This drill is a cheat code for ball control and PACE!
Set a metronome at around 70 bpm (the slower it is the more difficult the drill becomes). Every time the metronome beeps, the ball should be hitting the ground.
This is far more than rhythm… it’s forcing you to slow down and show that you can control the ball against a defender operating at a faster speed. This forces you to learn how to use your body as a shield, use your off arm for protection, manipulate your dribble to avoid getting stripped, etc.
Most ball handlers can be easily sped up with some ball pressure and the main reason is: it’s TOUGH to have ball control at slow speeds.
The majority of players never get exposed to these necessary skills because anytime they feel ball pressure they either 1) Speed up or 2) Dribble lower and/or turn their back to the defender and lose sight of the floor. A lot of players get by with these compensations at the lower levels and never learn real ball control tactics until late into their career.
It’s not easy to hang your dribble wide, use your body and off arm while keeping eyes up to see the floor!
Get a free metronome app, start around 100bpm and have someone reach in to try to get a steal. Try to go 1 min without losing the pace or getting a turnover. Then gradually work towards 70 bpm.
If they have to carry the ball to slow down the dribble, they may need to speed it up a bit (70bpm was a bit too slow for Elijah because of hand size).
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