TIP! Frequently practice passing and catching the passes of others. You want to practice catching perfect passes and bad passes.

Where should I start when learning about basketball? How do you become a great player and be able to show appreciation for the game? In this article we will provide you with some basic information to act as a solid foundation for your basketball performance.

TIP! If you’re injured when playing basketball, don’t push through the pain. This is a physically challenging game, so you may end up hurt much worse.

If you want to improve your game, concentrate on your strengths. While you may have a particular skill that isn’t going to make you stand out as the star player, honing it can help you become an integral part of your team’s success. Focus on the skills you have and work to make them better.

TIP! Make sure you know what is going on with your feet. This can help you avoid going out of bounds or making a bad pass.

Teach yourself to throw bounce passes correctly. A bounce pass that’s good is going to end up hitting the other player near their waist. It’s generally a good idea to pass the ball about three-fourths of the distance between you and the receiving teammate. But, there are some factors that can change this.

TIP! You need to mess with your opponent’s head. Force them to leave their comfort zone.

Avoid errant passes by using hand signals. One of the most challenging aspects is trying to send the ball to your teammate as they are going for the basket. You can avoid this by using hand signals if a player is able to take a pass. No signal, no pass.

TIP! Dribble harder if you want to avoid the ball being stolen. This makes the ball go back to your hand quicker, so offense has reduced chances at taking it from you.

Never turn away from the ball so that you can always be prepared for what’s coming. You must always be prepared to receive a pass and you need to know where players are on the court. Knowing where the other players are on the court helps you open passing lanes and gives you more opportunities to take a shot.

TIP! Take charges whenever you have the opportunity. A charge leads to a turnover by the opposing team and gives you the ball back.

One of the best ways to play a strong defensive game is to know your opponent. Watch tapes and be sure you’re paying attention to scouting reports. Know which team members are right handed and which ones are left handed. Once you have a solid idea of your opponent, you can dial in on the best way to defend. One of the most important keys to being a solid defender is an understanding of your opponent.

TIP! Always maintain a defensive stance when you are trying to properly defend the goal. Stay in the right position by pushing off of your opposite foot.

You need to work on your forearms and your hands to handle the ball more efficiently. Wrist curls can be great for honing ball handling skills. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can stay stationary, catch all the ball, and shoot them from that same location. You have to start moving the basketball around to get things to happen.

TIP! When playing defense, always try to stay low. You will be able to react more quickly and jump higher because of this.

Practice noticing what is in your peripheral vision. This is so that you’re able to catch passes, get shots in, and look at the scoreboard. You want to make sure that you see what is going on to the sides of you. If you’re looking around the whole court and not only at the ball, you’ll be able to look to the defense to see if pressure is coming and you can see who’s open.

TIP! Shoot from every point on the court thousands of times a day to get better. To get even better, try to practice dribbling and quickly shooting.

Trip up the offense by constantly changing your pace. Sprint towards the hoop then quickly plant your foot, then straighten up. Your opponent will see you as stopping, then will also stop themselves. Push forward and blast by them.

TIP! Switch your body’s weight from side to side while practicing your dribbling. During the game, you will dribble in various situations.

You can improve a weak hand by using it in daily life. Being able to dribble and shoot the ball with both hands will make it much more difficult for opponents to defend you. Your game will be noticeably better.

TIP! Stay low and dribble the ball below the level of your knees. Doing this makes it more difficult for members of the opposing team to steal the ball from you.

Avoid dribbling above your knees. This is going to make things harder for your opponents if they want to steal the ball. You need to bend your knees to have this happen, but you will be able to move along the court fast because you’ll be throwing off your defenders.

TIP! To become a much better basketball player, try speaking with teammates and learning what they do. Basketball is a sport played by a team.

Do exercises that will assist you in becoming a better player. Sprint running can help improve on-court speed, while distance running is sure to boost your stamina. Strength training helps, too. The resulting confidence helps you have more reliable shooting.

TIP! Mix up different shots from all over the court when you practice shooting. Balance and grip are the first two things to practice.

Can you answer your questions now? Do you think you can now apply this knowledge on the court? Are you able to handle the fact that you’re going to do the best at basketball that you’ve ever done because of this article? Keep going, keep practicing, and using these tips to better your results.