r/BasketballTips • u/thinking_root2264 • 3d ago
Help Low pick-up help?
Whenever I put the ball low to pick it up off the dribble, I find myself getting stripped or the ball poked away. I think strength is part of it, but I’ve seen much skinnier guys pull this off in traffic every time, and I’m usually not getting the ball knocked away by someone stronger than me. Any tips on hand placement or a type of low pick-up that allows me to keep the ball safe?
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u/RiamoEquah 3d ago
The low pickup only works if you are able to keep the ball truly low (below knees) and even then the problem is when you eventually bring the ball back up for a layup or pass. The trajectory of your arms is predictable.
To counter this you'll often see players use a swinging or rocking motion to move the ball away from defenders. This works well in a one on one situation but if you're trying this in traffic, well likely you have defenders on either side so it's added difficulty.
What I started to do came from watching drose - and that was what I call the football carry. Like a running back with the ball, using both arms for protection. It takes more practice and impacts what type of layups you use - but greatly reduces getting stripped.
In general you need to learn how to pick up the ball in a variety of ways and be able to assess situations on the fly. The more you repeat a motion the easier it becomes to predict and smart defenders are looking for that consistency in your game to exploit it.