Watch. Jordan doesn't "dribble the air out of the ball."
A fun little video for young players learning the fundamentals.
Listen to your parents, "don't play in the traffic." Great players excel "in space."
Excellent defenders CARE: concentrate, anticipate, react, execute. I tell players to crossover on their shoelaces...don't expose the ball to alert defenders. The video shows Kawhi stealing as the ball leaves the hand. I always found it easier to poke at the ball as it returned to the hand.
Solid ball handlers protect the ball, attack the defense, get separation, and make good decisions. What gets dribblers into trouble (been there, done that)?
Excellent defenses "know their nos." They want NO easy baskets, NO middle, NO dribble or pass penetration, NO postups, NO transition hoops, NO open threes, NO uncontested shots, NO second shots, NO fouling perimeter shots.
1) Dribbling without purpose (out of control)
2) Stationary dribbling (inviting defensive attack)
3) Exposing the ball
4) Poor technique (fumbles, traveling)
5) Weak nondominant hand
6) Dribbling into traffic
7) Dribbling into "trap zones"
8) Picking up the dribble (triggering denial)
9) Turning the back triggering doubles/"two-timing"
10)Jumping in the air with the dribble (getting hung up)
11)Habitually running offense from the sideline
Primary trap zones (intersecting boundary lines)
Conceptually poor, suboptimal spacing, allows defense to play 5 against 3.