Looking for the best youth basketball drills?
If you are just starting out and want to learn the best fundamental youth basketball drills for yourself or for a team you coach, you should try to understand several things first:
1) Type | Are you doing individual youth basketball skill development or are you doing team-based youth basketball drills?
Individual training always features workouts with more repetitions of skills training such as: shooting, ball-handling, strength, dribble moves, finishing near the rim, and other personalized skills.
Team-based features some individual skills training, but mostly youth basketball drills for fast-break, passing, and scrimmage-game situations.
2) # of Players | How many players will be doing the drills?
The workouts will definitely vary based on the players you have.
The fewer the amount of players, the more customizable each practice can be.
3) Duration | How long will you be in the gym for?
This will play a huge roll for which youth basketball drills you decide to incorporate into practice.
4) Skills Level | Are you or your players beginners, intermediates or elite level?
There is no reason to start at an advanced skill & drills program if you are just a beginner.
All beginners can learn the basic drills and them push themselves to learn more advanced drills as the practice more often.
5) Age level | Are you older or younger than 13 year old?
If you answered younger, then you are probably not ready to do advanced strengthening drills.
For older players, strength training should be part of any basketball drills program.
Below are some examples of youth basketball drills for individual training:
Drill #1 | 10 Rhythm Drills for Ball-Handling
These are essential warm-up drills for all levels of youth basketball drills.
Not only are these are great warm-up, but the drills also build strength and elasticity in all of the “basketball muscles”.
Drill #2: Two-ball dribbling with Coach Sean Miller from Arizona
These are incredible drills to improve ball-handling in individual skills and drills sessions.
Drill #3 | Dribble moves on the move
Below are two examples of great dribble move drills on the move.
These are incredible for building “game shape” endurance as well as improving dribble moves / finishing at the rim.
Drill #5: Steph Curry
Below are some examples of youth basketball drills that are team-based:
2-on-1 Drill
Part one of the Video:
Coach Bob Hurley shows a great drill that involves offense and defense.
Offensively, youth basketball players are working on finishing at the rim and fast break passing.
Defensively, players are working on stopping the ball in a 2 on 1 situation.
Part two of the Video:
Show you a great team-based passing drill.
Drill #4: Elbow Jumpshots and Shooting Footwork w/ Mike Procopio
This is a great drill if you have several kids in the gym.
It focuses on practicing both footwork and shooting skills and is for all skill levels.