Basketball Drills Cone Handle Shots

Diagrams created with FastDraw

These skill development drills were posted by Kyle Gilreath.

The idea for the post is to stimulate your thinking about ways to simulate and rehearse in practice scoring moves that your players will use in games.

Adapt these drills to your philosophy and players’ abilities.

This drill works on several components of improvement all at once:

Ball Handling: Force your players out of their comfort zone and to dribble lower and quicker each time, that is the only way to improve

Footwork: Creating space and finishing with the least amount of dribbles

Finishing Through/Over/Around the Defense: This drill consists of a multiple of different types of shots and finishes that are great to add to your players’ repertoire.

Strong/Reverse Lay-Up: Players starts with 1 ball and dribbles at each cone. The player will take 1 hard dribble with the outside hand and quickly crossover, take one hard dribble at the next cone and crossover (keeping the ball below the knees). After the last cone the player takes no more than two dribbles and attacks the rim. Finish on the other side of the rim with strong hand, make 3 per side.

Next set is similar but the player will do an inside-out crossover at each cone. The finish is with the off hand (left hand reverse on right side).

Floater: Players starts with 1 ball and dribbles at each cone. The player will take 1 hard dribble with the outside hand and quickly dribble between the legs, take one hard dribble at the next cone and crossover (keeping the ball below the knees). After the last cone the player takes no more than two dribbles and attacks the rim and shoots a floater (1 and/or 2 feet) make 3 per side.

When driving right shoot right floater and left floater driving left

Spin Fadeaway: Players starts with 1 ball and dribbles at each cone. The player will take 1 hard inside-out dribble with the outside hand and quickly dribbles between the legs, take one hard dribble inside-out at the next cone and between the legs (keeping the ball below the knees). After the last cone the player takes one hard dribble and spins off the coach/pad for a fade away jumper. Make sure the player is not drifting, but slightly leaning/fading back to get the shot over a big.

Contest the shot without getting under the shooter (prevent ankle injuries).

Step-Back: Players starts with 1 ball and dribbles at each cone. The player will take 1 hard inside-out dribble with the outside hand and quickly dribbles behind the back, take one hard dribble inside-out at the next cone and behind the back (keeping the ball low). After the last cone the player takes one hard dribble at the lane and steps one hard step back into a jumper.

Contest the shot without getting under the shooter (prevent ankle injuries).

Step-Back Crossover: Players starts with 1 ball and dribbles at each cone. The player will take 1 hard dribble with the outside hand and quickly dribbles between the legs->behind the back->crossver, take one hard dribble at the next cone and dribbles between the legs->behind the back->crossver (keeping the ball low). After the last cone the player takes one hard dribble at the lane and steps one hard step back dribble and then quickly crosses over, creates space with 1 dribble for a jumper.