To become a star in basketball, you need a lot of practice and a good work ethic. Even when playing for fun, you would like to play well, right? Well here are some great ways to develop those skills and learn new ones.
Practice your defense more than your offense. Victory requires the ability to play defense. While offense seems to get the praise, defense must be stellar in order to win.
You need good balance when you shoot. Everyone has seen professional basketball players make a shot from 20 feet away as they are falling. They are not doing it right. By focusing on balance in your shot, you will develop the consistency needed to be a great scorer.
Make layups a part of your daily practice regimen. Layups sometimes wind up being 4 out of every 5 shots in basketball. When you are practicing, run full speed at the goal and make the shot. This method will teach you to improve your jumps and shots throughout the game.
Remember to practice a lot of different possibilities so that you will not limit your game. While a good chunk of the game will most likely be played in zone, your opponent might flip the switch to man-to-man coverage just to change things up and surprise you. If you are unprepared, you may lose the match fast.
Practice basketball in season and out of season. Even though you play on a team, practicing alone can be helpful. There is nothing wrong with that. Solo games can help you immensely. Go to the free throw line and work on your shots. You can always practice something.
Speed is everything in the sport of basketball. If you want the advantage, you need to be quicker than your opponents. Regular drilling will increase your speed. Although being fast is important, avoid playing faster than your capabilities. If you try to rush your play, and can’t keep up, you will turn the ball over or make unforced mistakes.
It’s important to know where you have your feet and also what they’re doing. Placing even a single toe atop the baseline while holding the ball will result in you being ruled 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. Moving your feet as you are setting a screen or pick usually results in you being called for a foul.
To get better at shooting free throws, make sure to keep a consistent pre-shot routine. Always dribble the same way, or with the same movements. This consistency will get your body in tune to do the same thing every time, increasing your chance to make shot after shot.
To generate consistency with layups, leap from the opposite foot from the hand you use to shoot. This means that if you shoot with your right hand, take off from your left foot. This helps to maintain balance throughout your body and allows you to use yourself as a barrier between the defender and yourself.
Free Throw
A routine can enable your free throw percentage to rise. If you aren’t consistent, you will find that your shooting is off. Practice makes perfect when shooting free throws. If your free throw routine is out of whack, you will miss.
To dribble the ball better, it is important that you practice dribbling with the hand that’s weaker. Dribbling with both hands helps you gain the upper one. Exercise your non-dominant hand by securing your dominant hand at your side or behind your back. Your weak hand won’t be that for long!
The trick to grabbing a rebound on a teammate’s missed free-throw is to plan your footwork in advance. The defender in your path will be moving at you, so be sure you’re thinking of how to get past that defender. This gets you the rebound without you committing a foul.
Dribble very hard to prevent the opposing team players from stealing the ball. This will make the ball come back to you faster, and the opponent will have a hard time to get it from you. If the defense gets to be too much, look to pass the ball to someone who is open.
Perform drills in which you move the ball up the court in just five dribbles. This seems an impossible feat when you start. By working on this drill regularly you develop speed and great, lengthy strides. This drill can help you to have success with lay-ups during a fast break.
Stay low when playing defense. This helps your reaction time against your opponent. Remain in a correct defensive pose always. You may have to break your stance if you must block a shot, but return as fast as you can.
Here is how you can change a normal two-three zone to become a trapping machine. You will need for the top two guards to wait until the time when the point guard is approximately 10 feet beyond the midcourt. The guards must then rush the opposing team’s point guard and create a trap. While they are doing that, the forwards should move out to the wings. A pass should be thrown by the point guard for forwards to steal.
Follow the advice presented here to improve your game and become the best player possible. As you work on your skills, they will improve bit by bit. Use what you have learned here to help become the best player possible.