TIP! A lot of novice players mostly focus on their offensive skills, but developing good defensive skills will help you become a better player. Many times, defense actually wins the game.

Basketball is not an especially complicated sport. You can learn the basic quickly. In saying that, however, it does not matter what level of skill you are playing at; there is always room for improvement.

TIP! Dribble while keeping your head upward and looking ahead. You should never be looking at the basketball while dribbling.

Practice your defense more than your offense. Defense is how you win a basketball game. Offense gets more attention, but the team is going to lose without a strong defense.

TIP! Learn to crossover if you get the ball often. Moving the ball from hand to hand is a crossover.

Start out with proper balance before attempting to take a shot. Many the professional player can be seen slipping out of bounds or making baskets from far away, but these are not proper techniques. They improvise to do that. When you shoot, you should always be properly balanced, which will help you make more baskets more consistently.

Bounce Pass

TIP! Observing what the professionals do can be a great way to improve your game. Go to actual games or watch on TV.

It is important to know the right way to throw a bounce pass. A useful bounce pass will hit the receiving player at waist level. It’s best to bounce the basketball about 75 percent of the way towards your teammate. But, there are some factors that can change this.

TIP! You want to be prepared for any type of defense the other team plays. Most of the basketball game will probably be played in this zone, but the other team might decide to surprise you and do some man-to-man coverage.

Free throws are as much mental as they are physical, like other parts of the game. You can practice for hours on how to make the shot, but if you over think things or get distracted you will miss every time. Stay calm and collected to increase your free throw percentage.

TIP! If you want to be a jump shooter, avoid pumping iron excessively. While muscle mass is good for any basketball position, perimeter play requires less than other positions.

A great way to hone your own basketball abilities is to watch the pros. Go to as many pro games as possible, watch them on TV, or watch videos of them playing. This is a great way to learn new techniques to try out on the court.

TIP! A consistent pre-shot routine when at the line will increase your chance at success. A routine that is constantly in flux will only open up more opportunities for failure.

One of the keys to becoming a great basketball player is developing core muscles. They should train their lower back, hips, and abs. The core connects the lower and upper extremities, and if a person has a weak core, they will fail to excel in athletic pursuits. A strong, sturdy core allows force from the legs to fuel movements like running and jumping.

TIP! Practicing with your weak hand will help to make you a better dribbler. If you have two hands that can dribble the ball effortlessly then it becomes easier to get by your opponent.

To keep passes under control, make use of hand signals. Oftentimes frustration occurs when trying you aren’t on the same page with a teammate who cuts to the basketball when you try to pass him the ball. You can avoid this by using hand signals if a player is able to take a pass. If your teammate misses your signal, then they may miss the ball as well and the other team could gain possession.

TIP! If you wish to get a free throw rebound from a teammate, you have to stay on your toes properly. Your defender will move towards you, so figure out how to slither past him and grab the ball.

You may get injured while practicing or playing. Don’t try to play if you are hurt. It’s easy to be hurt when playing basketball. You can quickly turn a strain into a debilitating medical issue if you do not take a break from the action. Be sure to talk to a doctor if you feel that the injury isn’t going away.

TIP! Trip up the offense by constantly changing your pace. When you approach the goal, put your front foot in firm place and start straightening up.

When you are passing the ball, get used to looking in the other direction. It can be very confusing to your opponents. When done right, the look draws your opponents to the wrong locale so that the person you passed to has a good long look at the basket before shooting. When executed properly, this is a powerful play.

TIP! Defensive players need to stay low. This will let you get to the jump quicker and let you react to your opponent easier.

If you wish to succeed in a defensive role, you must be able to break your opponents’ concentration. Getting them to do things they aren’t accustomed to doing is ideal. Your defensive moves must be aggressive and executed properly. Do not allow them to pick and choose their plays. If you let them control the game, you will lose. It’s important, then, to be aggressive and mess up their game rhythms.

TIP! Try practicing three pointers from the NBA range in order to be a more effective three point shooter. All the other lines are closer.

Maybe you just started playing the game before looking up this article. Perhaps you have played the game ever since you were that wee tyke on the court. In either case, the information in the preceding article can help you become a better player. Be sure to use this advice when you have to play basketball next.