Youth Basketball Passing Drills

Passing is the lost art of basketball. Getting the ball to your teammates at the correct time and place is as important as being a good shooter or a lock down defensive stopper. Maintaining possession of the ball and running an effective youth basketball offense can only be executed through solid passing. A perfectly placed pass for an assist can be as thrilling as an acrobatic shot or a deep three-pointer.

For youth basketball players of all ages, just like ball handling and shooting, you will become a better passer the more you practice the proper basketball passing drills. Even the most experienced players miss chances to score because they are not aware of open teammates, or if they do see their teammate they are either not prepared to make the pass, or they make a bad pass.

Similar to ball handling, you must first see the floor so you know when your teammates are open. It's also true that the better you become at ball handling the better you become at passing as you will see the court and teammates better as well as develop a good feel for the ball to deliver quick and accurate passes.

Next, you must be prepared to make your pass quickly before the defense recovers and your teammate is no longer open. Finally, you must deliver the correct pass (chest, bounce, skip) away from your teammate's defender and in the best place for your teammate to be able to act quickly when receiving the pass. For example, if they are open to shoot, your pass should arrive at your teammate's chest area so they can catch the ball seamlessly as they are stepping into their shot.

It's also important that all five players on the floor learn to be effective passers. If you're a good passer from whatever position you play, you will surely see a lot more time on the floor and your teammates will love playing with you.

Below are some tips for effective passing as well as some drills for your youth basketball team's practice. You can also find more free basketball skills & drills videos and tutorials online at websites like Weplay.com.

Passing Tips for Basketball

• Keep your head up and see the floor so you know when your teammates are open.
  
• Practice every type of passing (chest, bounce, overhead, skip).
  
• When your teammate is being guarded, pass the ball to the side of your teammate away from the defender.
  
• Practice passing drills and dribbling drills with an oversized ball to improve passing and ball handling precision.
  
• When you are closely guarded, use your pivot foot and move the ball around to free yourself for the pass. If you hold the ball in one place and then try to throw a pass from that spot, it is easier for your defender to deflect it.

Basketball Passing Drills

• Man In the Middle Drill
  Place two offensive players (passers) six feet apart with a ball. Place one player in the middle of the two passers. The goal is to pass the ball back and forth without allowing the defender in the middle to touch the ball in any way. The passers should use their pivot foot and move the ball around to keep the ball away from the defender. The defender should be active with his/her hands and feet. The passers may not move from their pivot position and also may not simply lob the ball high over the defenders head. They must move the ball, pivot, and make effective bounce and chest passes. If the defender touches the ball in any way, the player that threw the pass is now in the middle.
  
  
• Partner Passing
  Players get in pairs of two and line up on the baseline at the free throw lines extended. On the whistle, they jog up court parallel to each other making chest passes. They must catch the ball and make a return pass without travelling. On their return down court, the pass should be a bounce pass thrown slightly ahead of their moving partner.