How to Handle Ball Hogs

You meet all types of people everyday. The same rule applies to the sport of basketball. You can meet the greatest of players, the lamest of players, the best shooters, the coolest dribblers and your playing buddies that make the sport great. And at some point of your basketball playing history, you have met the ball hog. You know a basketball ball hog by the way he holds onto the ball for dear life. He rarely or rather never passes the ball. From the moment the ball touches his hands, he is playing his own game of basketball. Rather than passing it to a teammate at the 3-point line or close to the basket, he'll shoot an impossible shot that will never score.

Ball hoggers love to shoot, in fact, most think they are the only people on a team that can shoot and will ignore other free players. They love excessive dribbling and dodging around the opposition but will not pass the ball. Whether it's showing-off, trying to impress the crowd or just an "I'm ignoring my teammates" attitude, ball hoggers are annoying to the extreme. But the rulebook doesn't say anything against it. So how do you deal with a ball hog on your basketball team?

How to Deal with a Ball Hog - As a Coach

Alert the Player about His Hogging Habits
Sometimes a player doesn't realize he is handling the ball too much. Or maybe he isn't alert enough to realize that his teammates are open or in position, perhaps because he doesn't look around enough or at all. Take the player aside and have a quiet word with him about his attitude. Emphasize team spirit and the unity that comes with the sport and how basketball is meant to be played as a team, not as a solo hero running around with the ball.

Remind Your Players "Who's In Charge"
A good player can get cocky with praise and success might go to his head. He might feel he's the one carrying the team and the way he plays, is the way the game should be played. So he may hog the ball, because his playing attitude is "if you want something done right, do it yourself". As a coach, dealing with this attitude is of key importance, as such players will soon question your rules and threaten your authority. Talk to such players firmly but sternly. Let them know who's in charge and who makes the rules.

Emphasize the Right Way to Play During Practice
The way your team practices and trains together, is the way it plays together on the court. So during practice, implement more passing drills and stress the need to pass to the open player. Make your players realize how to be realistic when taking shots. In situations where they can make a shot but the chances of scoring are slim, they need to pass the ball to their teammates. Organize drills where players must pass the ball after sometime, not just dribble and dodge to reach the basket. Another strategy is to carry out no-dribbling drills, where players must pass and play to score. Watch for ball hogs during practice sessions and nip hogging behavior in the bud itself. Praise players for assists and defenses and award unselfish players, who play for the team. Along with keeping score, keep a count of passes and assists as well.