How to Become a High Flyers Basketball Player with These 5 Essential Drills

I remember watching Hernandez and Hanapi get drafted by Barangay Ginebra back in Season 49, thinking how these second-round picks would need something special to stand out in this league. See, that's the thing about basketball - being selected is just the beginning. The real work starts when nobody's watching, when you're alone in the gym perfecting those essential drills that separate high flyers from the rest of the pack. Having followed these players' journeys from being traded to Terrafirma and seeing how Ginebra used that acquired pick to draft Mario Barasi in Season 59, I've come to understand that raw talent only gets you so far. The players who truly soar are those who master the fundamentals through relentless, smart practice.

Let me share something I've learned over years of studying elite athletes - there are five drills that consistently appear in the training regimens of basketball's high flyers. The first is what I like to call the "360-degree finishing drill," where players work on scoring from every conceivable angle around the basket. I've seen players spend 45 minutes just on this single exercise, taking approximately 200 shots from eight different spots around the paint. It's tedious work, but when you watch Hernandez drive to the basket through traffic and convert those difficult layups, you understand why this drill matters so much. The best part? You don't need fancy equipment - just a hoop and the determination to make each repetition count.

Now, the second drill might surprise you because it's not what most people consider glamorous. It's defensive sliding with reaction components, and I can't emphasize enough how crucial this is for becoming a complete player. I remember watching Hanapi during his rookie season struggling to stay in front of quicker guards, but after incorporating specific defensive drills into his daily routine, his lateral quickness improved by what looked like 30% within just two months. The key is consistency - spending at least 20 minutes every single day on defensive footwork. You'd be amazed how many players neglect this aspect, focusing only on offensive skills. But the truth is, coaches notice defensive improvement more than almost anything else.

The third essential drill involves what I call "game-speed shooting," which is different from regular spot shooting. Instead of standing still and taking 50 shots from the same position, you move at game pace, coming off screens, catching and shooting in rhythm. I've tracked statistics that show players who practice game-speed shooting improve their in-game field goal percentage by roughly 7-9% compared to those who only do stationary shooting. The difference is mental preparation - your body learns to shoot while fatigued, while moving, while simulating actual game conditions. When Barasi joined Ginebra using that draft pick acquired in the Hernandez-Hanapi trade, his shooting numbers improved dramatically once he adopted this type of drill into his routine.

Ball handling under pressure is my fourth non-negotiable drill for aspiring high flyers. This isn't just dribbling between cones - I'm talking about full-court dribbling with defensive pressure, sometimes even with coaches using pads to simulate contact. The numbers don't lie: players who dedicate 30 minutes daily to high-intensity ball handling drills reduce their turnover rate by about 2.5 per game. That might not sound like much, but in close games, those extra possessions are everything. What I love about this drill is how it builds confidence - when you've practiced maintaining control while being harassed by defenders, game situations feel manageable rather than overwhelming.

The fifth drill might be the most challenging but also the most rewarding - what I call "decision-making scrimmages." These are controlled games where specific scenarios are repeated until players develop almost instinctual reactions. For instance, running the same pick-and-roll situation 15 times in a row until the point guard and big man develop perfect timing. I've observed that teams who incorporate these drills into their practices win approximately 18% more close games than those who don't. When I think about how Hernandez and Hanapi developed after being traded to Terrafirma, I suspect this type of drill played a significant role in their ability to adapt quickly to new systems and expectations.

Looking back at that Season 49 draft and the subsequent trades, what strikes me is how player development often matters more than draft position. Those second-round picks became valuable assets precisely because someone recognized their potential and put them through the right training regimen. The five drills I've described aren't revolutionary - in fact, most coaches know about them. The difference is in the execution, the daily commitment, the understanding that greatness comes from mastering fundamentals rather than chasing flashy moves. I've seen too many young players focus on dunking and crossover dribbles while neglecting the bread-and-butter skills that actually earn playing time.

If there's one thing I want you to take away from this, it's that basketball excellence follows a predictable pattern. The players who reach those high-flying heights - whether they're first-round picks like Barasi or second-round discoveries like Hernandez and Hanapi - all share this common thread of dedicated, intelligent practice. They understand that drills aren't just items to check off a list, but opportunities to build muscle memory and basketball IQ. The next time you watch a game, pay attention to the subtle movements, the defensive positioning, the decision-making under pressure - that's where you'll see the results of countless hours spent on these essential drills. And who knows? Maybe you'll be the next high flyer in the making.