On a scale of 1 to 10, how much would you say you know about basketball? Whether you said 1, 10 or somewhere in between, the great thing about basketball is there is always something to learn. Continue reading to find out some helpful advice about improving your basketball game.
When throwing an overhead pass, it is best to keep the ball from actually going behind your head. If you do, the ball is easier to steal. In addition, it takes longer to throw the overhead pass if you bring it behind your head. Throw it from over your forehead.
Free throws require both mental and physical abilities. It’s easy to physically train for a free throw, yet mental preparation is also needed. Relax, take your time and be focused.
As you develop your ability to shoot a basketball, try practicing on one foot only. This will improve many areas of your play, including accuracy when shooting. As you get better, move to practicing your shot from greater distances. Only after you master the basic techniques will you truly get better at long distance shots.
Beware of picking up bad habits from street basketball games. Street games are often rougher and flashier than team basketball. It’s a game to impress through individual showmanship, not from your work as part of a bigger group. Therefore, you can bring the wrong skills to the table if you base your team play on what you’ve learned from street games. Remember, you are part of something bigger than just you.
There may be sneaky or subversive moves that you can make in an attempt to won a game but they are not worth it. Your teammates and fans deserve a player to be proud of, not one whose actions they have to defend. Be a player that your team and the opposing team can both respect.
In order to steal a ball from a dribbler without fouling him, start with your hands low and bring them up toward the ball. This way you hit the ball first with your hand and knock it away. If you start with your hands high and swipe downward, you are going to hit his arm and get called for a foul.
Good rebounding is a key aspect of a success basketball player, so practice rebounds and jumping. Many easy baskets come from the second, third or even fourth shot taken. Practice getting your own rebounds. It is very common for a ball to hit off the rim and head right back towards you.
Have someone record the games you play so that you can watch it to check out your form. Are you able to see what you’ve missed or things that you could improve on? Honestly and openly assess your own performance. This gives you an unfettered view of how you actually performed on the court, rather than relying solely on your memory of the game.
Stick with the same routine every time that you do free throws. You have 10 seconds to shoot, so you can use that short period of time as you like. You can bounce the ball a couple times, spin it within your hands, talk to yourself, etc. Try to be creative and find a routine that works best for you. You will eventually get more comfortable with this shot by doing the same routine over and over.
It is important that you learn to dribble the ball without staring at your hand as you do it. If your eyes are always on the ball, you can’t see who is around you. That will leave you open to having the ball stolen by a defender when you are least expecting it.
Have you ever ran out of gas on the court? No matter if you play for a team or as a hobby with friends, you want to be able to last. It takes more than just playing the game during practice to help build your stamina. Taking up some long-distance running and practicing different sprint drills can help.
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.
The best rebounders can guess where a ball will go. As you practice, throw a ball at the net and see how it reacts. After a while you will begin to see patterns which will help you expect where you should be when the ball goes over the net and comes back at you.
To score more consistently and make better passes, learn to hold the ball properly. The ball should be held with the tips of the fingers, not the palms of the hands. This takes some strength. Practice by holding ball with only the very ends of the fingers, exaggerating the proper hold, not even using the pads. This will build finger strength.
To play basketball you need to be generating lots of energy. The key is to have your body burning calories throughout the day through metabolism. If you consume 5 to 7 light meals during your day, it will be easy to keep your metabolism fueled. This will produce the energy you need to get on the court and start making the plays.
Think hard about when it is appropriate to dive off the court trying to heroically save the ball from going out of bounds. If you are absolutely sure a teammate is there to catch it and control it, your coach will probably love the hustle. If, however, you are doing this on the opponent’s end of the court and leaving them with numbers while you get back to your feet, you should just let it go out of bounds.
Do you feel like you could get better by using these tips on the court? Well, it’s time to put them to the test. Take what you’re learned about, and see how it betters your basketball game. You might just surprise yourself, and who knows, you could be the next star.