Passing Off The Dribble
22.01.17
Although the best passers in history have made the difference PASSING OFF THE DRIBBLE, many coaches argue that it’s too risky to execute a pass off the dribble because it can become a turnover. That’s why they don’t teach their players how to do it.
Bob Cousy
'60
Chris Paul
'10
Pete Maravich
'70
Steve Nash
'00
Magic Johnson
'80
John Stockton
'90
UNPREDICTABLE
Having great control of passing off the dribble permits you to create a lot of uncertainty on the opponent. You never know if the player is going to pass, to continue dribbling or to shoot the ball.
Handling Fakes
The most unpredictable players are those who are able to cheat, act and fake while they dribble.
How to do it
·Rhythm of dribble: Fast / Slow
·Height of dribble: High / Low
·Cheating with the shoulders and the body
·Fooling with the eyes and face expressions
·Faking passes while handling: wrists and fingers
QUICKNESS
Time in basketball is measured in decimals of a second, because depending on that small fraction of time you can make a pass or a shot.
Passing off the dribble allows us to not waste any time in the transition from the dribble to the pass, this is why it’s ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS FOR ANY MODERN BASKETBALL PLAYER.
REQUIREMENTS TO HAVE A GOOD TECHNIQUE
·Having great ball handling skills
·Dribbling really hard to throw strong passes
·Dribbling without looking at the ball, always
·Having good control over wrists and fingers
PASSING TIMMING
Knowing how to read the game and anticipate the defense is essential to be a good passer off the dribble. It’s important that players have a good Basketball IQ in order to synchronize the dribble with each game situation.
Players
To Follow
CJ McCollum
Portland Trail Blazers
Nando de Colo
CSKA Moscow
WHY THESE PLAYERS?
·They aren’t famous players because of their passing abilities, but their technique passing the ball is perfect
·Their way of passing off the dribble is highly recommended: playing always low and in balance, having a great ball handling skills and always keeping the dribble alive until they take a decision
·They are players who have experienced a huge improvement in their skill set (handling, passing and shooting) to get to the top
·They are affordable examples for many young players who dream with playing professional
PRACTICE
Recommended Drill
PASSING PER PAIRS
MANDATORY TO BE IN BASIC STANCE
Variations
·Different number of balls: one, two, three or four
·Different kind of dribbling: high, low, inside, outside, faking
·Different crossovers: simples, between the legs, behind the back, double crossovers
·Adding more players
The best idea, like everything in basketball, is to do the technical corrections in every practice situation, either in drills or playing.
