Player-inspired guide

Kyrie Irving-inspired ball handling drills

Kyrie Irving is widely regarded as one of the most skilled ball handlers the game has seen. His handle is low, tight and creative, and he uses it to get to the rim and finish from angles most players can’t. These drills borrow from that style.

Before you start

This page describes widely known, general traits of Irving’s game as seen in games. It is not his personal training program, and the drills below are our own interpretation. Handles AI is not affiliated with or endorsed by Kyrie Irving, any team or the NBA.

What makes Kyrie’s handle stand out

Low and tight. The ball stays close to his body and close to the floor, which leaves defenders very little to reach for.
Truly two-handed. He handles and finishes with either hand, so defenders can’t force him one way.
Creative combinations. He strings together crossovers, between-the-legs dribbles, hesitations and spins in sequences that are hard to predict.
Change of pace. He shifts speeds constantly, slow to fast and back, to keep defenders off balance.
Finishing. He is famous for finishing around the rim with either hand, using spin off the glass and unusual angles.

The common thread is control. Everything flashy he does sits on top of a dribble that never gets away from him.

Drill 1: Low-dribble series

Get the ball low and keep it there. Do each for 30 seconds per hand.

Ankle-height pound dribbles, as fast as you can control.
Low crossovers, staying in a deep stance.
Low in-and-outs.
Low between the legs, side to side.

Your hand should stay on top of the ball and your fingertips should do the work. See how to dribble low and fingertip control.

Drill 2: Tight-space handling

Set two cones about three feet apart. Stay between them and dribble through a combination of crosses, between the legs and behind the back without leaving the box. The small space forces short, tight dribbles instead of wide, loopy ones.

Progress by having a partner reach in from the side. Keep your body between them and the ball. More on that in how to protect the ball.

Drill 3: Creative combo flow

Instead of a set pattern, flow. Dribble for 45 seconds and never repeat the same two moves in a row. Mix crossovers, between the legs, behind the back, in-and-outs and hesitations.

This feels awkward at first. That’s the point. You are training your hands to go anywhere, which is what makes a handle hard to read.

Drill 4: Weak-hand everything

Run every drill on this page starting with your weak hand. Then do a full minute of weak-hand only: pounds, in-and-outs, crosses from the weak side and V dribbles. A truly two-handed handle comes from making your weak hand do the hard reps. See how to improve your weak hand.

Want a coach calling the moves? Handles AI grades every rep from your iPhone camera. Try 20 seconds free.

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Drill 5: Change-of-pace attacks

Walk the ball up slowly with a low dribble, then explode with a hesitation or a crossover and two fast dribbles. Slow, then fast. Then slow down again with a controlled dribble and repeat. The contrast is what beats defenders, not raw speed.

Drill 6: Combo to finish

If you have a hoop, this is where it comes together. Start at the wing.

Make a two-move combo, like hesi into crossover or between the legs into a spin.
Attack the rim.
Finish with the hand away from the imaginary defender, alternating sides.
Add variety: a reverse layup, a finish off the glass from a tough angle, a layup off the “wrong” foot.

Do ten from each side. Without a hoop, finish each combo with a hard two-step gather and a ball-protecting rip to the outside hand.

A 20-minute Kyrie-inspired session

0:00Low-dribble series, both hands.

5:00Tight-space box handling.

9:00Creative combo flow, three 45-second rounds.

12:00Weak-hand only minute, twice.

14:00Change-of-pace attacks.

17:00Combo to finish, both sides.

Build the base first

Kyrie’s flair is the part everyone notices, but watch closely and you see the same fundamentals over and over: a low stance, the ball on his fingertips, his off arm and body shielding the ball, and his eyes on the defense instead of the ball. Those are the parts you can copy at any level.

Creative handles grow out of solid basics. If your dribble pops up above your waist or you can’t go left, those combos will get stolen in a game. Get your basic moves clean with stationary dribbling drills and work up from there. The advanced ball-handling workout is a good next step once the basics are solid.

Training this style with Handles AI

Handles AI can push the creative side. Coach Ace calls moves out loud at random, so you can’t fall into a pattern, and the calls speed up as you improve. Combo Lab strings moves together, and Weak Hand Development forces the off hand to do its share. Creativity and Weak Hand are both part of your Ball Handler Score.

FAQ

What makes Kyrie Irving’s handle so good?

In general terms: it is low and tight, he uses both hands equally, he strings moves together unpredictably, and he changes pace constantly.

Are these Kyrie Irving’s actual drills?

No. These are our own drills inspired by publicly known traits of his game. Handles AI is not affiliated with or endorsed by Kyrie Irving.

How do I get a tighter handle?

Dribble lower, keep the ball closer to your body, and practice in small spaces like a three-foot box.

Can I do these without a hoop?

Yes. Only the finishing drill uses a hoop, and it has a no-hoop version.

Keep training

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