Tip Drill
Time a jump and tip the ball off the backboard into the rim.
What this drill teaches
Jump timing and fingertip touch at the top of the reach. Keeping the ball alive off the backboard forces players to meet it at the peak of the jump with soft control — the exact body skill behind tip-ins and contested rebounds.
In games: Turns near-miss moments into points on game day — the player who can time a jump and guide a loose ball softly back in scores baskets nobody else even attempts.
- The ball met at the top of the jump, not on the way down
- Fingertip control — guided, not slapped
- A rhythm of repeated tips instead of one-and-catch
U12: catch-and-shoot off the board is a win — real tips take time. U16: expect strings of alternating-hand tips finished with the weak hand.
Equipment
1 ball per hoop
Setup
Player stands to the side of the rim with a ball.
Steps
- 1Toss the ball high off the backboard.
- 2Jump and tip it back up with one hand at the top of your jump.
- 3Keep tipping until it drops in.
- 4Then rebound out and switch sides/hands.
Coaching points
- Time the jump to the top.
- Fingertip control, soft touch.
- Use the backboard.
Why kids love it
It feels like an NBA highlight move — older kids love the challenge of stringing tips together.
Variations
Catch-and-shoot instead of a live tip.
Alternate hands on every tip, then finish with the weak hand.
Two players either side of the ring alternate tips off the board without letting it drop.