Update: We have added a big set of basketball drills for beginners by some of the best professionals of the game in the end of this article. Be sure to check them!
Your 8-year-old, his friends, and their parents have turned to you. You’re to be the next youth basketball coach. Where do you start? Basketball drills. But you haven’t played since high school. Sure you know the game and some drills, but will that translate to a team of 8-year-olds? Maybe, maybe not. If you find yourself scrounging around for basketball drills for beginners, you’ve come to the right place.
While Coach K might receive accolades far and wide, he owes a big thank you to the youth basketball coaches who shaped the skills of his Duke players. The proper basketball drills for beginners fine-tune the necessary skills for players to succeed at the next level. They’re skills that a player will carry with them for the rest of their basketball careers.
Dribbling
For starters, while it may sound chaotic, you should try and make sure each player has a ball at all times. It keeps them engaged, and it will enhance their ball handling. As for a drill, start by lining up 5 on the court, 5 feet apart. Have each player dribble to the first cone with their right hand then dribble to the next cone with their left. Have them continue alternating between cones then, once everyone has gone, have them come back the other way. It’s important to remember during these drills you can also emphasize footwork and other skills outside of dribbling.
Form Shooting
This is a basketball drill for beginners that all youth coaches should emphasize. Without proper form shooting, bad habits can develop. Start off by covering the proper grip and motion. Then, as a drill, line your players up 2-3 feet from the right side of the basket. Have them shoot and rebound 15 shots. Be meticulous about their form. Then have them shoot from the left side.
Passing
When it comes to basketball drills for beginners, passing is about as easy as it comes. Partner your players up and have them stand 6-8 feet apart. Properly demonstrate then have them practice chest passes, bounce passes, and overhead passes. Emphasize the importance of teamwork and proper ball movement. Once they get the hang of it, you might want to introduce a 2-ball passing drill.
When it comes to basketball drills for beginners, it’s important to remember a few things. For starters, they’re beginners. Don’t assume anything. Show them everything. Then, show them again. Try and keep them engaged. Try to make sure each player has a ball throughout most of the practice. Otherwise, they’ll get bored and eventually develop bad habits. Furthermore, and lastly, remember that there are a number of skills involved with each drill. Remind your players about fundamentals throughout each drill, regardless of what its focus may be.
Here are Drills for Beginners by some of the best basketball coaches.
Ball Handling Drills by Danny Harley
A set of Ball Handling Drills for beginners by coach Danny Harley. Click on the link below to download it:
One on One Scoring Progressions | Scoring and Ballhandling Progressions
Here is the Spartan Team Skills Development–One on One Progressions | Scoring and Ball-Handling. He just used on a elite club team here is SA. Great workout to keep bodies moving and get a lot of repetitions!!Click on the pdf link to download the basketball drills for your basketball playbooks:
One on One Scoring Progressions
Click on the pdf link to download the basketball drills for your basketball playbooks:
Scoring and Ballhandling Progressions
Jay Wright Villanova “Get 50” Shooting Drills | Youth Basketball Drills for Beginners
We have a new addition to our basketball coaching website and it will deal with basketball drills and basketball coaching clinic notes. It is Coach Ponchak’s Basketball Chalktalk.
Make sure that you check out his Coach Ponchak’s Basketball Chalktalk Twice a Week!
Click here to follow Coach Ponchak on Twitter!
Click on the free basketball drills from Jay Wright’s Shooting Program for your basketball playbooks:
Brandon Rosenthal | Youth Basketball Offense Clinic Notes | Youth Basketball Drills

We have a Youth Basketball Clinic for our Youth Basketball Coaches today on Brandon Rosenthal’s Daily Chalkboard. He is an graduate assistant at St. Edward’s University in Texas.
Make sure that you check out his Daily Chalkboard.
Click here to follow Brandon Rosenthal on Twitter here
Click on the pdf link to download the youth basketball drills / basketball drills for beginners for your Youth Basketball Offense Drill Playbooks:
Basketball Drills for Beginners–Youth Basketball Offense Clinic Notes–Youth Basketball Drills
Tom Izzo War Drill | Basketball Drills for Kids | Basketball Drills for Beginners
We have a new addition to our basketball coaching website and it will deal with basketball drills for beginners and basketball coaching clinic notes.
Make sure that you check out Today’s edition of notes on War Drill. Coach Ponchak did a great job with these youth basketball drills. It is a must to read!
Click here to follow Coach Ponchak on Twitter!
Click on the pdf link to download the Youth Basketball Drills for your Basketball Playbook:
Mike Rice | Rutgers Full Court Chair 1 on 1 Drill | Basketball Drills | Basketball Drills for Beginners
Make sure that you check out his Coach Ponchak’s Basketball Chalktalk Twice a Week!
Click here to follow Coach Ponchak on Twitter!
Click on the pdf link to download the free Youth Basketball Drills for your Basketball Playbook:
Mike Rice–Rutgers Full Court Chair 1 on 1 Drill–Basketball Drills–Basketball Drills for Beginners
Leonard Hamilton | Florida State Dribbling Drills | Basketball Drills for Kids
Click on the pdf link to download the basketball drills for kids for your basketball playbook:
Youth Basketball Drills–Leonard Hamilton Florida State Dribbling Drills–Basketball Drills for Kids
California Shooting Drills
Click here to follow Coach Ponchak on Twitter
Click on the pdf link below to download the “California Shooting” Basketball Drills for your basketball playbook:
Tim Cluess Iona College Transition Offense | Five Star Coaching Clinic–Basketball Drills for Beginners
Click on the pdf link to download the Basketball Offenses to your Basketball Playbooks:
Youth Basketball Drills | Bird Shooting Drill
Make sure that you check out Today’s edition of notes on the “Bird Shooting Drill”. Coach Ponchak did a great job with these youth basketball drills. It is a must to read!
Click here to follow Coach Ponchak on Twitter!
Click on the pdf link below to download the Bird Shooting Drill–Youth Basketball Drills for your basketball playbook:
Youth Basketball Drills–Bird Shooting Drill–Basketball Drills for Beginners
Brandon Rosenthal | Youth Basketball Drills | Basketball Drills for Beginners
Click on the pdf link to download the youth basketball drills for your basketball playbooks:
Front and Rear Turns for youth basketball beginners
Coach Preheim will show us some fundamental youth basketball drills today. The drill today is “Front and Rear” Turns for youth basketball players. It is a great drill that you can use in your basketball camps.
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Click on the pdf link to download the basketball drills for your basketball playbook:
Youth Basketball Drills: Front and Rear Turns for youth basketball beginners
“Drop it” Drill | Transition offense / defense | Basketball drills for beginners
Coach David Preheim shows us the “Drop it” Drill today. It is one of his great youth basketball drills used to improve your team’s Defensive Transition skills. I hope that you enjoy!
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Click on the pdf link to download the basketball drills for your basketball playbook:
Youth Basketball Drills–“Drop it” Drill–Transition offense / defense–Basketball drills for beginners
Don Meyer “Full Court Passing” Drills | Youth Basketball Drills | Basketball Drills for Beginners
Coach David Preheim shows us a Don Meyer “Full Court Passing” Drill today. It is one of his great youth basketball drills used to improve your team’s passing skills. I hope that you enjoy!
Follow David Preheim on Twitter!
Click on the pdf link to download the basketball drills for your basketball playbook:
Don Meyer “Full Court Passing” Drills–Youth Basketball Drills–Basketball Drills for Beginners
Youth Defensive Basketball Drills | Take away the baseline drill | Basketball Drills for Beginners
Our basketball coaching website today will deal with basketball drills for beginners and basketball coaching clinic notes. Here is Coach Ponchak’s Basketball Chalktalk. He is an Varsity Basketball Coach at Fair Lawn High School in Fair Lawn, NJ.
Make sure that you check out Today’s edition of notes on the “Take Away the Baseline Drill”. Coach Ponchak did a great job with these youth basketball drills. It is a must to read!
Click here to follow Coach Ponchak on Twitter
Click on the pdf link to download the defensive basketball drills for your basketball playbook:
Youth Defensive Basketball Drills–Take away the baseline drill–Basketball Drills for Beginners
Youth Defensive Drills | 3 on 2 continuous Transition Defensive Drill | Basketball Drills for Beginners
We have 3 on 2 Continuous Transition Drill today on Brandon Rosenthal’s Daily Chalkboard. He is an graduate assistant at St. Edward’s University in Texas.
Click here to follow Brandon Rosenthal on Twitter here
Click on the pdf link below to download the free 3 on 2 continuous Transition Defensive Drill for your Basketball Playbook:
Youth Defensive Drills–3 on 2 continuous Transition Defensive Drill–Basketball Drills for Beginners
Jim Calhoun UCONN Close-Out Drills
We have a new addition to our basketball coaching website and it will deal with basketball drills for beginners and basketball coaching clinic notes. It is Coach Ponchak’s Basketball Chalktalk. He is an Varsity Basketball Coach at Fair Lawn High School in Fair Lawn, NJ.
Make sure that you check out Today’s edition of notes on UCONN Close-out Drill. Coach Ponchak did a great job with these youth basketball drills. It is a must to read!
Click here to follow Coach Ponchak on Twitter!
Click on the pdf link to download the youth basketball drills for your basketball playbook:
Youth Basketball Drills–Jim Calhoun UCONN Close-Out Drills–Basketball Drills for Beginners
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