Do you want to be as great as Shaquille O’Neil? Work on your technique, practice your skills and perfect your ball handling skills. This article will give you some helpful tips to improve your game.
Be sure to dribble correctly every time. Don’t use your palm to dribble, but use your fingertips instead. Using your fingertips provides you with more control. Dribble on the sides of your body instead of directly before you, and bounce it waist level. Don’t look down, always look up.
Get educated on the way to properly pass the ball on a bounce. Proper bounce passes ought to hit the recipient at the level of their waist. The ideal bounce pass should land about 3/4 of the way between you and the receiver. This all depends on many factors.
Watch the pro’s play if you want to improve your game. Get tickets to some pro games, if possible, or catch some games on television. Each player has their strengths and you can learn a lot from each one.
Hand signals will help you avoid those errant passes. Basketball passes can be really frustrating when shot wrong. You can get around that when you use hand signals, if a player can receive a pass. If the person doesn’t make a signal the person shouldn’t get passed to.
Footwork is what gets you ready for a shot. Although it’s important to have a physical presence underneath the basket, it’s more important that you get in a good place before your opponent can. When you are in position, you must secure your spot. Practicing your footwork is important to master these skills.
Proper handling of the ball requires that your fingers be spread apart. You are more likely to hold onto the ball this way. Try to keep your palm off of the ball as well. Fingers need to be the only thing that touches the ball when you shoot it or pass it.
Basketball players must be fast. To get an advantage over an opposing player, you must have the quickest reactions. It takes steady drilling to play fast. Just don’t play any faster than you’re able to. Playing beyond your capabilities will lead to bad passes and lots of turnovers.
When you are passing the ball, get used to looking in the other direction. This throws your opponents off. If you do this fake the right way, then the receiver of the pass should have an advantage and a great look at the goal. It’s a great play if done properly.
When you dribble, keep your knees comfortably bent. When you are rigid, the ball is not only hard to control, it is also an easier target for a rival to steal. Bending your knees slightly will enable you to control the ball more efficiently.
To make your three-point shot better, practice it from the minimum NBA approved distance. The line in every other league is closer. Nailing shots from the NBA line can really help improve your overall shooting skills.
Try practicing your dribbling while switching the momentum of your body from side to side. This will happen during games frequently. You may have an open court, by you’re just as likely to be swarmed by multiple opponents. You must dribble while you make your body lean in various directions. In this way, you can escape all kinds of difficult situations.
Use the hand you’re not dribbling with to create a barrier between the ball and the opponent. You can’t push on your opponent, but you should use your non-dribbling arm to protect the ball. Keep your other arm up slightly while you dribble.
Be sure that off-court exercises are proper for playing on-court. You can run longer distances to build up stamina. To build speed, try doing wind sprints. Both are necessary for playing good ball. Lift weights to build your power. This is also good for making you much more relaxed while you’re shooting the ball.
If you’re serious about your game, you should take your diet seriously. To play with great frequency, you will need a large amount of carbs combined with a bit of fat and protein. You should try to include more wheat bread, chicken, nuts and peanut butter into your diet. Stay away from salt and sugar.
Be careful not to double-dribble. If you start, stop and then begin again, that is double dribbling. After you stop dribbling, your only options are to shoot or pass. It is against the rules to recommence dribbling. If you do, it’s called a turnover and your opponent will be given the ball.
As you hit the ground after catching a rebound, improve your balance by spreading your legs wider than your shoulder span as you land. Keep your elbows out to protect the ball and keep it close to your chest. Keep your elbows under control so you don’t cause a foul by hitting someone.
Now that you’ve finished this article, you can get out there and practice. You need to practice a lot and believe in yourself. Keep all of the good advice you encounter in mind so that you can make it clear that you are very talented.