Top 10 Basketball Drills to Do By Yourself

Video by One Up Basketball on YouTube

Top 10 Basketball Drills to Do By Yourself

If you want to improve fast in a short amount of time, you need to prioritize drills that train the skills that happen most often in games.

The Solo Practice Principle

Too many players spend time on flashy moves they'll never use. Elite players focus their solo work on:

1. Ball handling — because you need it every possession
2. Finishing — because you'll attack the rim on every drive
3. Shooting — because every offensive play ends with a shot attempt

These 10 drills cover all three categories with combinations that replicate game scenarios.

The 10 Drills

Ball Handling

1. Two-ball dribble series — pound, alternate, crossover, through-legs (2 min)
2. Figure-8 with speed variation — slow, medium, then max speed (90 sec)
3. Cone slalom — dribble through 5 cones with a change of direction at each (3 × 3)

Finishing

1. Mikan drill — continuous layup alternating hands (2 min)
2. Euro step layup — from the wing, full speed, both sides (10 each)
3. Floater series — mid-range from both sides of the lane (15 each)

Shooting

1. Catch-and-shoot spots — 5 spots around the arc, 3 shots each (without moving)
2. Off-the-dribble pull-up — one dribble, pull-up jumper (10 each side)
3. Corner three after sprint — sprint the baseline, catch, shoot (10 each)

Combo (Game-Realistic)

1. Drive → Kick → Relocate → Shoot — simulate the most common offensive sequence

Tips for Solo Practice

• Eyes up at all times during ball handling
• Pound the ball hard — lazy dribbles create lazy habits
• Full speed on every finishing drill
• Set a timer, not a rep count — this forces consistent pace