TIP! Make sure you are looking forward and looking up as you’re dribbling. You haven’t practiced enough if you keep looking at the basketball while you’re dribbling.

Years ago, basketball was invented by Dr. It was a game that became popular rather quickly. After that it has become something that a lot of people have fallen in love with. So many great personalities have played this game. Celebrities such as Magic Johnson have made this sport very popular. Check out more of this article to understand more about their success.

TIP! You should practice your crossovers a lot. Crossovers involve moving the ball from hand to hand.

You must learn how to dribble, how a crossover is done and other important ball handling skills. This move entails transferring the basketball from your left hand to your right hand and back again. Crossovers must be done quickly to keep defenders at bay. Crossovers can help you get out of a tight spot.

TIP! Balance is essential to shooting. Even though a professional can hit all sorts of crazy off-balance shots, it is not the ideal method of shooting that you want to learn.

Make sure you spend your time focusing on your strengths. Your team will benefit more if you stop trying to be the star of the game and work your best. Know your strengths and practice them until you have perfected them.

Free Throws

TIP! Bounce passes are extremely efficient when done properly. Bounce passes should not go above or below the receiving players waist.

Connecting on your free throws is as much mental as it is physical. Your body can be trained to make free throws, but your mind has to be focused on success if you want to make the basket. Stay calm and collected to increase your free throw percentage.

TIP! Lay off the weights if you are trying to become a jump shooter. Being weighed down by too much bulky muscle can have a negative impact on your jump shot.

Do you want to fool the other team? Make use of the back pass. Use your dominant hand to palm the basketball. Pull it behind you. And last, flick the wrist in the direction you want the ball to go. This should trick the opposing team.

TIP! Footwork is the best way to find an opening shot. You always want to beat your opponent to the open spot.

Play solo basketball in the months leading up to the season, as well as during the season itself. Sometimes you cannot find a team of people to play basketball with. Don’t worry! You’ll still be able to get a lot done when playing solo. Maybe work on those free throws or practice your pivoting. You can always practice something.

TIP! If you’re injured when playing basketball, don’t push through the pain. It’s easy to be hurt when playing basketball.

If you have student that wants to play basketball for their high school team, they will need to spend some time training their core muscles. Hips, abdomen and back must be worked on. The core is the muscle group that links the arms and legs together. If their core strength is poor, then so will their athletic performance be. A strong core helps the legs move better, like jumping higher and running faster.

TIP! Practice with your weak hand when it comes to dribbling. You will be able to get past your opponent more easily if you can use either hand to dribble the ball.

When injuries occur on the court, it is unwise to keep on playing. The sport of basketball is very physical, which makes one susceptible to injury. Playing through an injury can prolong it which is always bad. Visit a doctor if you think it’s serious.

TIP! To play good defense, you have to upset and disrupt your opponent. Force them to leave their comfort zone.

To land your layups, jump off the foot opposite the hand you shoot with. If you play to use your right hand to shoot, you’ll want to use your left foot to take off. Also, this will improve your balance as you approach the basket.

TIP! Your forearms and hands should be strengthened in order for you to handle the ball better. Consider wrist curls and and exercise machine that focuses on strengthening each finger individually.

To avoid turning the ball over to the other team, make sure that you’re dribbling hard. This causes the ball to return to your hand more quickly, so the offense has less time to try to get it away from you. If someone is close to you and is really good at guarding you, pass to another person that’s open.

TIP! Be slick with your feet so you can get a rebound from a teammate. The defender in your path will be moving at you, so be sure you’re thinking of how to get past that defender.

A key play on defense is to draw a charge. This strategy can result in your opponent taking a foul and your team getting a defensive stop and taking possession of the ball. Not only that, your opponents may become confused or frustrated and stop playing their game plan.

TIP! Take charges whenever possible. This play gets your team possession of the ball and a foul against your opponent.

A good way to stay defensive is to have a defensive stance. Stay in the right position by pushing off of your opposite foot. If you never allow your feet to cross one another you will invariably be a very hard player to get passed.

TIP! Use whatever hand you aren’t dribbling with as a shield between the ball and your opponent. Avoid physical contact like pushing, but keep the ball from them by separating them from it.

To improve 3 point shooting, practice from NBA distance, at least. All other three point lines are closer than what the NBA uses. Nailing shots from the NBA line can really help improve your overall shooting skills.

TIP! Dribble rhythmically until you are ready to throw your opponent’s guarding capabilities into disarray. You can for instance suddenly speed up your dribbling to get past an opponent and get the edge you need for a shot.

Try to contain the action to the area below your knees. Your opponents will find it tougher to steal the ball from you. It will take flexibility, balance and bending but just keep moving toward the goal.

Shooting Abilities

TIP! Keep your anxiety level low when shooting. The basket should be the your main focus.

Be sure that off-court exercises are proper for playing on-court. Running for short quick bursts at a time will help you become quicker, and running long distance can help with stamina. Resistance training or lifting weights will increase muscle strength and shooting abilities. Your shooting abilities are greatly enhanced by a more self-assured, aggressive mindset.

TIP! Passing is an important part of basketball. Passing helps confuse the opponent.

In order to be a more effective player, one thing you have to do is talk to teammates about strategies. Basketball is a sport played by a team. Offense and defense aren’t up to the individual. All players on your team are interdependent. Communicate and have everyone on the same page in order to play better.

TIP! When you dribble, you want to practice bouncing the ball as hard as possible. This needs to be done because when a ball is bounced hard that makes it go faster and allows you to create less time for a defender to get to it.

You have to change the path of your opponent. This is an ability you need on both defense and offense, since you get to control where your opponent goes in either case. Doing so makes it easier for you to navigate the court without interference from the other player.

TIP! Dribbling is both physically and mentally challenging. It is not only about bouncing the ball but the position, spin and speed of the ball in combination with your foot placement.

Be sure that you’re not double dribbling. This happens when you cease dribbling once and begin again within a few seconds. Once you stop dribbling, you must shoot or pass the ball. It is against the rules to recommence dribbling. That’s called a turnover, which will result in you having to hand over the ball to your opponent.

TIP! Communication is vital during basketball. Practice is the time to work on communication.

When you are coming back down from a caught rebound widen your stance. This will help to increase your overall balance. Keep your hands on either side of the ball and hold it tight to your chest. Take care with elbows, since it is a foul if you strike someone on the opposing team.

TIP! It is important to practice your footwork. Placing your feet in the right positions is vital to being able to play well.

In order to play, all you need is 9 more players, a hoop measured out at 10 feet, and a court that is nearly 100 feet in length. If you would like to be a good basketball player then you need to be educated on the sport. Start with the tips presented here and continue to add to your knowledge of basketball.