🏀 5 Essential Youth Basketball Drills to Build Fundamentals

5 Perfect drills for youth Basketball Tryouts, Practice, or to warm up to play!

Here are five youth basketball drills to focus on core skills—ideal for young athletes looking to improve their basketball skills and overall game and to get ready for the basketball season starts with mastering the basics. .

1. Form Shooting Drill

Focus: Shooting technique
Start close to the basket and practice proper form—elbow in, follow through, and balanced stance. Repetition builds muscle memory and shooting consistency. Focus on the swish sound as the ball goes in.

🏀 Coach Joe’s Tip: I still use this to warm up. Make 3 shots in a row, then take a step back. Continue until you reach the free-throw line or top of the key.

2. Follow Your Shot Drill

Focus: Finishing at the rim and rebounding
Shoot from outside, follow your shot, rebound, and go right back up to score. Great for building confidence and learning how the ball moves off missed shots.

🏀 Coach Joe’s Tip: Tracking your shot helps improve rebounding instincts and scoring from different angles.

3. Dribbling Cone Drill

Focus: Ball control and hand coordination
Set up cones or court markers in a zigzag pattern. Dribble through using both hands. Use the outside hand to cross over at each cone—or between the legs for a challenge.

🏀 Coach Joe’s Tip: Keep your eyes up and dribble low to simulate game-like awareness and improve court vision.

4. Wall Passing Drill (or Partner Passing Drill)

Focus: Passing accuracy and form
Use a solid wall or work with a partner to practice chest, bounce, and overhead passes. Focus on clean form and backspin.

🏀 Coach Joe’s Tip: Draw a chalk target if allowed. Practice catching and getting into a triple-threat stance to be ready to shoot or drive.

5. Defensive Slide Drill

Focus: Footwork and defense
Slide side-to-side in a defensive stance to build agility and positioning. Crucial for basketball tryouts and defensive play.

🏀 Coach Joe’s Tip: Stay low, back straight, and hands up. Hold your stance for 15–20 seconds to build leg strength and stamina.

These drills combine basketball fundamentals, youth sports development, and fun coaching techniques—helping young players build skills and confidence before the season tips off.

📩 Contact Coach Joe for personalized coaching tips or to learn more about youth basketball programs in Camden, Elgin, Lugoff, and Columbia, SC!  Also, follow me on Facebook and Instagram under CoachJoe4Homes.  For more tips from Coach Joe visit https://coachjoe.org/blog and register at https://coachjoe.org/

I am always happy to help.