How To Become Great At Playing Basketball

by | Mar 4, 2021 | Basketball

TIP! It is tempting to concentrate just on offense when just staring out, but defensive practice is absolutely vital. Victory requires the ability to play defense.

It’s impossible to overemphasize the importance of basketball among fans. You need to know all about it, though, if you want to play the sport or just watch it. By checking out the advice below, you can learn more about the great game of basketball.

TIP! Crossovers are key for ball handlers. Switch from one side to the other while dribbling.

When dribbling, make sure you hold your head high and look straight ahead. You need more practice if you feel that you cannot dribble without focusing on the ball. You can practice dribbling almost anywhere. Practice in your home and wherever you walk. If you have to watch the ball, you will be unable to see whatever is going on at court level.

TIP! In order to be a great shooter, good balance is key. 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.

If you want to improve your game, play up your strengths. Your strengths might not make you a star player, but you’ll be contributing a lot to your team. Know your strengths and practice them until you have perfected them.

TIP! Frequent pass catching practice is important. When you practice, mix it up so that you can catch perfect passes and errant throws.

Perfect your layup technique. Layups sometimes wind up being 4 out of every 5 shots in basketball. When you are practicing, run full speed at the goal and make the shot. Knowing how to run and jump quickly and smoothly will assist you in knowing how to leap and shoot more effectively while playing.

Bounce Pass

TIP! To be a good post-up player in the pain, you need to have really good footwork. While physical presence under a basket is important, finding a decent spot before the opponent is even more so.

Every great player understands how to properly perform a bounce pass. A bounce pass that’s good is going to end up hitting the other player near their waist. It’s smart to get the ball to bounce about 75% to the receiving player. There can be other factors in play to keep in mind, as well.

TIP! You never want to have your back to the ball if you can help it. This will give you court awareness and keep you from being surprised by quick passes or turnover potentials.

Watching the pros play is a great way to see how great basketball players use their skills in the game. Watch professionals play or go check out talented local teams to see who has the moves that you want to learn. Every player has skills that make them good, and you can work on the skills they use.

Perfect Passes

TIP! Develop a routine to use every time you shoot a free throw. For example, you might tug your ear, dribble three times, or flex your wrists.

Frequent pass catching practice is important. You need to be able to retrieve perfect passes and not so perfect passes. This will help to improve your game when it gets intense. Being able to get imperfect passes will limit turnovers.

TIP! To make your layups count the most, take off from the foot opposite your shooting hand. Jump off your left foot when you shoot using your right hand.

Shake things up rather than focusing solely on a zone defense. A lot of the game is sure to be played in the zone, but your opponent could change to man-to-man coverage. If you have not practiced enough on this scenario, you could run afoul of the scoreboard very fast.

TIP! You must disrupt your opponent’s game when you’re playing defense. Focus on getting them out of the comfort zone.

Keep your weight lifting to a minimum as a jump shooter. You do need muscle conditioning and strength, but you can have too much when it comes to shooting field goals. You will notice that most basketball players have well-defined muscles that are not overdeveloped.

TIP! Be slick with your feet so you can get a rebound from a teammate. Try to anticipate the move of the defender between yourself and the basket so that you can maneuver around him and to the hoop.

If your opponent is pressing hard, you can give yourself some room to work by dribbling the ball between your legs. This will make it very hard for your defender to get it. Once you get the move down, you can use it to gain a tactical advantage.

TIP! Basketball players can greatly benefit from strength training. Strength and stamina are both needed to excel at basketball.

Practice passing while looking in the opposite direction. You are able to confuse opponents with this technique. If you’re doing it correctly you can fake your opponent out so he/she moves towards that direction and then you pass the ball to a wide open teammate for a shot. This play can be very powerful.

TIP! Switch the weight of your body while you are dribbling. You will dribble during different situations.

To help you shoot better free throws you need to come up with a consistent routine. If you aren’t consistent, you will find that your shooting is off. To better perfect free throw techniques, try using repetition via practicing one routine repeatedly. If you have a glitch in the routine, you are likely to miss your shot.

TIP! Do exercises that will assist you in becoming a better player. Work on sprints to make you faster and build your stamina.

Basketball is truly unrivaled when it comes to excitement for fans. However, it’s so easy for novices to be lost, wondering what the fuss is all about. We hope that this article has given you the things you need to know if you’re trying to understand the game of basketball.