Not even pros know everything about basketball. The sport is evolving, which means that even after you’ve become an expert, there’s more to learn. Want to do better than the competition is doing? If you really want that edge, take a good look at the article below.
Dribble the ball correctly. You want to dribble with the tips of your fingers, not your whole hand. You retain much more ball control this way. Always dribble to your side, not your front. Don’t look at the ground, always keep your eyes focused forward.
In order to be a great shooter, good balance is key. Falling when you make a shot is not the right way to shoot. This is simply an improvised move. You should have proper balance when making your shots, and over time this will lead to consistently making baskets.
Practice your layups a lot. Up to eighty percent of the baskets attempted in a game are layups. It’s critical to practice running towards the basket at full speed and following up with a good jump and smooth shot. Like everything, practicing at game speed will only improve your skill and have you ready to play at the fastest pace.
Passing the ball is an important part of playing basketball so practice making and receiving passes. When you practice, be sure to do drills that improve catching wild throws and making great passes. When the game is being played, passes may not be as perfect as we’d like. Help your teammates by learning what you need to haul in those imperfect passes.
To keep passes under control, make use of hand signals. It can be frustrating passing to a teammate when you’re both heading to the basket. Avoid this using hand signals to see if they can get the pass. Without a signal, players shouldn’t attempt to pass.
Quick and solid footwork is what it takes to make the shot when your posting up. Although it’s important to have a physical presence underneath the basket, it’s more important that you get in a good place before your opponent can. If you are just stepping into position, you now have to secure the spot. These will both require powerful footwork.
If you slump when you shoot, look at what your shoulders are doing. When the shoulders are wrongly positioned, your shot is unlikely to succeed. You’ll want to ensure that your shoulders are squared up towards the hoops. Your dominant shoulder should also be lined up perfectly with the rim.
Have your games taped so you can play them back later and observe your court presence. Can you see chances that you missed or ways that you could have done better? Be honest with yourself, but avoid being too critical. You can learn a lot by watching your plays instead of just trying to remember what you did.
Good footwork will help you get rebounds off your teammates’ foul shots. Use your feet to slip around the opposing player below you, then get into position for a rebound off the rim. You are able to rebound the ball without fouling someone.
Change your pace up to throw the offense off. When running in the direction of the net, straighten up while planting the front foot. The offense will believe that you’re stopping or slowing down and may follow in your steps. Like them, push and run past them.
Strength Training
Strength training can be a major help in basketball. Being physically tough is as important as having the stamina to keep up with the game. Even little kids who play basketball will develop more overall body strength. As they get older you can use weights to help enhance their performance. The adult years are where strength training is crucial to maintain solid performance on the court.
Increase your weak hand’s capabilities by using it for everything you normally would not. If you’re able to become more ambidextrous, you are going to be able to better control it on the court. Soon enough you will see great improvements on the court.
You should always bend your knees while dribbling. When you stand straight up, you’ll find that the ball is harder to control and the ball will be a lot easier for an opponent to steal. You will gain a lot of ball control by bending your knees just a bit.
To improve 3 point shooting, practice from NBA distance, at least. The International standard line, as well as college and high school lines are all closer. Being able to shoot successfully from the NBA range will give you a great advantage.
If you want to improve your outside shooting skills then you need to take hundreds of shots each day from all over the court. Try to practice a hard dribble followed by a quick shot. Try to keep from looking at the rim until you are getting ready to release the ball. This will mimic game conditions and help improve your accuracy.
Hopefully, you are more confident with your basketball skill after reading the above tips. These techniques will help improve your game. Never give up on the learning process and stay committed to regular practice. To become a better player, you must use the information you come across, so do so.