, and a growing number include the full breakdown: setup, numbered steps, coaching points, common mistakes, and progressions. No account needed. The paid side of SixSevenBall is the coaching app: building and saving practice plans, tracking attendance and stats, and running your program day to day.
- What equipment do I need for these drills?
- Most need only a ball and a hoop. Every drill page lists its equipment explicitly, and a good number are marked no-hoop or no-equipment so they work in a gym with limited baskets, a driveway, or a hotel hallway on a tournament weekend. Cones and chairs are the most common extras and can nearly always be substituted with anything that stands up.