Four Touches Layups

Video by Coach Ashworth

A conditioning-and-finishing relay from sideline to sideline: the first four layups are caught and finished with no dribbles off a pass on the run, the next set comes off one hard dribble from around the three-point line, and the last four have to be caught in the air — an alley-oop finish for players who can play above the rim, or a tip-in-style catch-and-finish for guards. Rotate passer and finisher after each set of four; it's as much a conditioning and passing-touch drill as a finishing one. This drill comes from Coach Ashworth.

Michigan State Passing

Video by Championship Productions

Hoiberg's "Speed" Drill

Video by Championship Productions

Rebounding Battle

Video by BreakthroughBBall

A competitive rebounding and closeout drill: an offensive player stands on the block while a passer at the free-throw line delivers a crisp, on-target pass to any of several offensive spots; the moment the pass is thrown, the corresponding defender sprints out to close out and contest the catch-and-shoot attempt (no dribble or shot fake allowed). If the offense scores or grabs an offensive rebound they stay on; the defense has to secure a defensive rebound to flip to offense. Can scale from 2-on-2 to 3-on-3 with more players. This drill comes from BreakthroughBBall.

Cross the River

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A three-player drill where the ball handler tries to advance from one end of a marked rectangle to the other without two defenders (stationed at the halfway line and the far end) deflecting or stealing the ball. A successful crossing scores the ball handler a point and they go again in the other direction; a takeaway scores the defender a point and swaps roles. Rewards changing speed and direction rather than trying to just outrun defenders in a straight line. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Diamond Passing

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

Four lines form a diamond around a center cone; the first player in each line dribbles to the middle, jump-stops, pivots to their right, passes to whoever's waiting at that cone, then joins the back of that line. Set a 60-second timer and count how many full rotations the group can complete. Isolates jump-stop and pivot fundamentals — landing balanced on both feet and staying low through the pivot — inside a drill that still has real passing pressure and a clock. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Pass the Rock

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

Half the group stands inside the paint, each with a ball, while the other half spreads out beyond the three-point line without one. For 30 seconds, the ball-side group tries to complete as many passes among themselves as possible — one point per completed catch — while staying inside the paint the whole time. Swap groups and challenge them to beat the previous score. With so much simultaneous passing in a tight space, players quickly learn to make eye contact with a target before throwing. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Passing Tag

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

'Runners' try to avoid getting lightly tagged by the ball in the hands of 'passers,' who outnumber them and can only pivot (no dribbling) once they're holding it. Once tagged, a runner sits out until the next round. Because passers have to pivot to find an angle immediately after catching, it's really a pivoting drill disguised as a tag game, reinforcing that once the dribble stops, only a pass, shot, or pivot is legal. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Basketball Tennis

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

Two players stand on either side of a cone 'net' inside a marked court and rap the ball back and forth like a tennis rally, each trying to place a pass that's hard enough to catch that their opponent drops it or misses entirely. A dropped or missed catch scores a point for whoever threw it; play it out with real tennis scoring. Trains players to make (and catch) passes that land in awkward, contested spots rather than only easy, in-rhythm ones. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Circle Passing

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

Players spread around the perimeter of a marked rectangle while one player starts under the basket; that player passes to the nearest teammate, who passes it straight back, then rotates to the next closest teammate and repeats until everyone around the perimeter has touched the ball, before pivoting for a layup. Score as many full cycles as possible in 30 seconds, watching that the rush to score doesn't break down proper two-handed passing form. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

7 Spot Shooting

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

Two teams race through seven marked shooting spots (both short corners, both low posts, both elbows, and the free-throw line): players shoot, rebound their own miss or make, and pass to the next teammate in line, needing three makes from a spot before advancing to the next one. First team to bank three makes from all seven spots wins. Reinforces a crisp outlet pass after every rebound so the next shooter is ready to go. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

The Name Game

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A circle passing warm-up for team bonding: the whole group stands in a circle sharing one ball, and each player calls out their own name before passing to a teammate. Once everyone has had a turn, flip the rule so the passer calls out the receiver's name instead of their own, reinforcing eye contact and communication. Add a second ball once players have it down to keep everyone engaged. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Monkey In The Middle

Video by BreakthroughBBall

A 2-on-1 passing keep-away game: two players work the ball back and forth while a defender in the middle tries to touch the ball carrier to force a live turnover attempt, using the passing windows around a tight defender (both hips, both shoulders, over the head) so the pass doesn't get deflected. Start with a passive defender who has to touch the ball handler before defense goes live, then progress to a fully live defender and keep a running count of deflections to make it competitive. This drill comes from BreakthroughBBall.

The Floor Is Lava

Video by MOJO (yougotmojo)

A partner passing game played on a half court scattered with cones ('islands') about five feet apart. Pairs share a ball and can only pass and catch while standing on an island — no dribbling allowed, since the floor is lava. After passing, a player must run to a new open island before they can receive the next pass. Play short, timed rounds and have pairs try to beat their own pass count each round. Reinforces two-handed passing form: step toward the target and follow through with both arms. This drill comes from MOJO (yougotmojo).

Fill Cut & Rear Cut - BreakthroughBBall

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Geno Aureimma - Start of practise drill

Video by Championship Productions