TIP! Perfect your free throw. This seems like an easy shot, but it is quite hard.

It is clear from fans around the world that the game of basketball brings happiness to so many people around the world. The truth to this, however, is that a lot of people need to learn quite a bit more if they want to get the most out of basketball. Check out the article below for some simple ways to learn more about this great sport.

TIP! Dribble while keeping your head upward and looking ahead. Looking directly at the ball means you aren’t good at the game yet.

Practice catching passes as often as you can. While you are practicing, you should be sure to drill yourself on catching errant throws, as well as catching those perfect passes. When the game is going on, every pass isn’t going to make it to its target. Help your teammates by learning what you need to haul in those imperfect passes.

TIP! Turning away from the ball can be a costly mistake in basketball. This helps keep you aware of the action, and it takes away the surprise factor.

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 lower and upper extremities are linked by the core, and athletes with a weak core will exhibit limited performance. A strong, sturdy core allows force from the legs to fuel movements like running and jumping.

TIP! Always know where your feet are and what they are doing. If you slide onto the baseline, you will lose the ball for being out of bounds.

Bad passes can be avoided with the right hand signals. Oftentimes frustration occurs when trying you aren’t on the same page with a teammate who cuts to the basketball when you try to pass him the ball. This can be prevented through the use of hand signals. If the signal is not used, then the pass should not be made to that player.

TIP! Practice passing while looking in the opposite direction. This trick can be used successfully to confuse defenders.

If you are posting up, strategic footwork is important to becoming open and making a good shot. You must be certain to get the good spot ahead of your opponent. After positioning yourself on the court, make sure that you are secure. Each of these skills is reliant on good footwork.

TIP! In order to become better at dribbling the ball you should learn how to practice using your weak hand. Utilizing both hands to dribble the basketball and switching effortlessly is key to advantage over an opponent.

If you have someone who can tape your game, you can view the recording to see how well you performed on the court. You should be able to see what you missed or can do better. Stay honest when you’re assessing yourself, but don’t over criticize yourself either. Analyze your skills honestly so you can become the player you want to be.

TIP! In order to play defense successfully, you must be able to disrupt the game of your opponent. Force them to leave their comfort zone.

When moving in for a layup, push off from your weaker foot and lead with your shooting hand. This will allow you to shoot with your comfortable hand. This keeps your body balanced and moving toward the basket and keeps your body between yourself and your defender.

TIP! Strengthen your hands and forearms for better ball handling. Do some wrist curls as much as possible and your dribbling should get better.

Build a consistent routine for your free throws. If you aren’t consistent, you will find that your shooting is off. Practicing your free throw again and again is the only way to perfect it. If the routine is off in any way, then you’ll miss the shot.

TIP! Sly feet will help you get the rebound of your team mates free throw. You’ll have a defender coming at you and this means you have to figure out what can be done to get around them.

Improve both forearms and hands to improve ball control. Wrist curls work well at helping you handle the ball. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can stay stationary, catch all the ball, and shoot them from that same location. You have to learn to move the ball if you want something to happen.

TIP! Changing up your pace is something you have to do to make sure the offense is paying attention. When you are getting closer to the net, put your foot out and straighten up your body.

Do not release your defensive stance. Keep your feet moving to each side or push your opposing foot off so you can keep yourself in position. Remember to never let your feet cross and you will be a difficult player to get around.

TIP! To become a better three-point shooter, make sure you attempt shots from where the NBA three-point line would be. Remember that high school, college and international standard lines are all shorter than the NBA distance.

When you are on the defense, the key is to stay as low as you can. Doing so improves your reaction time with regards to your opponents’ actions. Make sure you always maintain your defensive stance. If you need to leave your feet in order to prevent your opponent from shooting the ball, quickly get back into that good defensive position.

TIP! You’ll want to use the hand that you aren’t dribbling with as a barrier to protect the ball. Never push your opponent away because that ends up in a foul, but lightly use your other hand to keep separation between the ball and your opponent.

To convert the typical 2-3 zone to a trapping machine, get the best pair of defenders available to wait just until the opposing point guard reaches roughly ten feet beyond the mid-court line. At that point, both guards should move in for the trap. It also lets you have forwards on blocks sprint to the wing players. This will likely cause the point guard to make a high, short pass, which your forwards will steal quite easily.

TIP! Keep the lines of communication with other players open. You need a team to play basketball.

To play or to watch, basketball is truly one of the most enjoyable sports in existence. To get everything out of basketball, you should become as informed on it as possible. The article above should be a great resource for you during your quest to learn more about basketball.