How to Play Basketball Fast: 7 Proven Drills for Speed and Agility

Let’s be honest, when we talk about playing basketball fast, it’s not just about running up and down the court like a sprinter. It’s about speed of thought, speed of decision, and that explosive first step that leaves a defender flat-footed. I’ve spent years both playing and coaching, and I can tell you that raw speed is a gift, but basketball speed is a skill you can absolutely develop. It’s the difference between being quick and being effective. Think about a player like Jason Perkins from the PBA. I recall a specific game in an all-Filipino conference where his team, Phoenix, desperately needed a win after two straight losses. Perkins didn’t just run fast; he played fast. He went 6-of-12 from the field, putting up 19 points and grabbing five rebounds. That stat line speaks to efficiency within pace—making sharp cuts, reading screens a half-second earlier, and getting to his spots before the defense could react. That’s the kind of speed we’re after. It’s controlled, purposeful, and devastating. So, how do you build it? Forget vague advice. Here are seven drills I swear by, drills that have transformed players I’ve worked with from plodders into pace-setters.

First, nothing builds that crucial first-step explosion like resisted sprint starts. You’ll need a resistance band or a sled. Attach it and work on your drive stance—low and loaded. The key isn’t max distance; it’s about overcoming that initial inertia with violent, purposeful strides for about 10-15 yards. Do three sets of five reps with full recovery. When you take the band off, you’ll feel like you’re shot out of a cannon. This directly translates to beating your man off the dribble or exploding into a fast break. Next, we have to talk about lateral agility. The classic defensive slide is good, but to really gameify it, I love the “Zig-Zag Cone React” drill. Set up five cones in a zig-zag pattern about 12 feet apart. Start in a defensive stance at the first cone. Have a partner, or just use your own cue, to point direction. You don’t just slide; you sprint to the next cone, get back into your stance, then react to the next direction. It trains you to change direction at full speed, which is exactly what happens when you’re navigating screens or staying in front of a shifty guard. I’d do this for 45-second intervals, aiming for six to eight touches per interval.

Ball handling at speed is non-negotiable. You can be the fastest guy in the gym, but if you can’t control the rock, it’s useless. My go-to is the “Two-Ball Pound Dribble Sprint.” Dribble two balls simultaneously, hard and controlled, while sprinting the length of the court. It forces your hands to work independently and builds coordination under duress. Start with three down-and-backs, focusing on keeping your head up. You’ll fumble at first—everyone does—but stick with it. Another drill I’m personally fond of is the “Catch-and-Go from the Wing.” This mimics game action. Start on the wing, have a passer at the top of the key. The passer throws you the ball, and the second it touches your hands, you take one hard dribble into a pull-up jumper or drive all the way to the rim. The emphasis is on receiving the pass already in a triple-threat position and making your move in one fluid motion, cutting out any wasteful hesitation. I’d take at least 50 reps from each wing, mixing up the finish.

For conditioning that feels like a real game, nothing beats “Full-Court Touch-and-Go.” Start under your own basket, sprint to the opposite free-throw line, touch it, sprint back and touch your starting line, then sprint to the half-court line, back, then to the far baseline, and finally back to the start. That’s one rep. It’s a brutal 78-second all-out effort that replicates the stop-start, change-of-pace nature of a real possession. Two or three of these with two minutes of rest in between will gas you, but it builds the exact engine you need. Then there’s the often-overlooked aspect of deceleration. Being able to stop on a dime is as important as accelerating. The “Box Drill with a Finish” is perfect. Set up a square with cones about 15 feet apart. Sprint from one cone to the next, come to a complete jump-stop under control, pivot, then sprint to the next. After completing the box, receive a pass and take a shot. This links your footwork, balance, and scoring directly. Finally, integrate everything with a “3-Man Weave to Sprint-Out.” The classic weave teaches passing on the run, but instead of finishing with a layup, have the two outside players sprint to the corners and the middle player sprint to the top after the layup. A coach or fourth player outlets the ball immediately, triggering a secondary fast break. It trains you to play fast even after an initial action is complete, teaching that basketball speed is relentless and multi-phase.

Incorporating these drills consistently, maybe two or three focused ones per training session, will rewire your neuromuscular system. You’ll find yourself reacting without thinking, your movements becoming more economical and powerful. Remember Perkins’ performance: 19 points on 50% shooting in a crucial win. That efficiency is the hallmark of true basketball speed—it’s not frantic, it’s forceful. It’s the product of thousands of reps that train your body to operate at high speed with clear intention. Start with the resistance work, hammer the agility and ball-handling, and then condition with purpose. Speed isn’t just something you have; it’s something you build, one deliberate, explosive drill at a time. Get to work, and you’ll start leaving defenders—and your old, slower self—in the dust.