Fun Basketball Warmup Drills for Kids

Here are a couple of my favorite basketball warmup drills. They're fun, fast-paced, and they focus on a variety of fundamental skills at once.

Players will work on their ball handling skills, shooting off the move, making good passes, and hustling after rebounds. Performing these drills at game speed will allow players to improve their conditioning while competing in more game-like situations.

Basketball Warmup Drills 
USA Warm-Up

I learned this drill at a coaching clinic years ago from the coach of the USA women's basketball team. It's a warmup drill they used.

I really like it because it combines passing, catching, offensive moves, dribbling, shooting, and rebounding.

I used it often with my college players as well as my young kids, and it was always a favorite.

Setup

• Players line up at half-court along the right-hand sideline facing the basket. 
• Coach stands at the top of the key. 
• Every player has a ball.

Directions

1. First person in line passes the ball to coach
2. Player cuts to the wing for a return pass from coach 
3. Player executes a specific basketball move followed by a shot
4. Player follows own shot and gets own rebound
5. Player dribbles ball out other side of basket to half-court on opposite (left-hand) side

• Player lines up facing same basket and waits for teammates to finish

• Once every player has gone, the same move and shot is repeated on the left side

• From left side, first player makes move, takes shot, gets own rebound, and dribbles ball to half-court on right side where drill started
  

• After all players finish on left side, coach designates a new move, and drill continues
  

• By alternating sides, players dribble and approach basket with both their weak and strong hands

C= Coach; S = Shooter

Basketball Warmup Drills

Basketball Warmup Drills
Try these basketball moves & combinations

After passing the ball to coach, cutting to the wing, and receiving the ball back, player performs the following:

• takes it in for a lay-up

• crossover dribble, reverse dribble, hesitation dribble, behind the back, or between the legs followed by a layup 

• drives to the block and shoots a jumper

• takes a couple dribbles and shoots from wing or baseline

• crossover dribble followed by a lay-up

• crossover move, dribble to wing or baseline for a shot

• reverse dribble followed by a lay-up

• reverse move, dribble to wing or baseline for a shot

• shoot from 3-pt range

Basketball Warmup Drills
Mix it up & let players create their own combo moves

• Cut to a shooting spot within range, meet coach's pass with a jump stop, and shoot a set shot or jump shot without a dribble

• Mix up types of passes that players and coaches make - chest, bounce, overhead, behind the back 

• Encourage players to be creative. Let them come up with their own combination of basketball moves. Even the young players love the chance to put some different skills together and take it to the hole.

• Have players execute a pass fake, shot fake, or jab fake before making a move

• The possibilities are endless

Basketball Warmup Drills  
2-Ball Shooting

This drill requires 3 players and 2 balls. It works on shooting, passing, and rebounding.

Setup

Shooting Area #1

(R corner to R elbow) 

Shooting Area #2

(R elbow to L elbow)

Shooting Area #3

(L corner to L elbow)

S = Shooter; P = Passer; R = Rebounder

To start

• Shooting Area #1
• Shooter starts at right corner with a ball 
• Rebounder stands on opposite side of basket from Shooter
• Passer stands at opposite elbow from Shooter with second ball

Player rotation

• Shooter shoots for 30 seconds
  
• Players rotate in this manner: Shooter to Rebounder > Rebounder to Passer > Passer to Shooter
• Rotation should be quick and next round begins immediately

Shooting area rotation

• After everyone has a chance to shoot, move to next shooting area
• Repeat until every player shoots in all 3 areas

Additional tips

• Adjust distance of shooting spots to match player skill level.
• If players hustle during this drill, they can get in a bunch of shots, passes, and rebounds in a short amount of time.
• Add defensive pressure using a coach or parent: Put a hand up on the Shooter, apply pressure to the Passer, or try to knock the ball away from the Rebounder.
  

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