Youth Basketball Drills

Youth basketball lays the foundation for aspiring players, fostering a love for the game and the fundamental skills essential for success on the court. Engaging in purposeful and structured drills is a key component of this developmental journey.

These youth basketball drills provide a proper variety to further your players’ offensive & defensive skills, not to mention overall teamwork!

Youth Basketball Drills for 5-Year-Olds

Dribble Relay Race

Set up:

• Divide your players into equal teams.
• For each team, set up two cones. One cone will be at the start line, and the other will be 20 feet away.
• Each player will have a basketball.

Execution:

• On your whistle, the first player in each line dribbles the ball from the starting cone to the end cone.
• Once they reach the end cone, they will dribble around it and return to the starting cone.

Simon Says

Set up:

• Provide each player with a basketball.
• Spread them across the court, ensuring there is ample space between each player.
• One player (or the coach) will start as the “Simon.”

Execution:

• Simon will begin by giving a command, such as “Simon says dribble with your right hand” or “Simon says do a crossover dribble.”
• If a player doesn’t properly follow the command, they will sit down.
• The last player standing will win the game.

Partner Passing

Set up:

• Pair up your players across the court.
• One player in each pair will have a basketball.

Execution:

• Players will take turns executing chest, overhead, and bounce passes to each other.
• If space permits, players can take a few steps back and continue passing further from each other.

Red Light, Green Light Defense

Set up:

• Spread your players across the court.
• Make sure there is 2-3 feet between each player. *No ball is needed

Execution:

• You will take turns calling out Red Light, Green Light.
• For Green Light, players will shuffle laterally while staying in an athletic stance (knees bent, hands out, and back straight).
• For Red Light, players will freeze in defensive stance.

Youth Basketball Drills for 8-Year-Olds

Dribble Knockout

Set up:

• Place 6-8 players on each half of the court.
• Each player will have a basketball.

Execution:

• Players try to knock other opponents’ balls out of bounds while protecting their own ball with proper body positioning.
• If a player has their ball knocked out of their hands, they will move to the side of the court.
• The last player remaining will be crowned the winner.

Passing Relay

Set up:

• Divide your players into teams of 5-6.
• Line up your teams at the baseline on one end of the court.
• The first player in each line will have a ball.

Execution:

• On your whistle, the first player will dribble & pass the ball to the player behind them.
• After executing the pass, they will run to the back of the line.
• The next player will execute a pass to their teammate. *Have players jog or shuffle while passing.
• The first team to reach their “starting” order will win.

Layup Lines

Set up:

• Have players form two lines, one on the left & right sides of the baseline.
• Each player will have a ball in hand.

Execution:

• The first player in the left line will dribble towards the other end of the court and execute a layup.
• Note: If they are in the left line, they will use their left hand to execute a layup and vice versa.
• After executing a layup, they will dribble back to the start line. The next player in line will immediately take their turn.

Perimeter Defense Drill

Set up:

• Four offensive players & four defensive players will start off the drill.
• Defense players will spread across the perimeter on one half of the court, covering offensive players in their respective positions.

Execution:

• The offensive team will start by passing and moving towards the net.
• The defense will stay in athletic stance when necessary, execute slides & rotations (as the ball moves), and close out on the ball handler when appropriate to block the shot.

Jump & Grab Rebounding

Set up:

• Line up your players under the basket in a single-file line.
• Have a coach positioned on one side of the basket near the free-throw line.

Execution:

• The coach starts by shooting the ball.
• The first player in line will jump straight up to secure the rebound.
• Note: When executing the rebound, ensure players use their fingertips rather than the palm of their hands.

Youth Basketball Drills for 12-Year-Olds

Dribble Around the Cones

Set up:

• Place 6-8 cones on the floor in a zig-zag pattern or straight line. The cones should be 3-4 feet apart.
• Create as many lines as you can on the court, giving ample space between each line.
• Behind each line of cones, divide up your players equally.

Execution:

• On your whistle, the first player in each line will weave around the cones in a low and controlled motion.
• Once they get to the end of the cones, they will switch to dribbling with their other hand.

Note: Players must keep their knees bent, back straight, and eyes up throughout the entire drill. Ensure players practice a low dribble (between their ankles and waist).

Target Shooting

Set up:

• Place 5 cones around the key areas of your court:
  • Right baseline
  • Left baseline
  • Right wing
  • Left wing
  • Top of the key
• Line up your players and give each one a ball.

Execution:

• The first player in line will start at the first spot (right baseline).
• They will attempt to make a shot from that spot. If the shot is successful, they will dribble and move to the next spot.
• If at any point they miss the shot, they will go to the back of the line, and the next player will take their turn.

Layup Progression

• Players will form a single-file line, each with a ball in hand.
• The progression in the layup sequence will be as follows:
  • Stationary layup: Players will start close to the basket. Without dribbling, they will perform a layup.
  • One-dribble layup: Players will start a few feet away from the basket. When ready, they will take one dribble and perform a layup with the correct hand.
  • Two-dribble layup: Players will start 10-12 feet away from the basket. Players will take two dribbles before performing a layup (alternating between right-hand & left-hand layups).

*All players will perform the stationary layup, then they will rotate to the next progression.

Rebound Race

Set up:

• Divide players into equal teams.
• Have a coach positioned on one side of the basket near the free-throw line.
• Place pylons 10-15 feet from the basket to mark the “starting lines.” *One pylon for each team you have.

Execution:

• The coach will start by shooting the ball.
• The first player in each line will sprint to the basket and attempt to secure the rebound.
• The player who successfully secures the rebound will be awarded a point for their team.
• After each player has had a turn, add up the points.

Mirror Defense

Set up:

• Pair up players anywhere on the court. One player will be the “leader” and the other will be the “mirror.”
• Players should be 6-8 apart.
• No balls will be needed for this drill.

Execution:

• The leader will move from side to side, forward, and backward.
• The defender must mirror every movement.
• After 30 seconds, players will switch roles.

Note: Ensure defense keeps their feet wide & stays on the balls of their feet to quickly mimic their partner’s movements.

Evaluate Youth Basketball Drills with SkillShark

In the midst of an ever-evolving digital landscape in sports is SkillShark’s basketball evaluation app, a platform designed for coaches to easily score athletes and access real-time data.

1. Real-time Feedback for Instant Adjustments

As scores are entered on a mobile device, they’re instantly stored on the backend and formatted into a variety of reports for coaches to review after any evaluation. This allows coaches to offer immediate feedback, enabling players to make on-the-fly adjustments and corrections.

2. Progress Tracking for Long-term Development

SkillShark is highly effective at tracking player development across multiple events, whether within a single year or over several seasons. The platform maintains a historical record of performance metrics, allowing coaches to track a player’s progress and provide feedback along the way.

3. Customizable Metrics for Varied Drills

SkillShark offers the ability for coaches to customize their evaluation template(s) with the skills and metrics that matter to them most. Depending on the type of evaluation or age group, drills may vary. However, multiple evaluation templates can be created, shared (with any evaluator), and saved on the app.

Looking For an Easier Way to Evaluate Basketball Players?

Using SkillShark, you can easily score basketball players on your smartphone or tablet. Once your evaluation is complete, instantly gain access to player reports. Review player data and draft teams on the same day!