Wrap Battle

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A head-to-head reaction race: two players at the free-throw line, one ball each, must wrap the ball around their waist three times before attacking to score — first to make a bucket (or grab a miss and put it back) wins the point for their team. Start with layups and progress to jump shots once players have the wrap-and-explode motion down; a low, wide stance while wrapping helps players get moving toward the basket more quickly. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Mascot Tag

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A team-based reaction and speed-dribble game: two teams line up facing each other at mid-court, each named after a 'fastest team' mascot of the coach's choosing. The coach tells a story, and the moment a team's chosen name is mentioned, that team turns and dribbles for the nearest sideline while the other team chases and tries to tag them before they reach safety. Points go to whichever side wins the race — reaching the line safely or tagging the runner first. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Gimme Five

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A dribbling warm-up that doubles as an icebreaker: everyone dribbles around a half-court space and tries to high-five as many teammates as possible with their non-dribbling hand in a 30-second round. Play multiple short rounds and challenge players to beat their previous high-five count — a low-pressure way to get beginners comfortable dribbling with their head up and eyes open instead of watching the ball. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Team Tag

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A two-team dribble tag game inside the three-point line: one team is 'it' and works together to tag as many opposing dribblers as possible within a set time, while tagged players must do five jumping jacks before rejoining. Track each team's tag count, then swap roles and challenge the new tagging team to beat the previous score. Encourages players to scan for open space and change direction to avoid getting tagged. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Pattern Dribbling

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

Players start on the half-court line, each with a ball, and sprint to whichever court line the coach calls out — baseline, sideline, free-throw line, lane line, or three-point line — before returning to the middle. Start with single calls, then chain multiple lines together as players improve, and consider renaming the lines after players' favorite characters to keep younger kids engaged. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Sharks & Minnows

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A dribble-and-evade classic: 'minnows' line up on one goal line and try to dribble to the far line without the coach (the 'shark,' stationed in the middle) knocking their ball away. Any minnow who loses their ball becomes a shark and helps tag the rest on the next wave, continuing until everyone has been converted. Builds change-of-pace and change-of-direction dribbling under pressure. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Construction Site

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A two-team dribbling game with a twist: 'builders' try to stand cones back upright while 'bulldozers' try to knock them down, all while every player keeps dribbling their own ball. Play short, timed rounds and count standing vs. knocked-over cones to determine the winning side. Guarding a single cone isn't allowed, which keeps everyone moving and scanning the floor instead of camping in one spot. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Snake

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A group tag game: one volunteer starts as the 'snake' with no ball while everyone else dribbles freely in a half-court space; anyone tagged sets their ball aside and joins the snake, growing the chain each round. The game continues until the snake has tagged every dribbler, and since the chain has to stay linked to make a tag count, it becomes as much about the snake communicating and coordinating together as it is about the dribblers evading. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Diamond Drill

Video by Coach Ashworth

Cones set up in a diamond at the top of the key for a jump-stop scoring series. Off the jump stop, players work a short, tight rip-through into a crossover, then a between-the-legs move (finishing high off the glass, as if avoiding a shot blocker), then a behind-the-back move into a Euro step through the lane (simulating a defender loading up to take a charge). Each move gets its own finish, worked both left and right. This drill comes from Coach Ashworth.

Diamond Shooting

Video by Coach Ashworth

Back at the same top-of-key diamond, now working pull-up jump shots instead of finishes at the rim. Players use a jab step to create separation, then take one or two dribbles into a pull-up or floater — the counter to defenses that sag off a ball screen and dare a mid-range shot. Add a step-back variation for late-game or shot-clock situations that need extra separation. This drill comes from Coach Ashworth.

Warm-Up Ball Handling

Video by Coach Ashworth

A hand-eye coordination warm-up: players dribble with one hand while tossing a small object (a cone, tennis ball, or small ball) up with the other and catching it, forcing their eyes off the basketball. Add two cones to dribble around using only one hand at a time, working both right and left, to sharpen control and build the habit of keeping eyes up instead of watching the ball. This drill comes from Coach Ashworth.

Dribbling With Hand Signals

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Players dribble in a line and react to the coach's hand signals — forward for a speed dribble, a stop sign to jump-stop into triple threat, and side or backward signals for changes of direction — all while keeping the same dribbling hand and their eyes up on the coach rather than the ball. Layer in calling out a number on the stop signal to push eyes up even more, and progress older players toward a controlled stop near the baseline once they're ready. This drill comes from BreakthroughBBall.

Ball Handling With Defense

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Partners face off eight to ten feet apart and dribble toward each other with a live move — a stop-and-go, a stutter step, or a crossover — trying to get past their partner's chest-to-chest defense in a straight line. Run the same move on both the right and left hand before progressing to the next move, so players build the skill in both directions. This drill comes from BreakthroughBBall.

Rip & Go

Video by BreakthroughBBall

A live move-past-the-defender drill: the ball handler rips the ball below their knees to one side, takes a direct step in that direction, and dribbles by the defender in a tight, straight line, working the move both left-to-right and right-to-left. Progress from a defender with hands out but stationary, to a fully live defender once players are comfortable finishing the move. This drill comes from BreakthroughBBall.

1v1 With A Chaser

Video by BreakthroughBBall

A speed-dribble finishing drill: one player attacks the rim at full speed while a defender starts a step or two behind and chases them down, closing space and contesting without fouling. Start the chaser further back so the attacker has early success, then move the chaser closer for a tighter, more competitive rep once players are comfortable. This drill comes from BreakthroughBBall.

Duke Speed Dribble

Video by BreakthroughBBall

A speed-dribbling variation where the ball handler switches hands on every single dribble while sprinting the floor. Switching every dribble removes any rhythm a defender closing from behind could time a steal off of, which is the actual point of the move, not just a ball-handling flourish. This drill comes from BreakthroughBBall.

Speed Dribbling

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Straight-line speed dribbling: push the ball out in front rather than pounding it in place, keep it higher than a stationary control dribble, and sprint to the basketball instead of carrying it. Finishes with a controlled jump stop into triple threat, with a strict no-false-steps rule once the drill shifts toward attacking the rim. This drill comes from BreakthroughBBall.

Red Light, Green Light

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A classic reaction game adapted for dribbling. Everyone starts at a baseline with a ball. On 'green light' players speed dribble forward; on 'yellow light' they slow down; on 'red light' they jump-stop and bring the ball into triple-threat position at the waist. Once players reach the far line they turn around and keep going. After a round or two, add a wildcard color tied to a bonus action (e.g., jumping jacks with the ball) to keep it fresh. Reinforces fingertip control and keeping the ball low. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Gates Dribbling

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A self-paced dribbling drill. Set up roughly twice as many cone 'gates' as you have players, scattered across a half court. Everyone dribbles their own ball and tries to pass through as many gates as possible in one minute, changing direction quickly after each gate to find the next one. Have players count and try to beat their own total in the next round. Cue players to keep dribbles low and controlled, and heads up so they can spot the next gate rather than watching the ball. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Globetrotters

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A circle dribbling drill. Set one cone per player in a large circle and give everyone a ball. Players dribble around the circle and, on the coach's call, all switch to the same move at once — right-hand pound dribbles, low or high dribbles, figure eights, crossovers, or non-dominant-hand dribbling. Optionally assign a bonus action (like jumping jacks) to perform at each cone. Even as moves get harder, keep reinforcing proper form: small, low dribbles controlled with the fingertips. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Sleeping Giant

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A dribbling and speed-control game. Players line up on the baseline, each with a ball; cones ('treasure') are scattered near half court where the coach stands as the 'sleeping giant' with their back turned. On go, players dribble toward the treasure; whenever the giant turns around, everyone must jump-stop and freeze — anyone caught still moving goes back to the baseline. Once a player grabs a piece of treasure, the giant wakes up and chases everyone back to the baseline, trying to tag them. First player to bank three pieces of treasure wins. Remind players that in a real game, standing still without dribbling is a travel. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Ducktails

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A dribbling tag game. Every player dribbles a ball with a flag-football-style penny tucked into their waistband like a tail, inside the three-point line. On go, everyone dribbles around trying to pull as many other players' tails as they can while protecting their own; losing your tail doesn't put you out, you just keep dribbling and try to grab more. Whoever is holding the most tails when time is called wins the round. Since beginners tend to watch the ball, remind them to keep their head up and eyes forward while dribbling. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Two-Ball Dribbling

Video by Teach Hoops

A progression of two-basketball dribbling moves done down and back the court: straight speed dribble, a hesitation ('slow and go'), simultaneous crossover, behind-the-back, and between-the-legs moves, then a freestyle mix of all of them. The closer is a reactive 'yo-yo' drill where players mirror a ball handler moving toward and away from them, retreating and advancing on cue. Keep the ball low and the head up throughout; once a move gets easy, make it harder with mismatched ball sizes or by dribbling on grass. This drill comes from Teach Hoops.