TIP! Start out with proper balance before attempting to take a shot. 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.

Have you ever pictured that you’re Michael Jordan, LeBron James or some other player on the court? Instead of just aspiring to be a great, why not continue to learn more techniques and strategies that can help you out. Keep reading here and you’ll figure out what can be done to accomplish this.

TIP! Put the emphasis on your strengths can help you to be a better basketball player. Your talents might not make you a star, but when you make the most of your strengths, you might better contribute to your team.

It’s easy to focus on offense when learning to play, but your practice time would be better spent on defense. Basketball games are won because of good defense. Offensive skills are usually the most impressive ones but defense is something every team should work on.

TIP! Don’t just practice playing against a zone defense. While a good chunk of the game will most likely be played in zone, your opponent might flip the switch to man-to-man coverage just to change things up and surprise you.

Figure out how to perfect your free throw. This seems like an easy shot, but it is quite hard. Practice often using the following technique. Start out by holding the basketball right in front of you. Look at the basket and imagine the ball going in it. Next, take your shot seeing the ball move in the trajectory you envisaged for it.

Free Throws

TIP! Practice playing by yourself. It is possible to enjoy this team sport even in the absence of your team.

Free throws are as much mental as they are physical. You are able to train your hands and legs to free throw well, but if you think you will fail, you will. You are more likely to make more successful free throws if you relax and focus on the basket.

TIP! If you are posting up, strategic footwork is important to becoming open and making a good shot. While physical presence under a basket is important, finding a decent spot before the opponent is even more so.

A good tip about passing is try doing it without dribbling the ball. It’s hard to play without dribbling, however, it can help you and your team create more accurate passes. This is very challenging at first, but eventually it will really improve your entire team’s passing game.

TIP! Never have your back to the ball so that you’re ready for anything in a basketball game. This helps keep you aware of the action, and it takes away the surprise factor.

Interested in tricking your opponents? Try using a back pass! Hold the basketball with your writing hand. Then you will want to pull the ball into position behind your back. The last step is to flick your wrist in the direction you want the ball to move. Doing this will trick your opponent.

TIP! You can play a great defensive game if you know the opposition well. Make sure that you’ve watched tapes that show the other player.

It is best to take a break if you sustain an injury while playing. You can easily tear a muscle or even break a finger while playing. Continuing to play when you are in pain can make an injury worse. Anytime you have a serious injury, you should seek medical attention.

TIP! If you slump when you shoot, look at what your shoulders are doing. If your shoulders are in a bad position, no matter how good you are, you won’t make the shot.

The key to ball control is to spread your fingers out. This will help you to be sure that it won’t escape your grasp when trying to hold it. Avoid putting your palm on the ball, too. You should try your best to only hold onto the ball with your fingertips when passing and shooting.

TIP! You should always be aware of the position of your feet and their actions. Just touching the baseline is going to get you called out of bounds.

Get someone to analyze how you play on tape. You can see where you can improve and what plays you missed. It is important that your assessment is an honest one, but isn’t overly critical. Sometimes it’s beneficial to look at yourself the way you really look and not just like you think you look.

Opposite Direction

TIP! You need to constantly disrupt your opponents in order to be a great defensive player. You should work to make your opponent feel uncomfortable.

Try practicing looking in the opposite direction when you pass. This will easily confuse your opponents. Not only will they not see the pass coming, they may think a pass is going in the opposite direction. This can be a great play if it is done correctly.

TIP! Sly feet will help you get the rebound of your team mates free throw. The more quickly you get under the basket, the better you chance of grabbing the rebound.

To improve your dribbling skills, practice dribbling with your weaker hand. Dribbling with both hands helps you gain the upper one. Hold the dominant hand behind the back and make certain you use just the weak hand. This will help you use that hand more easily and improve your dribbling with that hand.

TIP! To avoid turning the ball over to the other team, make sure that you’re dribbling hard. This makes the ball go back to your hand quicker, so offense has reduced chances at taking it from you.

Hopefully, this article has given you something to think about. Go into each practice ready to work, and know that with consistency you will improve your game. Show people what you got, and make sure you always remember the advice that you’ve read.