Many people love basketball. Basketball is universally enjoyable by people who want to play for fun and those who wish to play semi professionally or professionally. If you enjoy playing the game, no doubt you want to show your best on the court at all times. Use these basketball tips to enhance your understanding and love for this incredible sport.
Free throw practice is vitally important. This looks easy, but it is actually very hard to do. You should practice as often as possible with this technique. Hold the ball level with your head. Concentrate on the basket and visualize the basketball going in. Next, shoot with just the trajectory you saw.
Make sure you are looking forward and looking up as you’re dribbling. If you need to look at the ball while dribbling, you’ll need to practice more. Bring the ball no matter where you go. Whenever you are walking and it is appropriate, dribble there. If you are looking at the ball, you cannot see what is happening down the court in front of you.
You must learn how to dribble, how a crossover is done and other important ball handling skills. A crossover happens when you switch hands the ball is in. The move must be done quickly if it is going to work. Once you have learned how to do a crossover, you can travel down the court quickly.
In order to be a great shooter, good balance is key. Many the professional player can be seen slipping out of bounds or making baskets from far away, but these are not proper techniques. These players are using creative improvisation. Point your feet towards the basket, guide the ball with your weaker hand and push the ball away with your strong hand whenever you shoot the basketball.
Don’t just practice your game against the zone defense. While much of the game is played in zone, the opponent can flip to man-to-man coverage, changing everything and surprising you. Be sure to practice for this eventuality so you will not become rattled and lose the game.
To learn how to pass well, drill without dribbling. It is hard to play basketball without dribbling, and demands accurate passing and teamwork, so it will be a challenge. Keep your emotions in check if quality passing is not happening right away as it takes time to perfect this part of the game.
Figuring out the opponent is a great way to do well against a tight defense. Review tapes and keep up with scouting reports. Know which team members are right handed and which ones are left handed. Knowing your opponent well helps you be much more effective. A smart defensive player is a strong one.
Have a friend or family member videotape your games, then view the video to see the result. Can you see where you can improve your form? Are there things you might have done differently? Assess yourself honestly, but don’t be a harsh critic. There are times when it pays to view yourself realistically.
Changing pace can help you keep the offense guessing. As you are heading towards the net, straighten up and plant down your foot. The guard may think you’ve slowed down and may try to straighten themselves. When they do, push ahead hard and outrun them.
There are a lot of ways to make your game better. Many are simple, like learning a concept and practicing it over and over. Practice is essential when it comes to just about anything, so you must be sure to have constant access to a hoop. No matter if you’re practicing with a group of friends or your team, the more chances you get to perfect your skills, the better you become as a player.