Dribbling in practice is easy when nobody’s guarding you. This drill adds a defender who plays 50% effort, not full pressure. The dribbler practices reading pressure and using moves.
What you need: Basketball. Half-court. Open space. Two players per rep.
Setup: Two kids per rep. One is the dribbler. One is the defender. Start at the top of the key.
How to run it:
- Dribbler dribbles around the half-court space. Defender plays at 50% effort, applying soft pressure but not full speed.
- Dribbler uses dribble moves (crossover, change of pace, pull-back) to create separation.
- 20 seconds on. Then switch roles.
- Do 3 reps per player. Rest between.
What to watch: Does the dribbler keep eyes up? Are they trying moves or just running away? Good dribbling under pressure includes reading space and executing moves.
If they’re struggling: Reduce to 15 seconds. Let the defender play 25% effort instead of 50%. Give more space.
If they’ve got it: Defender plays 75% effort. Dribbler must stay in a tight half-court space instead of the full area. Higher difficulty.