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

by | Oct 17, 2022 | Basketball

TIP! When you dribble, look forward, keeping your head up. You should never be looking at the basketball while dribbling.

One of the most beloved and well-known sports on the planet is basketball. Everyone that plays it has specific skills that they can do to boost their team’s chances of winning. If you are looking to improve your game skills, the keep reading.

TIP! Learn what a crossover is and how to do it. This move entails transferring the basketball from your left hand to your right hand and back again.

Improving your balance means improving your shots. You’ve seen the pros fall out of bounds when trying to shoot 30 feet from the basket; this is a bad move. This kind of improvisation is the result of years of practice and loads of ability. You should have proper balance when making your shots, and over time this will lead to consistently making baskets.

TIP! Practice your passes and catches frequently. When you’re practicing, you should drill in being able to catch random throws in addition to passes that are perfect.

Put the emphasis on your strengths can help you to be a better basketball player. Your talents might not make you a star, but when you make the most of your strengths, you might better contribute to your team. Figure out what you do well at and then you can practice that until you perfect it.

TIP! Improve your passing abilities by challenging yourself to perform drills without actually dribbling. It is quite challenging to play the game without dribbling, but it does make sure you and your teammates make accurate passes.

Practice layups often. Layup shots make up nearly 80% of a game’s shots. When practicing it is important to run at full speed toward the goal, then jump and shoot smoothly. This running and jumping technique will help you learn how to jump and shoot better during the game.

TIP! You can play a great defensive game if you know the opposition well. Watch tapes and stay up on scouting reports.

Learn how to throw a proper bounce pass. This means your pass should be aimed towards the receiving player at the level of his waist. Bounce the ball so that it lands near your teammate. But, there are some factors that can change this.

TIP! If you’ve developed somewhat of a shooting slump, focus on your shoulders. If you have bad shoulder position it doesn’t matter how great you are the shot isn’t going to go in.

Connecting on your free throws is as much mental as it is physical. Making the right physical motions is easier than having the right mind set. Stay calm and collected to increase your free throw percentage.

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 is good, but you can have too much. If your arms are too big, your field goal percentage will go down.

TIP! You can improve your ability to handle the ball by working out your forearms and hands. Wrist curls are great for working wrist muscles and improving your dribbling.

When it is not basketball season, keep in practice by shooting baskets and practicing your skills. While basketball is a team sport, sometimes you just can’t find others to play with. That is not a problem. You can still do a lot on your own. Practice free throws and layups. Additionally, you can practice vertical jumping and dribbling.

TIP! Accept a charge when you can. A charge leads to a turnover by the opposing team and gives you the ball back.

Build hand signals so passes are more successful. Often in basketball, a player makes a pass at the exact same time the receiving player heads to another part of the court. Avoid this using hand signals to see if they can get the pass. If no signal is displayed, a pass ought not be made.

TIP! Avoid dribbling above your knees. This makes it more difficult for the opponent to take the ball.

You can play a great defensive game if you know the opposition well. Watch tapes and be sure you’re paying attention to scouting reports. Remember which player shoots left and which shoots right. Studying your opponent is one of the best ways to be able to win the game. A smart defensive player is a strong one.

TIP! Your exercise off the court needs to help your game. Work on sprints to make you faster and build your stamina.

When your shooting isn’t accurate, check out your shoulder position. When you’re in a shooting slump it usually means that your shoulders are not square to the hoop. Be sure that your shoulders square up in front of the hoop. The shoulder that is dominant should be perfectly aligned with the hoop rim.

TIP! When you return to the floor from a rebound, make sure your legs hit the floor at wider than shoulder-width apart so that you maintain your balance. Place your hands on both sides of the basketball while holding it close against your chest.

Make sure you know what is going on with your feet. If you fall on a baseline, you will be out of bounds. Holding the ball for too many steps and not dribbling will result in a walking call which will cause you to you will lose possession of the ball. In addition, moving one foot while working on setting a screen or pick will produce a foul.

Free Throw

TIP! You must know as a ball handler how to read when to take a shot and when you should be passing. Instead of hogging the ball and losing the game when you fail to make the shot, be a team player and pass it off to the player who has the better chance to make the winning shot.

Create and stick to a routine each time you prepare to shoot a free throw. Whatever you do before each shot, from dribbles to body motions, should be the same each time. Following the same routine gives your body will maintain muscle memory for more consistent free throw shooting.

TIP! If you want to be a great player, you need to pivot. It is important to practice how you move your feet, so you can pivot by instinct, without stopping to think about where to put your feet.

Build a consistent routine for your free throws. Inconsistency does not make a better shot. Free throw shooting is best improved by lengthy sessions of repetitive practice. Failing to stick with your routine can adversely affect your shooting accuracy.

TIP! A zone defense can be beat by using a penetrating dribble. If you or another player can find a crease in the zone, the other team will have to swarm to the ball.

Upset and disrupt your opponent’s play. All successful basketball players do this. Force them away from their comfort zone. Make assertive moves, keeping your opponent unsure of your next move. Do not let them choose the plays to make. If you let them, they’ll totally take the control from you. You should make the initial move and throw them off.

TIP! When playing defense, focus on forcing your opponent onto the sidelines. A player has too many choices if you allow them to keep going down the court.

Defensive players need to stay low. This will help you be quicker on the jump and react to the man in front of you easier. Stay in your defensive stance. You should return to this position immediately after leaving it to block or defend.

TIP! Have a game plan you want to accomplish when beginning a workout routine. Lots of players hit the gym without a concrete plan.

If you wish to shoot on the outside better you should work on shooting hundreds of times every day from a lot of places on the court. To improve even more, practice preparing for a shot quickly after dribbling the ball. Only lift your head up to check out the target once you are in the air. All these techniques give you the feel of actual game play, and this will help you become more accurate.

TIP! Focus on developing your footwork. Knowing how to position your feet will help you play a variety of positions and pivot effectively.

Everyone that plays basketball eventually tries mastering specific skills to better their game. After reading the advice here, you should know what needs to be done to improve your game. Read it again if necessary; just be sure to use the tips provided here.