TIP! The way to properly dribble is to keep your head up while looking ahead of you. If you need to look at the ball while dribbling, you’ll need to practice more.

It’s important to do research about basketball before you start playing. Why would someone think they could be great at basketball if they didn’t do some research first? This article will let you in on the tips the pros use to excel at their game.

TIP! If you want to excel, you have to play to your strengths. You may not be the star player, but by contributing the best way you can you will win more games.

In order to be a great shooter, good balance is key. Sometimes you’ll see professional players fall out of bounds while making a shot from afar, but this doesn’t work at all times. They are going with the flow when this occurs. 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.

TIP! Get educated on the way to properly pass the ball on a bounce. A good bounce pass should hit the player on the receiving end at waist level.

A bounce pass is essential to learn. It needs to get to the player at their waist. It’s smart to get the ball to bounce about 75% to the receiving player. But, there are some factors that can change this.

TIP! Your mind plays as big a part in making a free throw as your actual body does. You are able to train your hands and legs to free throw well, but if you think you will fail, you will.

Watch the pro’s play if you want to improve your game. Watch as many games on TV as you can. You will see that each great player has certain skills that make him great and you can practice what you see him doing.

TIP! You can improve your skills by paying attention to how the pros play. Whether seeing an all-pro on YouTube, attending a game in person, or sitting on the couch with buddies to watch your local professional team, there are many chances to observe the best.

Want to trick the other team? Consider the back pass. You want to grip the basketball with your strongest hand. Then, move the ball so it is behind your back. Flip your wrist towards the site where you want the ball to go. It can be a dangerous maneuver that catches the other team off guard.

TIP! Make sure to practice catching passes. Be sure to be able to catch off-target throws on top of good ones.

Play games against yourself in and out of season. Sometimes during off season, or when practicing, you can’t play as a team or find even a single opponent. For concentration purposes, it can be good to practice on your own. There is still much you can accomplish playing alone. Work on your pivot moves or practice your free throws. This will help improve the hard parts of your game.

TIP! To become a great free thrower, practice and develop a routine you will use during each shot. This can include the number of times you dribble, how you position your feet, or anything else.

If your kid is going to try out for the basketball team, they should be properly training their core muscles. They should train their lower back, hips, and abs. A core that is not strong enough limits the linkage between arms and legs. By developing a strong core, your legs will follow suit.

TIP! In your drills, you should attempt to move the basketball the length of the court in fewer than half a dozen dribbles. You may find this very challenging, but once accomplished it will give you a real edge.

Knowing your opponent is the best way to play a tough defensive game. Watch replays and follow scouting reports. For example, you might look to see which players favor their left side and which have dominant right hands. Once you understand the opposition, you will now how to mount your defense. When you are prepared, you play better defense.

TIP! Ensure that you have good court awareness. You don’t need great vision just to keep score.

Have a friend or family member videotape your games, then view the video to see the result. Are you able to see what you’ve missed or things that you could improve on? Assess yourself honestly, but don’t be a harsh critic. It can help you to see how you really are instead of what you imagine you are.

Free Throws

TIP! If you want to stay in a good defensive position, simply avoid breaking out of your defensive stance. You will always be in a defensive position if you slide your feet one way and then the other and push off using your opposing foot.

In order to be more reliable shooting free throws, practice your routine. That could include a set number of dribbles, knee-bends or some other type of movement. As long as you make it quick, if you have a consistent routine, your body will remember how to make those free throws after you go through your ritual.

TIP! If you want to make a 2-3 zone into something special, have the guards remain put until the opposing team’s guard makes their way about ten feet in from mid-court. After he crosses the midcourt line, they should run and trap him.

To be a good dribbler, and a more versatile player, you have to develop not only your dominant hand but your weaker side as well. If you use both your hands to dribble, it is easier to control. Tie your strong hand to the rear of your back to ensure you only use your weaker hand. Eventually, your weak hand will be trained to dribble properly.

TIP! To improve 3 point shooting, practice from NBA distance, at least. All the other three point lines are much closer than the NBA line.

Dribble hard to make it less likely for the ball to be stolen. This speeds up the dribbling cycle, which means the person covering you has less of a chance to steal the ball each cycle. If you are being guarded closely, bring your dribbling to an end and pass the ball to another open team member.

TIP! Use your non-dribbling hand as a barrier between your opponent and the ball. Be careful not to push your opponent or you may get a foul.

Be sure that your site is good. You don’t just want to be able to pass and shoot well. Peripheral vision must be razor-honed. This will help you see the whole game better and anticipate openings and defense players.

TIP! Your workout routine can help you do well in the game. Running for long distances will increase your stamina, while running sprints will help you with fast-paced moves.

To trap someone in a 2-3 zone, get your guards to wait for the point guard to get about 10 feet past midcourt. The guards must then rush the opposing team’s point guard and create a trap. As your guards are doing this, send your forwards out to the outside opponents. You will see the opposing point guard make a bad pass that anyone on your team can steal.

TIP! Double dribbling is a major rule, and something that must always be avoided. You get called for double dribbling if you stop your dribble and then begin again.

AS you dribble the basketball down the court, keep your knees bent. It makes it much easier to control the ball while dribbling as opposed to standing straight up, which makes controlling the ball much harder. Your ball control will improve dramatically by simply bending a little at the knees.

TIP! Whether you keep possession of the ball or not is based in your position just before and right after a rebound. Use both feet to jump with power and balance, and use both hands to grab the ball.

You have to practice hard every day if you desire to step up your outside shooting game. To improve further, work on fast dribbling just before shooting. Be sure you look at the target as you’re in mid air. Your accuracy will get better and you’ll have a better idea of what real game conditions will be like.

TIP! Pivoting is essential to becoming a great player in basketball. You have to practice footwork and get ready to pivot without getting unstable on your feet or disoriented.

When you learn how to fix your car yourself, you will have a sense of pride unrivaled by any other. That is, unrivaled by any other except for reading all you can and learning how to better your basketball game. This can help you to impress your teammates, and help you to win games.