TIP! Dribble the ball the right way. Finger tips, not palms, are the key to successful dribbling.

Years ago, basketball was invented by Dr. This happened in the year of 1891. Since that time, it’s exploded into a beloved sport by many. From Dr. Most of the world has heard of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Read on to learn from the successes of some of the greats.

TIP! Look forward and hold your head up while you dribble the ball. By focusing your sight on the ball, you cannot be fully aware of your surroundings.

Perfect your free throw. There are usually a lot of distractions when you are shooting free throws so you need to concentrate. When practicing your free throw, concentrate on where you want the ball to go when it leaves your hands. Place the ball right in line with your face. Visualize the ball sailing into the hoop. Next, shoot with just the trajectory you saw.

TIP! Balance is vital to good shooting. Many the professional player can be seen slipping out of bounds or making baskets from far away, but these are not proper techniques.

Dribble while keeping your head upward and looking ahead. You haven’t practiced enough if you keep looking at the basketball while you’re dribbling. Take your basketball everywhere. Dribble the ball while you’re walking around. By looking forward instead of at the basketball, you are able to see the happenings on the court.

TIP! Playing basketball does not require excessive muscle development. Muscle strength is great for any position in basketball, you can have too much when it comes to perimeter play.

Better your basketball skills by watching the pros play. Go to a bunch of professional games in person, watch them on television, or just get online to search for basketball videos. Watch great players to learn the specific skills that make them exceptional.

TIP! Don’t play when you are injured! Basketball is very physical and there’s always a risk of injury. Being tough is one thing, but playing through injury can only harm you even further and make the problem much worse.

Shake things up rather than focusing solely on a zone defense. While a great portion of a game will be concentrated in the zone, your rivals could opt to go to man-to-man covering to keep you guessing. You might lose your control of the court if the other team use this technique, unless you are ready for this possibility.

TIP! Spreading out your fingers is key to handling the ball correctly. This will help you keep a better grip on the ball.

Passing quickly without dribbling is a great way to practice. It is hard to play basketball without dribbling, and demands accurate passing and teamwork, so it will be a challenge. Do not get frustrated if it it seems difficult at first, over time your team’s passes will become more accurate.

TIP! If you find yourself unable to shoot well, consider your shoulders. No matter your skill level, you won’t make shots if your shoulders aren’t in the proper position.

Play games against yourself in and out of season. While it’s a team sport, you may not be able to find others that will play. That is okay. You can still do a lot on your own. Practice free throws and work on pivot moves. You can always practice.

TIP! If you are being heavily guarded, a pass between your legs might help. You can practice this technique by stepping forward or backward and bouncing the ball with force between your legs.

When you work out, try focusing on building core strength and bettering your footwork. You will stay balanced if your core is strong. Concentrate your efforts on the back, abdomen, buttocks and hips. Your speed and footwork can be improved by jumping rope.

TIP! Practice passing while looking the opposite direction. Your opponents can really get confused by this, as well.

Pay close attention to your shoulders if you’ve suddenly developed a shooting slump. If your shoulders are in a bad position, no matter how good you are, you won’t make the shot. Keep your shoulders square to the hoop. The shoulder that is dominant should be perfectly aligned with the hoop rim.

TIP! Practice with your weak hand when it comes to dribbling. If you can dribble equally well with each hand, it is simpler to get past your opponents.

Always be aware of the locations of your feet and what they’re doing. Just touching the baseline is going to get you called out of bounds. You could also be the reason for a turnover if you get called for walking when you take more steps than allowed without dribbling. In addition, moving one foot while working on setting a screen or pick will produce a foul.

TIP! Upset and disrupt your opponent’s play. All successful basketball players do this.

A consistent pre-shot routine when at the line will increase your chance at success. Your shot could be off if you are inconsistent. You have to practice time and time again. Just keep repeating free throws, if you want to perfect that technique. If you are off your game, you will not make the shot.

TIP! The trick to grabbing a rebound on a teammate’s missed free-throw is to plan your footwork in advance. Defenders will start to move at you, so you need to get around them to grab the ball.

To nab a rebound from a free throw attempt of a teammate, footwork is key. Slip around the defender moving your way and get the ball. You’ll be able to grab the rebound without fouling your opponent.

TIP! Dribble with force to prevent the ball from being stolen. This means you get the ball back from your opponent faster.

Dribble hard to make it less likely for the ball to be stolen. This will make the ball come back to you faster, and the opponent will have a hard time to get it from you. Stop dribbling when people guard you too closely.

TIP! You should ensure that you can clearly see. You don’t just want to be able to pass and shoot well.

When you’re working with defense, staying low is a good idea. You will become faster and react faster. Stay in a defensive stance. When you must break from your stance in order to block shots, make sure to return to form right away.

TIP! Until the moment you are prepared to shoot or pass, you must dribble constantly. If you stop, you limit your options.

To create a trapping machine in a standard 2-3 zone, have your two top defenders or your guards wait until point guard is about 10 feet from the time line or midcourt. This can give them an opportunity to run up to that point guard to trap them. Simultaneously, make sure you own forwards are free to sprint to the opposing players who are out on the wings. Point guards need to throw up passes that your team’s forwards can steal easily.

TIP! Know where missed shots are most likely to end up. If that happens, you need to anticipate when it will land so you can catch it on the rebound.

In order to better your shooting skills, you must practice shooting hundreds of times each day from various position on the court. Taking quick shots during practice will help you during the game when the pressure is on. When you are in the air, take a gander at the target. Don’t do it prior to this point. This can help you simulate the conditions of the game and also helps you improve accuracy.

TIP! For the best balance, make sure you land with your feet spread apart. You want to bring the ball tight into your body with both hands.

Until the moment you are prepared to shoot or pass, you must dribble constantly. When you stop dribbling the ball, you only have a limited amount of plays you can perform. If you decide not to shoot or pass, all you can do is pivot on your rear foot. The opposition will cling onto you like a magnet.

TIP! Try to remain calm when shooting. Concentrate on the basket.

Switch the weight of your body while you are dribbling. Expect to encounter many different situations in a game. You might be swarmed by various opponents or get an open court. Going through the court will be easier if you can quickly adjust your direction without interrupting your dribbling. This will help you maneuver around trouble.

TIP! When you have the ball, know when to try to make a shot and then when to pass it off to someone who has a better shot. It is better to be part of a winning shot than to be the sole player in a shot that cost the game.

A hoop that’s ten feet high, a really long court, and ten people playing is what it takes to play a game of basketball. You will become a better player if you learn more about basketball. The above article is an excellent beginning. So, practice and keep learning to become a master.