What do you know about basketball? Do you want to learn more about different tips that you can use when you’re playing? This article is going to explain a few things that will help guide you to be a better basketball player. Carefully consider the following information so that you can play at your best level.

When you are in control of the ball, make sure you always pay attention to what is happening on the court. Know where the other players are. Don not stare at the ground. If you do, there is no way for you to have the type of court awareness that you need to be successful.

One of the hardest skills to learn in basketball is how to relax while shooting. Concentrating on the back of the rim or where you want the ball to hit on the backboard are great ways to practice this. It might seem strange learning how to relax, but the more you do it, the better prepared you will be come game time.

If you feel you’ve been spending too much time on the the bench, ask your basketball coach what you can do to help the team the next time you are in practice. Hang on every word he or she says. This will demonstrate your intense interest in helping the team win by improving your own play and should get you more game time!

Practice as many different shots as you can. You never know when you will need one during a game. If you only practice bank shots, then you will feel less comfortable making a 3-point shot or a lay-up. Practice them all and you will see improvements in all of your shots.

Watch professional basketball players on television. When learning basketball, it’s essential to see what the best out there do. Listen to what the announcers are saying, too. Quite often, they’ll point out smart plays and unique moves that were exceptionally done. These call-outs will help you improve your skills just by watching.

If your child has a hard time learning to dribble a basketball with their fingertips, you can try using naugahyde gloves. They will help them learn proper dribbling since it forces them to use their fingers instead of their palms. Eventually, they will learn to just use their wrists and fingers. You can find these gloves in sporting goods stores or online.

When dealing with high school basketball players, make sure that they get enough sleep every night. The workouts involved for basketball players are pretty strenuous. That is why it is very important that they get enough rest so that their bodies can recover. They should try to sleep about seven hours each night.

As you perform your fitness routine, make it a point to target your core and your footwork. By developing strong core muscles, you will be able to recover quickly and keep your balance. Your muscles in your buttocks, hips, abdomen, and back should be worked. Just like with boxing, you can do a little speed and footwork training with a jump rope.

To make sure that you protect your ankles while you play basketball, wear shoes that are a little bit higher around them and lace them up. If you play in lower shoes, it is very easy to turn your ankle. Higher shoes keep you out on the court playing longer.

If you find that you think you can being a coach is so easy then go do it. Gather up some younger friends and make a practice team with them. Sometimes it can help a lot to see how it is to try and be a coach who has so many players to manage. You may find a new respect for your coach after that.

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.

Add stretching to your warm up, cool down, and work out routines. Stretching helps give you a wider range of motion with your arms and legs. That’s critical to basketball. It’ll allow you to do things with the basketball that others will find impossible, including between the leg dribbling and behind the back passing.

Always share with your teammates. When someone begins to guard you, start looking for someone to pass to and stop dribbling. If you don’t, your teammates won’t bother trying to find an open spot as they will know that you are a ball hog who doesn’t pass when the time is right.

Although a slam dunk may seem like the easiest and most reliable shot to make in basketball, there is still room for error. Using one hand to dunk the ball can invite turnovers and missed dunks off the back of the rim. Whenever possible, always use two hands while dunking.

If a defender is hot on your heels, a one handed pass is a must. If their hands are up high, fake a high throw and then bounce it under their arm. If their hands are instead low, fake a bounce pass and toss it over their arm to the recipient instead.

Practice rhythmic dribbling up until the point you wish to shake an opposing player. A steady dribble interrupted by a fast dribble will take your opponent by surprise and give you the advantage. Not only the speed change, but the sound change is what confuses them most.

If you wanted to know more about the game of basketball, then you should have learned something from this article. Now that you have read this information, you’re ready to take the ball to the court. Whether you play on a team or with friends, you can now improve your basketball skills.