Best Team Building Activities for Youth Basketball Players

Bringing together a new group of youth or high school basketball players to form a team isn't always easy, especially when you want the team to both win and have fun. In order to try and put together a successful season, the team dynamics need to be sorted out so the team chemistry can be as strong as possible.

So here are some different activities to do for team sports with students, with basketball being their primary focus. These team building activities can help raise team spirit, build stronger bonds and better communication, and make the game even more fun and beneficial.

With team building and getting to know your fellow team members at the core, these activities, exercises, and drills are good for team bonding both on and off the basketball court. And they can be incorporated into practice or used for separate team building events.

On the Court

Blindfolded Shooting: This team building drill helps with communication, trust-building, and shooting skills.

The easiest way to do this is to split your team into pairs with one player wearing a blindfold and the other one instructing them where to shoot. It is usually done from the free throw line but can also include three-pointers, layups, and other shots.

To make things more competitive, this activity can also include the coach placing a ball or balls at center court, and once he starts the game the blindfolded players have to be guided by their partners to the ball and then to the basket. Whoever makes a shot first wins.

Relay Race: This one is among the team building activities that can be fast paced and fun, and puts an emphasis on communication and encouraging your teammates.

Break your group up into smaller teams and have them dribble a basketball through an obstacle course, made with anything you can find in the gym from cones to chairs and so on, and finishing with a layup.

The team that finishes first earns bragging rights as the winners.

Small Team Competition: This activity helps teammates get to know one another better, while also sharpening many of their essential skills for basketball.

Break your team into smaller groups and run a 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 tournament, keeping things fast paced and making sure everyone is encouraging one another.

Two Ball Dribbling With a Story: This exercise helps players with processing verbal information, and brings up team spirit because of how silly it can be.

Break your team into pairs with one dribbler and one spotter. As the dribbler performs two-ball dribbling drills from one baseline to the opposite baseline, their partner will spot loose balls and guide them while also telling the dribbler a story.

When they reach the other side of the court the dribbler has to answer a question about the story they were just told. 

Then the partners will switch roles and do it again. You can also dribble with different objects like a tennis ball to help with dribbling skills. And don’t forget to have fun with the story to help your partner work on concentration!

Snake Race: This team building activity is good for concentration, cooperation, and chemistry among teammates. 

Break your team into groups of 4 or 5 and have them form a snake line along the baseline, standing close enough to be able to hold a basketball between the back and chest of two players without using their hands.

Each team should begin with a ball between each player, and then snake race to half court and back, without dropping a basketball.

If a ball drops, the team has to stop the race and replace it before continuing. 

Passing Circle: This exercise will help with a team’s communication and overall bonding.

Position the players in a big circle and have them pass the ball around to one another, using chest, bounce, and overhead passes while focusing on form and accuracy.

The person passing the ball should call the name of the person they are passing it to. And to make it more fun and interesting, they should ask a question with each pass like, “who is your favorite NBA player?” and “do you have any siblings?”

Obstacle Course: Work on problem-solving skills and overall teamwork with this activity.

Break your team up into smaller teams and have them navigate a series of obstacles together, whether it be around the gym or outside somewhere while competing to see which team can finish first.

Off the Court

Movie Night: Organize a team movie night – at someone’s house or at the theater – and allow them to enjoy and converse about things outside of basketball. Sports movies can be good too, especially films about other sports so the players discuss the similarities and differences afterward.

Sporting Event: Have your team attend a sporting event together, be it a local or pro team in any sport, and discuss later how they saw teamwork and communication being used.

Breakfast Get-Together: Gather your team at a time and place they wouldn’t normally be together, like a Saturday morning breakfast, incorporating conversation topics about life outside of basketball, and using other fun table games to drive up the bonding and competitive experience.

Game Night: Keep the competitive juices flowing in a more social atmosphere with a board game or trivia night. Make it a regular thing and let 2 or 3 different people bring a game of their choice each time to mix it up. Don’t forget to keep track of wins and losses for bragging rights at the next practice!

Scavenger Hunt: Send your team out as a whole or in smaller groups, and come up with a list of funny or odd things for them to find, or challenges to perform, and make sure they record the evidence on their phones!

Safety Seat: This concept includes one player sitting in a chair in the center of a room as they answer questions about their life asked by their teammates. This can help players by opening up a little more with their peers and earning trust all around.

Circle Discussions: These can be used for any kind of sports team and handled several ways, and could done anywhere as long as everyone can see each other. Then, perhaps using a ball to hold or another symbolic object that represents the team, go around the group to discuss specific questions or topics that explore things on a more personal level.

The topics should help give some insight into each player’s personality, goals, and how they approach life. Some good topics for circle/group discussions can include the following:

A Defining Moment: Have each team member share a defining moment from their life that may have changed their path, given them new meaning or altered their perspective on things.

Two Truths and a Lie: Every player has to reveal three statements about themselves, with two of them being true and one of them being false. The other team members then have to try and figure out which one is false.

Leaving a Legacy: Players discuss what kind of impact they want to have on their team and the program for the upcoming season, including things like specific contributions, personal and team goals, and other strengths they bring to the table.

One Word Characterization: Every player is asked to describe one of their teammates by using only one positive word. This could sum up their teammate as a person, a player, or both. 

Name Your Hero: Each player has to discuss someone that they consider to be their hero. They should also talk about why that person is a hero, what qualities they most relate to in the hero, and what is the most inspiring thing about them.