Beginner Drill To Improve Passing Technique and Catching

Step 1:

The drill begins with your team breaking up into four lines, one at each of the four corners of the free-throw lane. To become familiar with the pattern, your team should start with just one ball. As shown on the right, player 1 will begin with the ball. #1 will pass up the lane to #2 and will follow the pass and run toward #2.

Step 2:

Player #2 will catch the pass from #1 and immediately pass the ball back to player #1.

Step 3:

Player #1 will catch the return pass from #2. At this point, player #1 should now be within arm's length from #2. #1 will then hand off the ball to #2 and move to the back of the line behind #6.

Step 4:

Player #2 receives the handoff from #1 and then passes the ball across the lane to player #3. As soon as 2 passes to #3, player #2 will follow the pass and run to where 3 is on the right elbow. Just as in step 2 above, player #3 will catch the pass from #2 and immediately pass the ball back to player #2. Following step 3 above, player #2 will catch the return pass from #3 and then hand off the ball to #3 and move to the back of the line behind #7.

This drill continues by moving in a counter clockwise motion as shown in the three diagrams on the right. The drill keeps the same pattern the entire time – pass, pass back and handoff. #3 will use this pattern with #4. Then #4 will do the same with #5 and so on.

Step 5 (Add Another Ball):

Once your players feel comfortable with the drill using one ball, you can increase the tempo by adding a second ball. To begin with this increased difficulty, start with the basketballs in diagonal corners. As shown in the diagram to the right, you can start with players #1 and #3 as your first passers.

Just like with one basketball, your players will use the same pattern of pass, pass back and handoff, following in a counter clockwise motion.

Step 6 (Add Third Ball):

To make things even more difficult, you can add a third basketball. In this case, players #1, #2 and #3 will begin as passers. Instead of #1 passing to #2, player #1 will now pass to player #6. At the same time, player #2 will pass to player #7 and player #3 will pass to player #4.

Adding a third basketball will likely create confusion for your players. This will simulate game situations where there are multiple variables going on at one time.

Encourage your team to focus on the same pattern as above. Just like with one or two basketballs, your players will follow the same pattern of pass, pass back and handoff, repeating in a counter clockwise motion.