Basketball is a game invented by Dr. James Naismith in the year 1891. After that it has become something that a lot of people have fallen in love with. From Doctor J. Magic Johnson and Dr. J are just some of many players who have become celebrities through the game. Check out more of this article to understand more about their success.
Dribbling the ball the right way needs to be done. When you dribble, use the fingertips, not the palm. Using your fingertips will allow you to have better control when dribbling the ball. Dribble to your body’s side instead of doing it out front, and bounce the ball at your waist’s level. Never look at the ground. Always look up.
Free throws are an excellent skill to practice in your spare time. This seemingly simple shot can be difficult to execute under game conditions. Practice this technique regularly. First, hold the ball just above your nose, about 8 inches from your face. Concentrate on the basket and visualize the basketball going in. Then, use the trajectory you just visualized and shoot the ball.
Make sure to practice your layups whenever possible. Layups account for up to 80 percent of the shots taken during a game. Don’t just walk through a layup drill. It is key to go at game tempo to practice the timing needed to maintain accuracy. Jump to the net and concentrate on shooting the ball in a specific location on the backboard.
Bounce Pass
You should learn the best way to throw a great bounce pass. A good bounce pass should hit the player on the receiving end at waist level. One good rule is for you to bounce the basketball most of the way toward the other player. Many other factors will affect it, too.
In order to help you improve your basketball acumen you should watch how the pros play. Attend as many professional games as you can, watch the pros on TV, or watch video of professionals. You’ll be able to learn from the moves they make.
Practice playing a man-to-man defense and zone defense. Always try to anticipate when your opponent is going to switch up their game to catch you off guard. This can cause your team to lose momentum to the other side if this isn’t something you’ve practiced.
Lay off the weights if you are trying to become a jump shooter. Strong muscles are certainly useful for basketball, but you can overdo it if you plan to play on the perimeter. Certain pro guards ended up increasing their arm size so much that their shooting started to suffer.
Talk to your teammates and find out what they like about your game. What are your your best skill areas? Maybe you are nimble or you are reliably there to support them. Find out what others perceive as your natural gifts and build upon those more completely.
When your shooting isn’t accurate, check out your shoulder position. When they are out of alignment, all shots will fail. Your shoulders should be facing the hoop. Your dominant shoulder should also be lined up perfectly with the rim.
Quickness is a blessing in basketball. Developing speed and vision is vital to playing the game well. Playing fast takes practice, though, and steady drilling. Avoid playing faster than your abilities allow. Playing beyond your speed can result in bad passes and excessive turnovers.
Try practicing looking in the opposite direction when you pass. You can really confuse your opponents this way. When you do it right, the opponents are going to think you’re moving in one direction. That way, the person you’ve given the ball to has a bit of time to look at the net to taking a shot. This can be a great play if it is done correctly.
Dribble hard if you don’t want the ball taken from you. If you dribble hard, the ball will go back to your hand quickly and the offense will not be able to snatch it easily. If your opponent is playing you up close, stop what you’re doing and quickly look to find and open teammate to pass the ball to.
A great way to make sure you’re in a good position defensively is to keep yourself in the defensive stance. Shifting your weight back and forth between your feet will help you to stay in position. Always keep your feet from crossing, and you will make it hard for any opponent to get past.
A ten-foot high hoop, a court almost as long as a football field and ten players is what you need to play regulation basketball. A thorough understanding of the game is necessary if you are going to become a great player. This article has provided you with some great tips, and you need to keep practicing in order to master them.