Top 5 Basketball Passing Drills To Improve Your Game

Passing is the most overlooked skill at all levels of basketball. Coaches, trainers, and players forget to add passing drills into their practice plan and usually rely on passing to organically happen in the other drills during practices and workouts. I believe making a decision during training is very valuable, even if it's small. Below are five basketball passing drills that any coach can add to practice to immediately help your team improve their passing skills. These five drills are focused on creating environments that players will see in the game. After practicing in this environment, players will be more comfortable once the game starts.

Drill 1: Tiki Taka Passing

Tired of your players not seeing the open player and dribbling too much? This drill, inspired by FC Barcelona football under coach Pep Guardiola, is perfect for a team looking to complete "one more" or swing passes along the perimeter.

Drill set up:

• The drill starts with four players on offense and three players on defense.
• The four offensive players will be spaced out along the three-point line with two players in the corners and two players on the wings.
• The three defensive players can play in any position they would like. (Equal distance between themselves is ideal, but it's best to let them figure this out).
• The four offensive players can not move from their spots until a shot is taken.

Drill execution:

• A coach will throw a ball to any offensive player.
• That player can shoot or pass. The player can not hold the ball for more than two seconds.
• The defense is trying to get a deflection, steal, or force a missed shot.
• Once a shot is taken, the other offensive players can crash the basket for an offensive rebound.
• The drill is played until the defense gets a steal or forces a missed shot and secures the defensive rebound.

Drill focus areas:

• Reading the closeout defender while the ball is in the air.
• Making a quick decision on the catch.
• Completing swing and skip passes with live defense.
• Shooting under pressure and with a shot contest.
• Defensive closeouts and active hands while anticipating the next play.

Drill 2: 2v2 Passing

Once an offensive player picks up the ball after a dribble, the nerves start to kick in. Most players panic in this situation and will either throw a rushed pass or will travel due to defensive pressure. This passing drill is focused on this exact situation, with two players trying to complete as many passes as possible, while the defense is denying everything.

Drill set up:

• There will be two teams of two players. Two on offense and two on defense. This can also be played 3v3, but it is slightly easier for the passer.
• The players must stay inbounds in a half court setting.

Drill execution:

• A coach will throw the ball to one of the offensive players. The other offensive player on the team is trying to get open to catch a pass.
• Once a pass is completed, the offensive player who threw the pass is now trying to get open to receive a pass.
• The goal is to get as many passes as possible in 30 seconds.
• If the defensive team gets a steal or if the ball goes out of bounds, the defensive team immediately role changes and becomes the offensive team.

Drill focus areas:

• Remaining calm while trying to make a pass to a teammate with heavy defensive pressure.
• Working to get open (v-cut, backdoor, post up) and receive passes with a denial from the defense.
• On ball defense with active hands trying to force a deflection.
• Physical off ball defense trying to get a steal in the passing lane.

Drill 3: Paint Advantage Ghost Passing

Players become static when there is indecision or fatigue. This passing drill is designed to break those habits by having one player constantly moving to create advantages for the offense. This player is what we call the "ghost" in this drill.

Drill set up:

• Similar to the tiki taka drill above, this drill has one less defensive player than offensive players.
• 4 offensive players will be spaced out along the three-point line with two players in the corners and 2 players on the wings.
• One more offensive player will be positioned in the paint. They are the "ghost".
• The four offensive players outside the three point line can not move. Only the ghost can move and they can not leave the paint.
• The four defensive players can guard in any formation they choose.

Drill execution:

• A coach will throw the ball to one of the offensive players on the wing. That player is trying to find an open teammate and complete a pass. The goal is to complete as many passes as a team as possible.
• If the defense gets a steal or deflects a ball out of bounds, the roles change and the defensive becomes the offense.
• Play to a target amount of passes or a time limit.

Drill focus areas:

• On time and on target passes to teammates.
• Reading the "ghost" offensive players and using them as an outlet.
• The ghost player constantly moving to find outlets and openings in the defense.
• Defensive closeouts and active hands while anticipating the next play.

Drill 4: 2v1 Blind Passing

An action that happens on almost every play...a player drives to the basket without a clear line to the basket. They pick up their dribble and now must find an open offensive player. The player they are trying to pass to must get open to receive the pass while the defense is trying to deny the pass.

This tight space passing drill is a great warm-up for small groups to get physically and mentally activated while working on this skill.

Drill set up:

• Two offensive players are spaced out around 10 feet apart.
• One defender is in the middle, with their back always turned to the ball.
• The offensive players can only move one step outside of their body.

Drill execution:

• The offensive player with the ball is trying to complete a pass to their teammate without the defense deflecting the pass.
• The defensive player is trying to deflect a pass with their hands or feet.
• The pass has to be a bounce pass or a chest pass below head level.
• Once a pass is completed, the defender must turn around and the game starts again.
• If the defender gets a deflection or steal, the player who threw the pass goes to defense.

Drill focus areas:

• Tight space passing.
• Defensive anticipation while reading the offensive players eyes.
• Active hands and feet on defense to disrupt the offensive timing.

Drill 5: Touchdown Passing

Basketball shares many parallels with other sports. We are taking a skill that quarterbacks and receivers share in American football and bringing it to the basketball court. The connection between passer and receiver goes beyond the ball traveling in the air. They must use eye contact and body language to communicate. This passing drill will help your team throw longer and more accurate outlet passes, making your team more dynamic and fun to watch.

Drill set up:

• One offensive player will have a ball under the basket on the baseline.
• The other offensive player will be in the "endzone" that you create on the court.
• The endzone can be whatever area the coach chooses. The more distance away from the passer and the smaller the size of the endzone, the more difficult the drill.
• The defensive player is guarding the offensive player in the endzone with their back to the ball. After a few reps they will be facing the ball and back turned to the endzone player.

Drill execution:

• Similar to the 2v1 blind passing, the defender is trying to get a steal or deflection.
• The offensive players are trying to complete a pass in the endzone. Both players can use the entire baseline and endzone to complete the pass.
• Once a pass is complete or deflected/stolen, rotate players to new spots.
• Coaches can add constraints to the drill such as: outlet passer has to stand on one leg, offensive player has to catch with one hand.

Drill focus areas:

• Deep outlet pass accuracy.
• Offensive player working to get open and secure long outlets vs defense.
• Defensive ball denial and pass anticipation.

The bottom line on the best basketball passing drills to improve your game

All five of these basketball passing drills are designed to have the offensive players passing against active defense. While practicing the fundamentals of passing is important, especially for beginners, making reads against live defenders is the most game-like. Players will learn how to use their passing skills in unique situations that occur in these drills listed above, leading to comfortability to make the right pass in games.