iPhone app

A basketball training app that watches you train

Most basketball training apps are video libraries with a timer. Handles AI is different: you prop up your iPhone, step back and dribble, and a coach calls moves and grades every rep. Here is what to look for in a training app, what this one does, and what it does not do.

What a good basketball training app should do

Before you pay for any app, ask what it adds that a free video and a ball cannot. A training app earns its place when it does at least some of these things:

• Gives feedback on your reps. Watching a drill is easy. Knowing whether you did it right is the hard part when you train alone.
• Makes you react. Games are unpredictable. Drills you have memorized stop pushing you after a few weeks.
• Measures progress. A number you can compare week to week tells you whether your practice is working.
• Picks what to work on. Most players practice what they are already good at. A plan should push you toward your weak spots.
• Fits real life. Short sessions you can do in a driveway or living room get done. Ninety-minute plans that need a gym usually do not.

If an app only plays videos, you may be better off with a free list of drills like our guide to basketball drills at home. If it watches you and responds, it can replace some of what a rebounder, partner or coach would give you.

What Handles AI does

Handles AI: Basketball Trainer is an iPhone app built for one skill: ball handling. Its coach, Coach Ace, calls dribble moves out loud in real time while the app watches through your iPhone camera.

• Calls moves you have to react to: crossover, between the legs, behind the back, in-and-out, hesi, snatch back, spider, pound, speed dribble, shake, weak hand, change of pace and more.
• Tracks the ball, not just your arms. A basketball detector and body tracking run on the iPhone. A dribble only counts when the ball goes down, hits the floor and comes back.
• Grades every rep as Clean, Nice work, or Next rep.
• Scores your handle. Six ratings (Control, Speed, Coordination, Reaction, Creativity and Weak Hand) combine into a Ball Handler Score from 0 to 100.
• Builds a personal plan from your position, dominant hand, goals and training days, and aims sessions at your weakest skill.

How a session works

1. Lean your iPhone against a wall, bag or bench so your whole body and the ball are in frame.
2. Step back about 8 feet. Indoors or outdoors both work; good light helps the camera.
3. Pick today’s workout from your plan or choose a mode yourself.
4. Coach Ace calls a move. You dribble it. The app grades the rep and calls the next one.
5. Clean reps build combos and XP. As you improve, the calls speed up.
6. At the end you see your results, and your ratings update over time.

The six training modes are Handle Lab, Reaction Training, Game Moves, Weak Hand Development, Speed Burn and Combo Lab. There is also Free Dribble mode, which simply counts every bounce and tracks your speed while you do your own thing.

Who it is for

It works for beginners, kids, middle and high school players, and adults who want sharper handles. You pick your level when you start. Beginners begin with pound dribbles and simple crossovers, and the plan moves on as your ratings rise. Guards will get the most out of it, but every position needs to handle the ball under pressure.

It is most useful for players who train alone. If you already have a coach at every practice, it is a way to get extra reps at home with feedback instead of guessing.

Pricing

You can try it before you pay. The first session is a free 20-second tryout. After that:

Subscriptions renew automatically until you cancel. To cancel on your iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions, Handles AI, and Cancel, at least 24 hours before renewal.

What it does not do

Being clear about limits saves you money and frustration.

• No shot tracking. Handles AI does not count makes and misses or analyze your jumper. It is a ball-handling trainer.
• iPhone only. There is no Android version and no iPad-specific app.
• Not a replacement for games. It trains your handle, reaction and weak hand. Reading real defenders, spacing and decision-making still come from playing.
• Needs a bit of space and light. About 8 feet of room and enough light for the camera to see the ball.

If you want to compare options, see our roundup of the best basketball training apps and the Handles AI vs HomeCourt breakdown.

Getting the most out of any training app

Whatever you use, the same rules apply. Train most days, even briefly. Keep reps low, hard and clean before you chase speed. Spend extra time on your weak hand. And check your progress every couple of weeks so you know what is working. Our guide on how to improve ball handling covers the fundamentals in more depth.

FAQ

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