Basic wall/partner passing
Stand 15-20 feet from a partner or a wall. Practice throwing all the various types of passes (chest, bounce, overhead, behind the back, etc.) with precision. Aim to hit your partner in a specific spot (their hand, their chest, their waist) or to hit the wall in a particular spot (mark an “x” with tape, or pick out a specific block on a wall with large bricks).
Wall Passing Series (also can be done with a partner):
Figure 8 + pass:
Standing approximate 8-10 feet from a hard wall (something a ball will bounce back to you off of). Complete a non-dribble figure 8 with the ball through your legs. Start the figure 8 by putting the ball through your legs from the front with the right hand, when the ball gets back to your right hand you then through the ball off the wall in front of you. Catch the ball with two hands then repeat the figure 8 + pass
Variation: Start the figure 8 with the left hand.
2 ball 1 hand passing:
Standing 10-15 feet from the wall and using just one hand pass a ball off the wall so that it hits the wall between waist and chest height and then bounces back to you at about the same height after one bounce on the floor. As soon as ball #1 hits the wall pass the second ball in the same way so both balls flow in a continuous matter…each time you pass both balls it is one rep
Variation: Complete with the right hand or the left hand, or alternate hands.
Behind the back passing:
Stand approximately 5ft from the wall, with your side facing that wall. Using just one hand, throw a behind-the-back pass off the wall so you can catch the bounce off the wall in front of you with the same hand you used to throw the pass. You may only touch the ball with one hand during this drill. This should be a continuous loop of passing, catching, wrapping the ball around the back, passing, catching….
Variation: Complete with the right hand or the left hand.
Slide + Pass: Slide laterally while facing a wall or another player (approximately 8 feet). Slide while continually passing then catching the ball.
Sweep/Pivot Chair Passing:
Set-up a chair (or have a player stand) about 8 feet from a wall (or another player)…the chair will serve as a defender. Stand directly in front of the chair in the triple threat position. From this position you will use multiple moves to get around a defender and pass the ball
Sweep (weak side): If a right handed player, establish left foot as pivot foot. Sweep the ball quickly across your chest or across your shoelaces to the left while stepping your right foot to the left of the defender. Pass the ball off the wall using a chest or bounce pass, while keeping your body between the defender and the ball. (Opposite steps for left handed player)
Sweep (strong side): If a right handed player, establish left foot as pivot foot. Step your right foot further to the right quickly using a short step to the right of the defender. Pass the ball off the wall using a chest or bounce pass…try to get your left shoulder into the defender keeping your body between the defender and the ball. (Opposite steps for left handed player)
Sweep + pivot: Execute either of the above sweeps. However, instead of passing the ball after the sweep, fake a pass and pivot away from the defender
For weak side sweep it will be a forward pivot away from defender, ending in the same final position as you would have in the strong side sweep…left shoulder into the defender followed by chest/bounce pass.
For strong side sweep it will be a reverse pivot away from defender, ending in the same final position as you would have in the weak side sweep…body between the defender and the ball followed by chest/bounce pass
Dribble/Passing Drills
Dribble Move + Pass Series
This series is to be done standing approximately 10-15 feet from a wall. This includes a mix of passing and ball handling. It is important to try to be as crisp as possible. Select on spot on the wall to aim at for every pass thrown.
One dribble + pass (One rep looks like this: 1 dribble with R hand, one handed pass off the wall with right hand, catch, 1 dribble with L hand, one handed pass off the wall with left hand.
Through legs + pass (dribble through legs R to L, one handed pass off wall with left hand, one handed catch with L hand, through legs L to R, one handed pass with R hand, one handed catch with R hand)
20x behind back + pass (dribble through legs R to L, one handed pass off wall with left hand, one handed catch with L hand, through legs L to R, one handed pass with R hand, one handed catch with R hand)
Double through the legs (not the scissor dribble) + pass (dribble through legs R to L, then immediately back L to R without scissoring your legs, one handed pass off wall with right hand, one handed catch with L hand, through legs L to R, then immediately back R to L, one handed pass with L hand, one handed catch with R hand)
Behind back twice + pass (dribble behind the back R to L, then immediately back L to R, one handed pass off wall with right hand, one handed catch with L hand, behind back L to R, then immediately back R to L, one handed pass with L hand, one handed catch with R hand)
Through legs, behind the back + pass (dribble through legs R to L, then immediately behind the back L to R, one handed pass off wall with right hand, one handed catch with L hand, through legs L to R, then immediately behind the back R to L, one handed pass with L hand, one handed catch with R hand)
