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.
Gilgeous-Alexander is easily Oklahoma City’s most reliable ball handler and free-throw shooter, and Minnesota couldn’t keep the ball out of his hands in the final 20 seconds of regulation. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 27 May 2025 Most of his seven legitimate attempts were clean looks on pull-ups, including one in transition and four as the pick-and-roll ball handler, as OKC chose to go under screens and live with Edwards' attempts. Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025 That kept the young ball handler out for his team’s first winning campaign. Tony East, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024 The Grizzlies’ ball handlers in this series, including Morant, have been under constant duress because of the relentless ball pressure that’s become a core part of the Thunder’s identity. William Guillory, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025 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 5 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!