Three years ago when I first started training to play the point guard position, I was unsure what skills I should first start working on and practicing to become a better point guard.
I was overwhelmed with the amount of things I could practice and read about out there. There are so many great basketball drill sites out there, but none catered specifically for a point guard.
So I made the mistake of practicing them all. Three years later, if there was one key skill I could tell an aspiring point guard to learn, it would be this.
Dribbling
Dribbling is the number one key skill I would tell anyone that wants to be a strong point guard to work on. Dribbling is so important because, as a point guard, you will be the one most responsible for bringing the ball down the court and taking good care of the ball.
A point guard who can dribble well but cannot shoot is always better than the point guard who shoots a lot but cannot dribble.
Personally, I can’t shoot well, nor can I drive really quick. But I’m still trusted to be the one to carry the ball up because I can dribble like hell. When I have possession of the ball, my team trusts that I won’t lose it, and that defenders cannot trap me.
It doesn’t matter that I can’t shoot because it’s not my job to. I do my part by getting the ball up the court, attracting defenders towards me, and using my dribbling skills, dribbling past them and passing to someone who can shoot and score an easy 2 points.
Some of the greatest point guards are the ones who never shoot, but are the ones who run around the court dribbling like the ball is attached to their hands. Some examples of these players are Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, John Stockton, and even Magic Johnson.
These guys all were amazing dribblers. None of them are amazing shooters. And they’re all hailed as legendary point guards.
Another benefit to being a great dribbler is that the rest of the game starts to get really easy for you. When you can dribble as naturally as you walk, then you can imagine how much fun the game will be. Instead of focusing on making sure you don’t lose the ball, this will free up your mind to focus on where the rest of your teammates are standing and who the best person is to pass to.
When you can dribble well, you can really control the pace of the game. You can run around defenders, and navigate to spread the defense properly. You can keep your head up more and look for that cutter.
When you keep your head up because you dribble so well, you’ll lessen your turnovers because you’re more aware of where the defenders are. When you’re more aware, you’ll also make better passing decisions.
The point guard’s most important statistic is their turnover to assist ratio. Once you can boast yourself to be the best dribbler on your team, you can boast yourself to be the starting point guard, and will be given access to controlling the ball.
To be a great dribbler, you must be able to dribble at full speed, dribble at half speed, change directions while dribbling, dribble with both hands equally, have a bunch of dribble crossover moves, and many more.
Later on, I’ll cover more experiences on the most important dribbling fundamentals to learn from a point guard’s perspective.
47 comments ↓
Thank you for all the info. I’m overwhelmed about being a point guard for my varsity team next year, especially at 5′8. I also thank u for creating a site that DOES specifically do point guards, so I can focus on just that. Thanks
No problem. When I first started out as a PG I wanted to try to get better but there just weren’t many sites on it so I’ve started this one but I’m currently swamped in school and have been so busy to update.
It’s motivating to know that I’m helping someone though. Good luck on your team!
This was a great help for me. I’m 19 years old, but haven’t had much experience with basketball. It’s always something I’ve been interested in. I wanted to be able to learn to be a good point guard and your site is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for your site, and I look forward to future updates.
hey man, great essay. i am also a point guard whose strength is not shooting. but im working on it now and i encourage all point guards to do the same.
but Nash is one of the best shooters in the game, that’s what separates him from someone like Jason Kidd.
Another thing about point guards is that, though great shooting is not a necessity, it is what differentiates a solid point guard from a superstar point guard.
My tips are to help you become a solid point guard. If you watch CP3, DWill, or Steve Nash play, these are the superstar point guards. They’re so dangerous because if you leave them open, they’ll shoot and pour 20 pts down your throat a night, but if you cover them, they’ll drop 10-20 dimes a night.
But if you’re starting off, the job of a point guard should always be to work on their dribbling and other skills. Let the shootings guards and the forwards do the scoring. Keep your focus and good luck!
@ Derek,
Thanks for the feedback bro. When I first started off trying to learn the PG position, I was so frustrated because I couldn’t find any sites or any good videos on how to improve myself. It’s my goal to share everything I’ve learned.
You’ve just given me some motivation to keep this site going!
great tips. im a 13 year old who plays on schools basktball team and i want to be starting PG. with ur tips i hav an awesome chance thank u…..
thanks scott.
practice hard, work hard, and play lots of ball. Steve Nash dribbled to the Grocery store with his basketball when he was a kid. Pistol Pete went to sleep with his.
You can do it. Just keep working. If there’s anything you have questions about and want me to write about, feel free to ask, I’ll try my best to answer.
hey i just want to thank you for these great tips. i’m a rising freshman at my school and i’m going to be playing pg for the varsity team. i’m a little overwhelmed and looking for advice bc i want to become the best pg i can and i dont want to let the team down. so thanks for these great tips. i sure will use them!
thanks for this great tip, because I remembered when we have our basketball try outs in our school and I was assigned to be the point guard… I dont really know how to be one because I play the opposite of the point guard, Im usually the center forward. It’s so obvious that those two are different because the role of the center is to rebound and block the ball but the point guard’s role is to get the rebound and run really fast to our court. So it’s so hard to be tall and be the point guard of the team.
Dont forget that the pg has the be the most in shape also…not only does he has to have handle. but stamina to be able to play..the more stamina you have the better…
A short term memory is also key….you kant get down on yourslef when the point guard and you throw a bad pass or get a turnover you must geh back and d up……they are part of the game…once you are able to play worry free ull see that you have alot less tos..
can u give me 5 thing a pg need to become better
Is this really what a good point guard needs to do? My son has crazy dribbling skills and can get any where on the floor he wants. he also has an excellent turnover to assist ratio but he hardly gets any recogintion because ge doesn’t score a lot of points. he lead the league his high school palys in by a wide margin but I am afraid that it isn’t going to be enough becasue he doesn have that shooter mentality. He’d rather set up his team mates and pass. Don’t you think a good point guard needs to be a good shooter/scorer as well
thanks for the essay!!! i really take your advice into consideration. See im a point guard also an i can handle the rock nicely and i can also shoot but i tend to have alot of turnovers while reading your essay i really found out what i needed to improve in my game to reduce my turnover rate thanks alot bro!!.
thank you for these tips. i now know what to do so i can reach my full potential. thanks a million.
thanks for the essay! it will help my friends! lol
Thanks!! awsome essay. I’m 14 and i’m a pointguard who have always been in the starting lineups when the season comes since i started basketball (grade 7). But this essay realy tells me what i need to work on (eplosive drives). I’m only 5′3 T-T and I’m going to be a rookie freshman. Hope that I’ll atleast be in the A team since the highschoolers I know are all at least 5′8 +
˙´¥ imma strtn pg rite now n im sure dis ll really improve my skills!!
I`m need help on my ball handlin and looking up the court and keeping my head up. What are some drills I can do to improve this skill thx.
I’ve been playing point guard since 6th grade. I’m 25 now and I still run the point for any teams I can be a part of. One thing that really helped me growing up was to be a student of the game. I wasn’t satisfied with just playing but I read and researched anything I could about the game. From rules to history to the different terminology. I’ve picked up bits and pieces from so many different resources. I played high school ball and ran the point guard. Here’s some advice I would give to anyone playing the point. Be a student of the game. Study and watch other point guards, especially the college ones. A point guard has to be the coach on the floor. They have to show confidence and stay calm and composed in any situation. Also the point guard needs to be an encourager. No one likes playing with someone who gets on to them all the time. Then, you need to practice, practice, practice. Dribbling is so important. Shooting is important too. Especially free throws. In a close game, you will have the ball in your hands and get fouled. You need to be able to make your free throws! You also have to be a good decision maker. It’s fun and all to make the flashy plays but keep it simple! I think there’s so much more and I hope this helped someone! Thanks for this article!
can you give some sites that teaches dribbling i am play center now but i want to play point guard i am better in dribbling than all my other teammates but they say that i am too tall to play guard!
thank you man.
Thanks for the greaat advice i love it. i have improved this summer for a 12 year old pg
Thanks, that helped a lot. I’m the shortest (5′1) and youngest one on the varsity team to not be cut. Soo.. its a little scary, but that helped a lot, now i know what to be expected of.
This is Great lesson to me
I’am bad point guard i can’t past sharp and always
pass stupid and fail
My coach don’t trust me
this lessone teach me to be real point guard
thank admin
yo yu really jus inspired me nd really informed me of what it takes to become a true point guard thanks alot
Thanks a bunch man. This is a great tip you’ve given me here. So many of us in this part of the world (Nigeria) where I’m from are in complete darkness in the game of basketball thats why I’ve been surfing the web for great tips and must do drills to be a SUCCESSFUL point guard. I hope we could get to know each other more.
Thanks a million times
Yo Thanks for the info from all! My son Nicholas Stokes is currently Playing Varsity this year he started point guard For the Rufus King High Summer league
hopefuly it will carry over.(Check OUT NICHOLAS STOKES ON YOUTUBE MAKING HISTORY AGAINST THE WORLD FAMOUS HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS) WATCH HIM AT THIRTEEN HOOPIN AGAINST GROWN MEN! PROS IN FRONT OF 10,000 PEOPLE.(UNDER YOUTUBE
Nicholas Stokes takes on the Harlem Globetrotters.)
I’ve been teaching my son the same Principles about dribbling being a PG you have to have handles no if ands or buts about it. I started him at five yrs old dribbling with both hands especially the left he’s righthanded but i wanted him to have what i didn’t have in my game is both hands PEOPLE its so important Your pretty much unstoppable guard me left i go right. Stay on your grind fellas dribble for Hours and neva let anyone take YOUR BALL!
One
HOOPDUDE
i have good handles rlly good handles in fact, but like when games start and i go in i feel like i dont have the handles that i cant dribble freely and do whatever i want with it like just dirble thru legs behind the back although i can do them with ease in practices.. is this something thats all mental, help me fix this, i always feel that i will lose it, and when i do drible in gmaes i feel i dont have full control of it and that im going to lose it.
THis really helped me now being my basketball teams point guard it gives me confidence because im only 4′10. Now i think i can control what happens on the court.
I like the essay but i have one question i am a point guard for my school, but i have a hard time trying to get playing time plus i am a junior and no colleges are looking at me. What do i do ?
In regards to baller 123, one of the most important things to remember is that basketball is confidence. In order to get over your fear of turning it over, youll just need to play more games. I know, as a point guard, I feel as if when I’m playing a pick up game or practicing with the team, I can do anything. To bring that confident mentality into a game, you need to think strong and just try it out. Try not to turn it over but if you do, learn from it then forget about it. You’re always your own worst critic, I’m sure you still have crazy handles on or off the court.
Thanks! I needed to know the most important skill to being a good point guard, and i always thought it was passing or court vision but I listened to you and practiced my dribbling ALL DAY EVERY DAY, it was a big help it teaches you not to panic if a defender it coming at you, how to dribble out of traps+double teams (risky). But anyway dribbling generally helps you in all ways, it opens the offense, gets your team better looks, and gets you to the basket.
NOW I START on my freshman basketball team after being a 3rd stringer…bust your ass, don’t give up, GO HARD.
LAST THING… LEARN TO SCORE WHEN YOUR TEAM NEEDS IT, ASSISTS BEFORE POINTS
Thank u 4 the tips B cause of u.I made my Junior High School team & I became the stating point guard. I’m only 13 years old & im only 5 foot 5. Even though im not that tall people on my team say that I have crazy handles. I might be 5′5 I can already reach the rim. Thanks 4 every thin
Thanks for the tips. My first season of basketball is soon to begin and i really aren’t tall enough to be a center or a forward nor a good enough shooter to be a shooting guard. I have always wondered whether I should practice dribbling or shooting. I equally worry about either giving the opposition an easy 2 because of a careless turnover or missing an wide open shot because my shooting is poor.
Heyyy ikno dribbling
Heyyy ikno dribbling is important and I’m a ok dribbler..I just can’t really dribble with my head up and I need confidence is their any dribbling drills I caan do daily that will ensure me to be a GREAT, AWESOME, OUTSTANDING ball handler and if so how long will it take its febuary and I’m getting ready to go to a heavy recruited high school as a junior and I wanna be ready by the near end of may..I need help asap with dribbling and passing..
This really helps me because i am a guard and all i have is a jumper i really dribble below average and i get trapped a lot so i cant really help unless im down court so i usually make bad passes or get trapped a lot so i hope this can help me
My only problem with what in this article is your comment about Steve Nash. He is one of the best pure shooters in the league. He hits the the most incredible shots. Completely off-balance but under control , leaning one way, his bosy faes another direction. And he hit those consistently. So Nash isn’t a good example of a Point Gaurd that can dribble but can’t shoot.
I think its rad theres a whole site for point guards
gud…….thx
I always be the second team in my school team
My individual skill is the best than other pg
but i can’t set the team well
so i want the tips to set the team well
and managed the other player position
I’m from Indonesia
I would just like to comment on “Some examples of these players are Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, John Stockton, and even Magic Johnson.
These guys all were amazing dribblers. None of them are amazing shooters.”
I believe that Steve Nash down to Magic Johnson are one of the most trusted clutch shooters of all time..
Well, just a slight mistake… ;P
hello guys…. im a struggling point guard my coach never lets me in except when our team is 20point ahead the opponent…. but next year ill try to become a better guard
this site helped me alot by the way i am a good shooter and a good dribbler but just small…. around 5,1 or 5 flat.. ………. but when i play on the streets my teammates would give the ball to me……
i dont know whats wrong with my coach…
ow… and dion… did u know that steve nash practices dribbling using a tennis ball… and he can drive the ball and pass to the 3 point line……….. he is an all around guard……. incase u dont know all around guard can shoot from the outside and can handle the ball very good
“None of them are amazing shooters”
correction steve nash is amazing shooter.
Leave a Comment