The Hidden Secrets Of Basketball: How To Play Like A Pro

by | Dec 7, 2019 | Basketball

TIP! Balance is vital to good shooting. Your knees should be bent with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders.

Do you enjoy basketball, but think that you don’t know much about it? It’s not just you! Few people know what it takes to shoot, pass, and block like professional players. The following article will give you tips used by pros.

TIP! Learn the way to throw proper bounce passes. If done properly, the pass will land near waist level with the opposite player.

If you’re on the offense, you footwork needs to be excellent to stay open for passes and shots. Securing a good location is critical when playing basketball. After positioning yourself on the court, make sure that you are secure. These will both require powerful footwork.

TIP! Free throws are as much mental as they are physical. Making the right physical motions is easier than having the right mind set.

It is best to take a break if you sustain an injury while playing. This sport is physically demanding and you can become injured. You may injure yourself more if you continue to play with an injury. Don’t hesitate to see the doctor if you feel the injury warrants it.

TIP! If you want to take jump shots, don’t spend time pumping iron. Muscle strength is beneficial for playing any basketball position, but there is such a thing as too much.

Seek advice from your teammates about how you play the game. Do they feel you are really good at something? They may say that you are a great team defender or are always playing with excellent speed. Improve the skills where you tend to be a bit weaker while maintaining your stronger skills.

TIP! Would you like to pull one over on the other team? Give the back pass a try! To properly perform this pass you will need to have the ball in your dominant hand. Keep control of the ball while it is behind your back.

Spread your fingers out to handle the ball properly. That will ensure that it doesn’t get away from you as you hold it. Try to keep your palm off of the ball as well. Your fingers should be all that is holding the ball when you pass it or shoot it.

TIP! Good footwork is essential to escaping coverage and putting yourself in position to take a shot when you are posting up. While physical positioning is important, it is even more essential to move quicker than an opponent.

Making a pass from between your legs is sometimes a good option when the opposing team is right on top of you. You can train for this maneuver by stepping forward or backwards as you bounce the ball real hard in-between your legs. This technique can really throw off defenders.

TIP! Always be aware of where you have your feet and what you are going to do with them next. Placing even a single toe atop the baseline while holding the ball will result in you being ruled out of bounds.

To play good defense, you have to upset and disrupt your opponent. Don’t let them get comfortable. Stay aggressive. This will keep them from being able to choose which plays they will make. If you let them, they’ll totally take the control from you. Instead, take the initiative and disrupt their rhythm.

TIP! To help perfect your free throw abilities you should perform a consistent routine. For example, many people touch their foreheads or tap their chest before making a free throw shot.

Try to keep the ball in your line of sight at all times. This isn’t just for reading the scoreboard. Your peripheral vision should be the best it can be. If you look across the whole game and not just focus on the ball, you can see oncoming defensive pressure in advance, as well as open teammates.

TIP! Making a pass from between your legs is sometimes a good option when the opposing team is right on top of you. Try practicing this by bouncing your ball hard in between your legs while stepping forward or backward.

Developing your muscle strength and flexibility will make you a better basketball player. Those who do very well at this sport have a combination of stamina and strength. Even younger kids will benefit from strength training. As they grow and become teenagers, weight-lifting can be beneficial. Playing as an adult, it is important that you focus on your stamina for optimal performance.

TIP! Look away when you practice passing. You are able to confuse opponents with this technique.

Practice dribbling while you switch your body’s momentum from one side to the other. When you’re playing a game, you have to dribble when you’re in a lot of different situations. You need to feel as comfortable with defense closing in on you, as you do in the open court. Being able to dribble while shifting momentum is the key to controlling and keeping the ball. This allows you to get yourself out of a tough spot.

TIP! Practicing with your weak hand will help to make you a better dribbler. If both hands are useful for dribbling, your opponents will not stand much of a chance.

Use the hand you are not dribbling with to keep your defender away from the ball. You never want to push the opponent with your hand, but it is possible to use your free hand to secure the ball. Keep it slightly up when you dribble with your opposite hand.

TIP! To get a rebound of a free throw that one of your teammates is taking, you need to be sly with your feet. Try to anticipate the move of the defender between yourself and the basket so that you can maneuver around him and to the hoop.

The easiest way to do well at basketball is to speak with the team to see what everyone is up to. Each team has multiple players on it. Playing is more than just you and one other person. This knowledge makes it easier for you to assist each other. Communicate well with your teammates about the help you need, and everyone wins.

TIP! If you don’t want someone to steal the ball, dribble hard. This causes the ball to return to your hand more quickly, so the offense has less time to try to get it away from you.

The tips you’ve just read can elevate you from a casual enthusiast to an effective basketball player. But, now that you have read this article, you hopefully feel like you are ready to play like a pro. Get started playing basketball with this advice.