Learn How to Play Point Guard

How to Become a Really Good Point Guard

Have you ever wanted to learn how to play point guard? Hare are some basketball tips and drills specifically for point guards!

I will provide some tips that I learned in college and from other great point guards at the collegiate and professional level. Playing point guard is harder than people may think.

Being a point guard is one of the most pivotal positions in basketball. The point guard is the floor general and can be compared to a quarterback in football. A point guard has to be able to be an effective ball-handler, penetrator, communicator, shooter, facilitator and more.

I think being a great communicator, facilitator and ball-handler on the court will get you plenty of scouts checking you out. At the high school level, I wished someone would have told me that passing was more important than averaging 27 points per game.

If I could have averaged 15 points and 10 assist per game, I would have been viewed as a more effective point guard. College recruits looked at me and saw a small scoring guard and they wouldn’t need me to score a lot of points because they recruit shooting guards and post players for that.

So, if you are playing point guard, learn to be good at setting your teammates up, scoring when the team needs you and becoming an effective ball-handler.

Do you Want to be the best ball-handler on the hardwood?

Then practice these easy and most beneficial ball handling drills when playing point guard. Most of these ball handling drills are practiced by both WNBA and NBA superstars. This will greatly improve your ball control and will also help you with creating space against bigger defenders. The point guard is the player that controls the basketball the majority of the game. The point guard should know how to manage the game at high speeds.

Here are some of the ball handling drills that you should learn as a point guard:

Around the World

• Start circling the basketball around your waist first, then head, and finally your knees. Bend at your waist and spread your legs. Now, circle the basketball around your right leg, and then left.
• Perform 30-50 circles, clockwise and counter clockwise

This will promote improved speed and hand coordination.

2 Basketball Dribbling Drill

• Stand on one end of the court holding two basketballs, one in each hand. Now start walking towards the other end of the court, bouncing both basketballs at the same time.
• Perform the same drill but alternate your dribbles.

Once you are comfortable doing this rhythmically, pick up the tempo. With time, as you progress, you would be able to run from end to end dribbling both these balls simultaneously. This will definitely improve your skills when dribbling just one ball while playing point guard.

Between your Legs Air Drill

• Hold the basketball between your legs with both your hands, right hand at the back and left hand in the front. Quickly switch your hand position without letting the ball hit the ground.
• This will enhance your hand quickness and reaction time.
• Catch the ball 30 consecutive times without it hitting the floor. If it hits the floor, start your count over

One on Two Advance the Ball Drill

• Against two imaginary defenders perform various maneuvers and some previously learned skills the full length of the court.
• Perform the between the legs, behind the back, in & out, crossover and a combination of these moves.

Figure 8 Dribbling Drill

• Spread your legs and circle the basketball in a figure 8 pattern around your legs. Increase the speed as you continue this drill.
• Perform the figure 8 10 times without messing up, before moving on.

This will give you a much better feel for the basketball when playing point guard in the game

Pass and Catch Basketball Drill

• Try to bounce the basketball between your legs using both hands, and catch it with both of your hands behind your back. Now you can reverse this drill, and bounce the ball from the back to front, again with the help of both hands.
• Spread your legs and make sure you get a good bounce so that you don’t hurt yourself.
• 20 successful bounces from the front and 20 starting from the back. Bounce the basketball hard to work on quickness and reaction time.

This is a great drill to work on ball-control and hand coordination.

Squeeze the banana

• Squeeze your thumb and fingers together as you move the ball quickly from one hand to the other.
• Extend your arms above your head by locking your elbows
• Count 30 fingertip squeezes. 15 with right hand and 15 with the left

This will definitely improve your arm and finger strength ensuring a much better ball control.

Up the Ladder Drill

• Start at the waist level and pass the basketball from one hand to the other using your finger tips. This will promote a much better finger tip control and ensure better ball handling when playing point guard.
• 50 finger tip passes

You’ll discover that all these point guard tips can be mastered with hard work. However, regular practice will eventually transform you into one of the best ball handlers and top point guards on the court.

Point Guards and Coaches out there, what do you think a point guard needs to work on to become a play maker and leader on the court?