Basketball Fundamentals: Building Fundamental Skills

The fundamentals of basketball include skills such as footwork, dribbling, shooting, and passing, which basketball players need to learn to play the game of basketball. Young players usually learn the basic fundamentals of the game (offensive and defensive skills) at middle school–age from basketball coaches as part of their physical education classes or youth basketball league. Skill development remains a foundation of basketball practice in high school and at higher levels of education; even professional players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and other leagues continue to hone their fundamental skills as part of practice time and warm-ups before games.

Basketball fundamentals give players a foundational understanding of the game and build confidence and muscle memory that they can draw from on the court. By understanding fundamentals and practicing them regularly through basketball drills, players improve both their basketball skill levels and the ease with which they apply these skills. Basketball fundamentals also open up more opportunities for playing time; a player can do well in any position on a basketball team if they understand the fundamentals of the game.

There are several fundamental skills every basketball player, from young players to professionals, should know. They include:

1. 1. Footwork: All fundamental skills require an understanding of footwork, which is more than just the ability to run at full speed on the court. Footwork skills include how to backpedal while boxing out an opponent, foot placement and weight distribution for a defensive slide, and the right setup to make a jab step to an opponent when in a triple-threat position (a stance with the option to shoot, pass, or dribble).
2. 2. Dribbling: Every position on a basketball team, from centers to point guards, needs to understand ball handling in order to be effective offensive players. Regular dribbling drills will teach them basic dribble moves: how to dribble with their head up, crossover, use their left hand and right hand with equal dexterity, or pass a ball from one hand to the other. Once players understand dribbling, they can use those skills to control the ball, especially during tricky strategic moves like the pick and roll.
3. 3. Shooting: Learning to shoot is also an important fundamental skill. Scoring a field goal by shooting a basket helps to win games, but without the right shooting technique, players have no control over their shots. Through shooting drills, players learn hand placement, proper stance, and long-distance shooting from half-court or the free throw line.
4. 4. Passing: Passing is more than throwing a ball to a teammate. It requires decision-making skills, a keen understanding of the many kinds of passes, and the spacing required to make an effective pass. Passing drills teach the fundamentals of partner passing, from chest passes to bounce passes.
5. 5. Rebounding: Rebounding drills teach the two types of rebounding: offensive rebounding, in which an offense player grabs a missed field goal attempt by their own team, and defensive rebounding, in which a defensive player grabs a missed field goal by an offensive player. Players need to know how to use their bodies to box out an opponent and prevent rebounds, as well as the ability to grab a rebound and run to the other end of the court in a fast break.
6. 6. Defense: Players must understand how to defend against an opponent in a one-on-one situation, or man-to-man defense. Defensive drills teach the proper defensive stance, and how to defend in half-court and full-court games, as well as how to defend in perimeter situations along the sidelines and in close quarters with post players (those near the baseline). More advanced drills teach zone defense, in which players cover a specific area of the court.
7. 7. Jumping: Jumping fundamentals include the skills to carry out any number of jump shots, including layups, slam dunks, and three-pointers. They also include the proper technique to step and land on both feet for a jump stop and help players decide when to use two feet or a left-foot-right-foot step for a jump shot.

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The fundamentals of basketball include skills such as footwork, dribbling, shooting, and passing, which basketball players need to learn to play the game of basketball. Young players usually learn the basic fundamentals of the game (offensive and defensive skills) at middle school–age from basketball coaches as part of their physical education classes or youth basketball league. Skill development remains a foundation of basketball practice in high school and at higher levels of education; even professional players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and other leagues continue to hone their fundamental skills as part of practice time and warm-ups before games.

Basketball fundamentals give players a foundational understanding of the game and build confidence and muscle memory that they can draw from on the court. By understanding fundamentals and practicing them regularly through basketball drills, players improve both their basketball skill levels and the ease with which they apply these skills. Basketball fundamentals also open up more opportunities for playing time; a player can do well in any position on a basketball team if they understand the fundamentals of the game.

There are several fundamental skills every basketball player, from young players to professionals, should know. They include:

1. 1. Footwork: All fundamental skills require an understanding of footwork, which is more than just the ability to run at full speed on the court. Footwork skills include how to backpedal while boxing out an opponent, foot placement and weight distribution for a defensive slide, and the right setup to make a jab step to an opponent when in a triple-threat position (a stance with the option to shoot, pass, or dribble).
2. 2. Dribbling: Every position on a basketball team, from centers to point guards, needs to understand ball handling in order to be effective offensive players. Regular dribbling drills will teach them basic dribble moves: how to dribble with their head up, crossover, use their left hand and right hand with equal dexterity, or pass a ball from one hand to the other. Once players understand dribbling, they can use those skills to control the ball, especially during tricky strategic moves like the pick and roll.
3. 3. Shooting: Learning to shoot is also an important fundamental skill. Scoring a field goal by shooting a basket helps to win games, but without the right shooting technique, players have no control over their shots. Through shooting drills, players learn hand placement, proper stance, and long-distance shooting from half-court or the free throw line.
4. 4. Passing: Passing is more than throwing a ball to a teammate. It requires decision-making skills, a keen understanding of the many kinds of passes, and the spacing required to make an effective pass. Passing drills teach the fundamentals of partner passing, from chest passes to bounce passes.
5. 5. Rebounding: Rebounding drills teach the two types of rebounding: offensive rebounding, in which an offense player grabs a missed field goal attempt by their own team, and defensive rebounding, in which a defensive player grabs a missed field goal by an offensive player. Players need to know how to use their bodies to box out an opponent and prevent rebounds, as well as the ability to grab a rebound and run to the other end of the court in a fast break.
6. 6. Defense: Players must understand how to defend against an opponent in a one-on-one situation, or man-to-man defense. Defensive drills teach the proper defensive stance, and how to defend in half-court and full-court games, as well as how to defend in perimeter situations along the sidelines and in close quarters with post players (those near the baseline). More advanced drills teach zone defense, in which players cover a specific area of the court.
7. 7. Jumping: Jumping fundamentals include the skills to carry out any number of jump shots, including layups, slam dunks, and three-pointers. They also include the proper technique to step and land on both feet for a jump stop and help players decide when to use two feet or a left-foot-right-foot step for a jump shot.

Want to become a better athlete? The MasterClass Annual Membership provides exclusive video lessons from the world’s best athletes, including Stephen Curry, Tony Hawk, Serena Williams, Wayne Gretzky, Misty Copeland, and more.