Video Tip
Presented by Brendan Smith, Camp Director
11 Basketball Drills You Can Do At Home
Want to work on your game, but there’s no hoop in sight?
No worries. As long as you have a ball, there are LOTS of things you can do to hone your basketball skills.
You’ll be able to take advantage of many more opportunities to train when you realize you don’t need a gym or a court to practice. You just need a ball and a plan!
Check out eleven drills Nike US Sports Camps coach Brendan Smith uses with his players.
And heads up: for those of you who do have a hoop, we’ve also included a few options for incorporating shooting practice into these drills. (For more, try out this basketball shooting drill, too.)
>> Ready to dig in and take your game to the next level? Explore our offerings and find a basketball camp near you.
Best At-Home Basketball Drills
1. Ball Wraps
Instructions: Rotate the ball around your body, from one arm to the other, while walking at a brisk pace. Make tight turns when you need to change direction.
Pro Tip: Try to keep the ball off your body as it moves from one side to the other. Ideally, the ball is only moving from hand to hand.
2. Figure 8
Instructions: Pass the ball between your legs while walking forward at a brisk, consistent pace.
Pro Tip: This drill seems simple, but it can actually be quite challenging! Make sure to stay low to the ground. Keep your focus, and do your best to avoid letting the ball hit your leg.
3. Dribble Tap Court
Instructions: Walk while dribbling with one hand, tapping the ground every three dribbles with the other. Repeat with the other hand.
Pro Tip: Keep your head up and look forward. Stay as low as possible and pound the ball into the ground. Don't let the ball force you to rise from your low stance. Do your best to move fluidly.
4. Jump Stop
Instructions: Toss the ball just in front of you. Jump stop, making sure to land on two feet. Take a jab step, followed by a shot fake. Then repeat.
Pro Tip: As you’re doing this drill, check that you’re landing in a low triple threat (pass, dribble, shoot) stance.
5. X Dribble
Instructions: This drill can work on or off the court. Find some open space where you can dribble. If you’re not on a court, consider setting up cones or something else that will help you approximate the distance between the basket and the elbows. Start at the baseline, to one side of the basket (or where the basket would be). Dribble to the opposite elbow, or approximately that distance and direction. Once you reach the elbow, turn and dribble back to the baseline on the same side. Repeat, dribbling to the opposite elbow on the other side. As you continue, your movements should form a rough “X.”
Pro Tip: Make sure you’re going as fast as you can while staying in control. Try to avoid wide turns, keeping tight to the cones if you’ve set them up. Keep your head up and avoid looking down at the court. If you do have a hoop, you can add in layups. If not, substitute a dribble combination. Complete two 30-second sets.
6. Cone Drop
Instructions: This drill is done with cones (or another set of lightweight objects) rather than a ball. If you’re on a court, set a line of cones along one side of the paint. If you’re not, you’ll need to approximate the distance from one edge of the paint to the other. Grab a cone from one side of the paint. Stay low in a defensive stance while sliding sideways to the other edge, dropping the cone on the other side. Then repeat with the next cone.
Pro Tip: While sliding, stay low in your defensive stance with your shoulders back and head up. Try not to lean over—good posture is key. Complete two sets of 30 seconds. See how many cones you can move during that window. (Maybe you can even move them back to the other side!)
7. Baseline Dribble
Instructions: For this drill, set up cones or other objects that approximate the distance from one edge of the court to the other. Dribble across it. Typically, while doing this drill on a court, you’d take a shot. But in this case, when you reach the spot where the basket would be, you can substitute a shot with a dribble combination. Ideas include dribbling behind your back or between your legs.
Pro Tip: Make sure you’re going as fast as you can while staying in control. Stay tight to the cones when you change direction, avoiding wide turns. Keep your head up the entire drill and avoid looking down at the court. If you do have a hoop, use your jump stop layup (jump off two feet). Complete two sets of 30 seconds.
8. Spin out series (right side)
Instructions: Start at the baseline, to the right side of the hoop (or a cone that marks the hoop). Backspin the ball out to the elbow area on the right side of the hoop. Catch the ball while landing on two feet in a triple threat position. Pivot on your inside foot and turn to face the basket. If you have a hoop, shoot the ball. If you don’t have a hoop, add in a dribble combination instead. Repeat 7–10 times, or until you’ve made 5 shots.
Pro Tip: Work on changing up your pace as you run through this drill. How does it feel different as you vary your movements?
9. Spin out series (left side)
Instructions: Start at the baseline, to the left side of the hoop (or a cone that marks the hoop). Backspin the ball out to the elbow area on the left side of the hoop. Catch the ball while landing on two feet in a triple threat position. Pivot on your inside foot and turn to face the basket. If you have a hoop, shoot the ball. If you don’t have a hoop, add in a dribble combination instead. Repeat 7–10 times, or until you’ve made 5 shots.
Pro Tip: Notice that we’re repeating the same thing on the left and right side. You want to maintain balance and versatility by practicing on both sides whenever possible.
10. Spin out series (right side layup)
Instructions: Start at the baseline, to the right side of the hoop (or a cone that marks the hoop). Backspin the ball out to the elbow area on the right side of the hoop. Catch the ball while landing on two feet in a triple threat position. Shot fake above your head, then bring the ball back down to your waist area, transferring it to your right hip. Dribble toward the basket (or toward the cone). Take a layup if you have a basket, or substitute a dribble combination.
Pro Tip: Repeat 7–10 times, or until you’ve made 5 shots.
11. Spin out series (left side layup)
Instructions: Start at the baseline, to the left side of the hoop (or a cone that marks the hoop). Backspin the ball out to the elbow area on the left side of the hoop. Catch the ball while landing on two feet in a triple threat position. Shot fake above your head, then bring the ball back down to your waist area, transferring it to your left hip. Dribble toward the basket (or toward the cone). Take a layup if you have a basket, or substitute a dribble combination.
Pro Tip: Repeat 7–10 times, or until you’ve made 5 shots.
The Benefits of At-Home Drills
Incorporate these drills into your weekly routine. Chart your progress to see how you grow as a player.
In our experience, even practice done without a court or a basket can boost your performance substantially if you stay consistent!
For more drills like these and expert coaching from top-tier experts like Brendan Smith, check out our basketball camps and register today.