When you want to fix the engine in your car, you do your research first. Why would someone think they could be great at basketball if they didn’t do some research first? Use these tips to improve you game to an expert level.
Your mind plays as big a part in making a free throw as your actual body does. You may know how to make a free throw but if your focus is off, then you will miss. You are more likely to make more successful free throws if you relax and focus on the basket.
Practice catching passes as often as you can. Don’t just work on waist-level, perfect passes, though, work on receiving tougher passes as well. When the pressure is on, not every pass will come straight to you. Learning how to catch these errant passes will put you at an advantage.
See if your teammates admire something in particular about your game play. Can you get better at something? Continue to develop the skills that play into your natural abilities. Discover what other people feel are your strongest skills and then set about perfecting them.
Quickness is something that’s desired in basketball. Developing speed and vision is vital to playing the game well. You have to be steady as you play quickly. Avoid playing faster than your abilities allow. If you push too hard, your performance may be haphazard, and the game may get out of control.
Always be sure of where you’re placing your feet so you’re aware of what they’re doing. If you have the ball and you step outside the baseline, then you’re out of bounds. Holding the ball for too many steps and not dribbling will result in a walking call which will cause you to you will lose possession of the ball. You can’t move a foot when you take a charge, pick or screen either, or it’s a foul.
Have a friend or family member videotape your games, then view the video to see the result. On tape, you can see all the opportunities you passed and how things could have gone better. Don’t be too critical, but do be honest. It can be an eye-opener to see how you’re playing the game really, not just what you picture it to be.
Practice passing while looking the opposite direction. This will easily confuse your opponents. If you do this fake the right way, then the receiver of the pass should have an advantage and a great look at the goal. When completed correctly, it creates an awesome play.
Workout to increase flexibility and strength in your hands and forearms. For example, you can improve dribbling skills by adding wrist curls to your routine. Never assume you can just stand somewhere, catch and then shoot. You have to start moving the basketball around to get things to happen.
A good drill to try is the five dribble drill. You try to get the ball the entire length of the court in only five dribbles. While this is a challenging goal, working toward it will make you a much better player. You will find that it becomes easier to score and make layups.
You should always bend your knees while dribbling. If you are standing straight, you will have a harder time controlling the ball and your opponent will be able to steal it more easily. Bending your knees slightly will improve your overall ability to control the ball.
When you learn how to fix your car yourself, you will have a sense of pride unrivaled by any other. Learning what you need to better your game is the icing on the cake. With that information at hand, you will be impressing your team, and winning all of your games.