ball handler

noun

: a player who controls the ball in any of various games
especially : a player who is skilled at handling the ball (as in basketball)
ballhandling
ˈbȯl-ˌhan(d)-liŋ How to pronounce ball handler (audio)
-ˌhan-dᵊl-iŋ
noun

Examples of ball handler in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The 5-foot-9 ball handler got to the rim at will and finished several of her drives with a package of crafty hook shots. Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 18 June 2026 Victor Wembanyama would park himself by the rim, ball handlers would run the other way and San Antonio would win with its defense. Jared Weiss, New York Times, 13 June 2026 White said after the game that Portland did a good job attacking matchups, forcing Indiana into rotations and creating foul problems for the Fever's primary ball handlers. Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026 And, as the Knicks widened their lead, Reed hobbled off the court, never to return, leaving the inevitabilities to the ball handler, ball thief, and sharpshooter Walt Frazier, who went on to register thirty-six points and nineteen assists. David Remnick, New Yorker, 30 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for ball handler

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ball handler was in 1912

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ball handler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ball%20handler. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.

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