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 

-ˌhan-dᵊl-iŋ

noun

Examples of ball handler in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ajayi can be utilized as a switcher on defense, taking on roles such as guarding the ball handler or the opposing big. — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2026

Wilson’s fellow first-round pick Dailyn Swain, a wing who projects as a secondary ball handler who can feast when attacking closeouts and late-clock defenses, was tabbed as point guard. — Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 11 July 2026

The 6-foot guard has the length and physicality to make even the most confident ball handlers feel small. — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 29 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

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above