TIP! Practice your bounce pass. Proper bounce passes ought to hit the recipient at the level of their waist.

Don’t worry about becoming Michael Jordan or LeBron James, focus on becoming the best player you can be. Instead of just aspiring to be a great, why not continue to learn more techniques and strategies that can help you out. Keep reading to learn more.

TIP! Watch professionals play to learn from their techniques. Try to go to games, watch televised games, or check out videos of the pros playing.

Dribble properly. When you dribble a basketball you have to use the fingertips instead of the hand’s palm. Using your fingertips provides you with more control. Also, dribble off to the side instead of in front. The ball should bounce no higher than your waist. Look up and never down at the ground.

TIP! Practice the skill of pass catching. When you practice, mix it up so that you can catch perfect passes and errant throws.

If you handle the ball often, you need to learn how to do a crossover. This is when you switch hands while dribbling. That action has to be done fast to be successful. Once you have learned how to do a crossover, you can travel down the court quickly.

TIP! Would you like to pull one over on your opponents? Try a pass back! To properly perform this pass you will need to have the ball in your dominant hand. The next step is to draw the ball behind you.

Free throws have a huge mental element to them. You can teach your body to make a free throw properly, but unless you are properly prepared mentally, you may not succeed. Relax and focus on the basket; this will help you succeed.

Bad Passes

TIP! If you’re shooting isn’t what you’d like it to be, make sure that your shoulders are in the correct position. If your shoulders aren’t properly positioned, your shot is not going to go in.

Practice your passes and catches frequently. During practice you should come up with drills where you perfect catching bad passes along with the good ones. This will help you catch those bad passes during a game. Therefore, it pays to practice catching passes that are a bit off-target.

TIP! When playing a game of basketball, have a friend tape the game. This way, you can take a look at your game.

Don’t bulk up if you want to be good as a jump shooter. Muscle flexibility is more important than muscle mass. You will notice that most basketball players have well-defined muscles that are not overdeveloped.

TIP! For more consistency in making those free throws, stick with the same sequence of motions before you take each shot. Whatever you do before each shot, from dribbles to body motions, should be the same each time.

If you become injured when playing basketball, stop immediately. This is an aggressive sport, and injuries happen often. Trying to play through the pain could just cause more damage. If it is a serious injury, see a doctor.

TIP! When you’re practicing passing, try to look the other way. This will make your actions very confusing to the other team.

Find out what your teammates like most about how you play? Can they tell you what you’re really good at? Perhaps you are quick footed, or you are always ready to lend a hand on the court. Learn what the other people around you see while you are playing and it may open your eyes to new areas for practice.

TIP! Consistent free throws require a consistent technique. If you’re not consistent you’ll find yourself missing free throws.

Make it your goal to never turn away from the ball on the court. You develop a good feel for the game around you, making it much easier to quickly react to your opponent. You will want to keep extra attention on areas that could improve your position as well.

TIP! The key to great defense is being a nuisance to the player you are guarding. Make them feel uncomfortable and to where they’re second guessing their next move.

If you’ve developed somewhat of a shooting slump, focus on your shoulders. Whenever your shoulders aren’t in a good position, you simply will not shoot well, regardless of your skill level. Shoulders should be towards the hoop. Line up your shooting shoulder with the rim as well.

TIP! Good footwork will help you get rebounds off your teammates’ foul shots. Slip around the defender moving your way and get the ball.

Using a weaker hand helps improve overall dribbling skills. When you are ambidextrous, you’ll be a better player. Tie your strong hand to the rear of your back to ensure you only use your weaker hand. Before you know it, your weak hand will become strong.

TIP! Changing up your pace is something you have to do to make sure the offense is paying attention. As you are heading towards the net, straighten up and plant down your foot.

After going through this article you should be able to practice a number of things. You must practice every day and be confident that you can win. Keep in mind the above pointers and in no time you will be able to show off your improving skills.