Basketball is a sport that millions of people all over the world love. One can turn basketball into their profession or just play it for fun in the park. Read on to learn the ins and outs of basketball.
Make your passes quick and precise. This takes practice, but you can improve your passing skills over time. Find someone else who wants to improve their passing and run drills with them. Running up and down the court passing and dribbling will eventually become second nature and help you with your game.
When dribbling, make sure that you look forward and keep your head up. Lack of practice will manifest itself in looking down towards the ball when dribbling. Take your basketball everywhere. On your way to the grocery store, practice your dribbling. Staring at the ball doesn’t allow you to watch the other players.
Never leave the practice court without taking some practice shots. Do some free throws, lay-ups and 3-point throws every practice before you leave. Of course you are doing some shooting during practice, but this additional practice will help you in the long run. Keep practicing your shooting on a daily basis.
Take your ball with you wherever you go and dribble as often as possible. This allows you to practice handling the ball on all sorts of surfaces. For example, it will react differently on grass than it will on a wooden court. If you can master moving the ball on any surface, you will become a better ball handler.
To help your muscles get used to the change of pace in dribbling during a regular game, do 10-5 drills. Soft dribble for 5 seconds, then power dribble for 10. Do it these drills a number of times on each hand. That way, the muscles in your arms will be prepared to change pace as quickly as you need to.
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.
To inbound a basketball when no one is open and your defender’s back is to you, you can pull a trick — just toss the ball lightly off the defender’s back. Then step inbounds with both feet and grab the ball and go. The ball just has to touch a player inbounds before you can touch it again.
To win the game you need to take good shots. Good shots are when you have an open arc to the goal with a high-percentage of scoring. No other players on your team should have a better shot than the one you are taking. Otherwise, it’s not a good shot.
If you have a defender right in front of you, consider using an overhead pass. You can throw the ball so high that the defender can’t reach it, protecting it from their grasp. Aim high on the person intended to receive it so they can catch it near their chin.
Your workout routine can help you do well in the game. Running for long distances will increase your stamina, while running sprints will help you with fast-paced moves. In addition, lifting weights will improve your strength, and hopefully, your shot. Building your muscles and your confidence will help you game in many ways.
Learning to lose gracefully is part of the game. Nobody enjoys being with a player who responds in an ugly manner to not winning. That means no tantrums or outburst or blaming others for mistakes they made. Know that everyone tried their best and that each game you lose still teaches you something valuable.
When playing defense, keep your eye on the shot ball. Once the ball leaves someones hands, you need to box out your opponent and then gauge where you think that ball is bouncing to when it hits the rim. That’s the key to being an excellent rebounder. When you see enough basketball shots, you’ll have a very good idea of how the ball bounces. But you need to keep your eyes on it to know!
Forge a strong bond between teammates, whether you are playing the game or off the court. Basketball teams can achieve greatness when the whole team blends cohesively. If you get to know and trust your teammates, you’ll see that your game will reach untold levels of excellence!
If you’re a perimeter player, making good shot choices requires you know where your feet are at all times. The worst shot in basketball is the 19 foot jumper. If you’re in that position with an open shot, simply take a step back one foot and go for the three.
Basketball is a mental game almost as much as it is a physical game. Try to get into your opponents head and you can throw them off their game. You do not have to be a total jerk, but a little bit of trash talk can go a long way in making your life easier on the court.
Now you have a good idea of what you need to do to improve your game. It isn’t hard, but it does take some know-how and effort. Play as often as you can, especially against really good players. Get out there and have a blast!