Basketball knows not of gender discrimination. Basketball is fun to play regardless of your skill level. Invite your friends over and dazzle them with your newly learned skills. Wait, what did you learn? Read this article to learn more about basketball.
It is important to focus on both offense and defense when learning to play basketball. Defense is how you win a basketball game. Offense is often what gets the glory, but most winning basketball teams play great defense.
For lightening fast dribbling, just like the pros, only use your finger tips on the ball. When you use all of your fingers, your dribbling will be much slower. Make this a part of your daily practice sessions until it becomes second nature to dribble with only the tips of your fingers.
Practice passing drills as a team. Basketball is a team sport first and foremost. You’ve got five people on the court with the same common goal. Teams that are great at passing can really break up a defense making it much easier to get into good scoring positions. You’ll definitely win much more than you lose when you work as a team.
When shooting a free throw, keep your knees slightly bent and relaxed for best results. This stance allows you to jump vertically without shifting from right to left; thus, helping you maintain an even, accurate shot. Release the ball at the top of your jump for added momentum to the shot.
To become a better ball handler, there are two key things you should focus on. Staying low while you dribble will make it harder for opponents to guard you and to steal the ball. Changing speeds is also important. By changing speeds while you move you’ll become more unpredictable to your opponent.
Good rebounding is a key aspect of a success basketball player, so practice rebounds and jumping. Many easy baskets come from the second, third or even fourth shot taken. Practice getting your own rebounds. It is very common for a ball to hit off the rim and head right back towards you.
To stay hydrated while playing basketball outside on a hot day, make sure you drink plenty of water or sports drink before you head outside, and take a bottle with you. When you sweat, you not only lose water, but you lose electrolytes and sodium. Sports drinks like Powerade help you replace those and keep your edge on the basketball court.
The only way to become a better basketball player is through practice and hard work. Anyone can better their skills, but in order to truly succeed and be better than other players is by improving your skills. It doesn’t take much, all you need is a hoop, a ball and desire to become better.
When dribbling, try to make your moves below your knee joints. This will mean you have to bend over to dribble the ball and move, but there are advantages. It creates a little more personal space, making the ball harder for an opponent to steal. It also makes it far easier to shake off an opponent for a drive, a shot or a pass.
Never try to score the point at the expense of shutting other players out. You are part of a team which means everyone is valued. It means working together and sometimes playing a minor part in another player’s winning shot. Just remember that your team can’t win if you are the only one to make shots.
Remember that being good at basketball starts with being athletic. That means working on all of your skills, not just those which involve a ball. Run to build stamina and your cardiovascular health, and lift weights to build your strength. The harder you work on your overall condition, the better you will play.
To get a rebound of a free throw that one of your teammates is taking, you need to be sly with your feet. You’ll have a defender coming at you and this means you have to figure out what can be done to get around them. This technique will help you rebound the ball without getting a foul called on you.
A bounce pass is a good option if you are being heavily defended by one opponent. A defender who does not see the bounce pass coming will be thrown off his game. Keep your bounce passes as simple as possible to avoid a turnover. This maneuver helps get the ball to a teammate who is in a better position to score.
A good place to start in basketball is to understand how to play defense. Usually the teams that win in the pros all play great defense. The reason being is that defense is usually much more consistent than offense. It’s a lot harder to make a shot than it is to defend one. Help your team win more, and learn defense!
To make great free throws, you need to arc the ball about four feet above the net. If you don’t put an arc into your shot, you are unlikely to get the ball into the net. Practice creating an arc with your shots so you can master free throws when you face them.
Work on taking shots from various on-court locations. The first thing to do is to practice on your balance and your grip. You can shoot off balance, but it’s not very accurate. You can use your basketball’s valve to improve grip. Put the middle of your palm over the valve.
Remember and repeat the mantra BEEF. This means BALANCE, Keep your with EYE, get your Elbows where they need to be and then FOLLOW THRU with the shot. Knowing BEEF can help you automatically get the right stance to be able to make the shot you are trying to make.
Since reading these tips, you should be confident in your basketball skills. You should know more about basketball than your friends do. The point of playing basketball is not only to win, but to have fun playing the game. In either case, it’s always fun to be a winner!