Dribble Hand-Off (DHO)

Skill drill

Execute a dribble hand-off — a moving screen-and-hand-off between two players.

10 min pairs + a passer Half court
Ball-handlingTeamworkU12U14U16

Read & react

pairs + a passer · 1 ball, 1 hoop

Get everyone ready

Dribble toward your teammateThe ball-handler dribbles at the receiver. 12X

● Player / attack■ DefenceGold: ball

Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×

Set up

One player with the ball on the wing, a teammate on the perimeter.

A coached example. In live play, players make their own decisions; the outcome can change.

Look for: Hand the ball, don't throw it — tight and secure.

Playback options
Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×
Coach’s notes & group organisation

One player with the ball on the wing, a teammate on the perimeter.

  1. The ball-handler dribbles toward the teammate.
  2. They hand the ball off tightly, then screen the receiver's defender.
  3. The receiver comes off the hand-off going downhill.
  4. Receiver attacks the rim or shoots off the DHO.

Suggested reset

The finisher retrieves the ball and returns outside the screen lane. Swap handler and screener before the next rep; place any chair safely back at its mark while play is stopped. Extra pairs wait outside the active court and replace the pair after both have tried each role.

Coaching cues

  • Hand the ball, don't throw it — tight and secure.
  • The hand-off doubles as a screen — get in the way.
  • Receiver: come off tight and attack immediately.

Adapt the challenge

Harder: Add live defenders and let the receiver read it like a ball screen.

Easier: Walk the hand-off at half pace until the exchange is tight and the screen is still.

Keep it: Let the dribbler fake the hand-off and keep it whenever the defender jumps early.

Ice the hand-off: Have the defender jump above the exchange so the receiver must drive baseline instead.

What this drill teaches

A hand-off that doubles as a screen. Because the dribbler must hand the ball tightly AND get in the defender's way, two players learn to create an advantage together — timing, contact and a downhill attack in one action.

In games: Gives your team a simple way to start offence against tight man-to-man on game day — the DHO gets a guarded player the ball already moving at the rim.

What good looks like
  • Ball handed, not thrown — a tight, secure exchange
  • Dribbler's body genuinely in the defender's path after the hand-off
  • Receiver attacking immediately, not catching and resetting

U12: fumbled exchanges are normal — walk it at half pace. U14–U16: expect live reads, including faking the hand-off and keeping it when the defender jumps early.

Equipment

1 ball, 1 hoop

Setup

One player with the ball on the wing, a teammate on the perimeter.

Steps

  1. 1The ball-handler dribbles toward the teammate.
  2. 2They hand the ball off tightly, then screen the receiver's defender.
  3. 3The receiver comes off the hand-off going downhill.
  4. 4Receiver attacks the rim or shoots off the DHO.

Coaching points

  • Hand the ball, don't throw it — tight and secure.
  • The hand-off doubles as a screen — get in the way.
  • Receiver: come off tight and attack immediately.

Why kids love it

A staple of modern offence that flows into everything — great for teaching timing and reads.

Variations

Harder

Add live defenders and let the receiver read it like a ball screen.

Easier

Walk the hand-off at half pace until the exchange is tight and the screen is still.

Keep it

Let the dribbler fake the hand-off and keep it whenever the defender jumps early.

Ice the hand-off

Have the defender jump above the exchange so the receiver must drive baseline instead.

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