There are many sports which are popular today, but not all are as fun to play as basketball. It requires little in the way of equipment, so anyone of any means can start playing right away. If you want to learn how to become a better player, read the text below.
Footwork is an important skill to practice daily if you want to improve your basketball game. Players with exceptional foot work can move around their opponents at will. It is essential to include both slow paced running and fast sprints in your practice sessions. You can practice first without a ball and then add dribbling to your footwork sessions.
Jump naturally when shooting the ball. Do not overjump or else you will throw the ball’s trajectory off course. Learn this technique by performing it in slow motion during your practice sessions. Jump vertically and do not release the ball until you are at the peak of your jump.
Do not practice solely against zone defense. While you might see a zone defense mostly, a team can switch defenses to man-to-man quickly in order to confuse you. If your practice did not include this, you can quickly lose control of the game.
When you play basketball, be sure that you remain properly hydrated. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after playing. Becoming dehydrated can negatively affect your game and your health. It is possible to lose up to 2% of your body weight through dehydration. That can also cause between a 10% and 20% decrease in your athletic performance.
Always know where the other players are, both on your team and the opposition. You need to know who is close enough to steal the ball from you, who you can pass to and who might be able to rebound if you miss. Staying on top of the game means knowing the lay of the land.
If the basketball game is quickly getting out of hand for your team, find a way to slow the pace down. Your opponent wants to keep the chaos for your team going as it’s causing you all to make mistakes. You need to do the opposite. The minute you have the ball, dribble up court slowly. Or take a time out if you’ve got one available.
Strive to be a player that everyone can respect. You are representing your team both on the court and off. That means that you need to be a good sport and to not think that your status as a player makes you better than anyone else. The most popular players are often popular because of the way they deal with teammates and fans.
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.
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.
Even though dribbling movement should start with the feet and below the knees, finish or follow through the movements with your whole body. The right combination of eye and arm motions can actually throw your defender off for even a half of a second, giving you the daylight you need to make a play or pass.
When you’re playing basketball, make sure that you dribble with your head up. If you feel that you have to look down every time you dribble, then you need more practice. Try to practice dribbling all over the place when you can without looking to get better at it. Watching good point guards can help since they always look forward and around when they dribble.
While hockey means buying a ton of expensive equipment, and football can lead to concussions, basketball is a safe game to play which doesn’t cost a ton. As long as you keep reading articles like this one, you’ll become better and better. Enjoy this game every day to bring you exercise and fun!