Fundamentals of Basketball: How to Dribble, Pass, and Shoot Effectively

Introduction: Fundamentals of Basketball: How to Dribble, Pass, and Shoot Effectively

When it comes to playing any sport, basketball included, a key component is understanding how and when to get closer to your objective. In this tutorial, the fundamentals of dribbling, passing, and shooting a basketball will be covered so that you can begin practicing and join the court soon enough.


  • Basketball (or proper substitute)
  • Basketball Hoop
  • Partner or Wall to Bounce against for Passing

  • Area to bounce basketball for:

    • Dribbling
    • Passing


Dribbling is the name given to bouncing the basketball to the floor and back to the player so that they may bring the ball across the court without a teammate’s help. This skill is key to keeping the basketball in your team’s possession while positioning properly.

When to Dribble:

  • When you want to keep the ball to yourself
  • When you are trying to decide the next action
  • When you want to reposition yourself
  • When you want to move the ball down the court when you cannot pass to a teammate

Step 1:

It is recommended to start using your dominant hand, and switching to your non-dominant hand once you have grown comfortable with the process. Begin by bouncing the basketball off of the floor, keeping one hand over the ball as it returns upwards

Step 2:

Try slowing the ball down with your fingertips as it bounces back to your hand

  1. Make sure to have your fingers loose. If your fingers are too stiff, it will begin hurting and will not allow you good control of the bounce.
  2. As the ball reaches the hand, allow your fingers to curl around the ball as it reaches the palm of your hand

Step 3:

Once you have grown comfortable with keeping your hand near the ball when it bounces, begin trying to push the ball downwards gently in order to keep it bouncing

  1. If you are struggling with this, continue tossing the ball on the floor to bounce it and keep your hand over it to get into a rhythm

Step 4:

As you add more force into your bounce, take care not to have the ball bounce higher than your chest or lower than your knees

Step 5:

Remember to try and keep the ball from bouncing from side to side. This will help in keeping the ball’s movement manageable.

  1. It is suggested to limit the range to your shoulder width
  2. A recommended height to stop the bounce is around your stomach height

Step 6:

Once you have began to consistently bounce the ball, try moving into a lower stance consisting of:

  1. Bending your knees
  2. Leaning slightly forward at the waist
  3. Having your arms bent at the elbows

Step 7:

Putting these steps together, you want to maintain your stance, bounce the ball down and create a steady pace while keeping the ball within the suggested range.

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