The ability to dribble, and dribble well, is one of the most important fundamental skills in basketball. Not only is it required by the rulebook for moving around the court with the ball, dribbling allows you to create space and open up lanes for yourself and your teammates to take the ball to the hoop or pull up for open shots.

In the video above, Milwaukee Bucks guard and former NBA Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams demonstrates four pre-game dribbling drills that he performs to ensure that his handles are secure and ready to go when it’s time for the tipoff. From the Two-Hand Lateral Dribble to the One-Hand Crossover/One-Hand Partner Pass to Single-Arm Dribbling With Contact, practicing these drills will refine your dribbling skills and make them superior to those of the other players around you on the court.