
The fundamentals of basketball are fairly easy to learn. The basics can be picked up in just a few minutes. However, you can always learn new things if basketball is something you wish to be good at, and this article is here to help you.
Dribbling the ball the right way needs to be done. Don’t use your palm to dribble. Instead, use your fingertips. Doing so will allow you a greater degree of ball control. Bounce the ball no higher than your waist and keep the ball at your side rather than in front. Keep your eyes up, not on the ground.
Balance is vital to good shooting. You’ve seen the pros fall out of bounds when trying to shoot 30 feet from the basket; this is a bad move. They are going with the flow when this occurs. You need to maintain good balance while shooting, which is sure to produce greater consistency.
Work on pass catches. When you practice, drill yourself to pay attention to errant throws and passes that are picture perfect. This will help to improve your game when it gets intense. Being able to get imperfect passes will limit turnovers.
You want to be prepared for any type of defense the other team plays. The majority of the game is in that area, but be careful about a team who changes things up. If your practice did not include this, you can quickly lose control of the game.
Keep your weight lifting to a minimum as a jump shooter. Muscle flexibility is more important than muscle mass. Some professional shooting guards made their arms so big that it started decreasing their field goal percentage.
Interested in tricking your opponents? How about the behind the back pass? Hold the ball in your strong hand to start the pass. Then, bring the ball back behind you. Lastly, flick your wrist in the direction that you want the ball to land. This will confuse the opposition.
Ask your teammates what they like about how you play. Find out what they perceive as your best skill. They may say that you are a great team defender or are always playing with excellent speed. Develop your strengths even further and look for ways to improve your weaknesses.
Don’t let the ball go behind your back. This will give you court awareness and keep you from being surprised by quick passes or turnover potentials. Also, keep your eyes on areas that open up on the court for an easy basket.
In order to handle the ball correctly, spread your fingers out. This gives you better control of the ball. Do not allow the palm of your hand to make contact with the ball. You should only let the fingers touch the ball during passing or shooting.
Quickness is something you have to have when playing basketball. Try to outplay your opponents by being fast to win the game. It takes steady drilling to play fast. Make sure you never play past the speed you are comfortable. Playing beyond your speed cause the game to get out of control with various turnovers and errant passes.
Always have an awareness of the location and movement of your feet. When you are in possession of the ball, touching the baseline will get you out of bounds. You could also be the reason for a turnover if you get called for walking when you take more steps than allowed without dribbling. A foul will be called if your feet move while you attempt to screen other players.
Free Throws
In order to be more reliable shooting free throws, practice your routine. This can be any combination of movements that makes you feel comfortable and prepare for the shot. However, they need to be the same combination of movements each time. This routine will help you make your free throws, but make the routine a quick one.
A routine can enable your free throw percentage to rise. A routine that is constantly in flux will only open up more opportunities for failure. The most effective method to achieve a great free throw is by practicing it repeatedly until you get it right. If your routine is off, then you will miss the shot.
Practicing with your weak hand will help to make you a better dribbler. Being ambidextrous on the court makes it more difficult for defenders to figure out what you will do next. Tie your strong hand to the rear of your back to ensure you only use your weaker hand. You will get new dribbling skills with your weak hand.
You need to work on your forearms and your hands to handle the ball more efficiently. One important exercise is wrist curls, which help you with your dribbling. You can’t just stand and shoot for the whole game. Your ability to handle the ball will affect your success on the court.
To avoid having the ball stolen, dribble hard. The ball will get back to the hand faster, giving the other team less of an opportunity to grab it away. If someone is guarding you closely, stop dribbling and pass to someone else who is open on your team.
Maybe you just began learning about playing basketball before you read this. Perhaps you played a match or two as a child. No matter the case, the information below can help you play better. When you head out to play the next time, follow the suggestions you’ve learned here.