TIP! Start out with proper balance before attempting to take a shot. We have all seen the professional basketball player falling out of bounds and making a basket from 30 feet away, but this is not proper technique.

Have you ever watched professional basketball players and envied their skills? Rather than wishing you were great, how about you do your research to become better? You’ll find a lot of useful advice in this article.

TIP! If you want to improve your basketball game, you must identify and intensify your strengths. You might not become a big basketball star based on your strengths, but you will be an asset to your team.

It’s natural to be drawn towards offense as a novice, but the pros know defense is where the game is won or lost. In the end, it’s defense that consistently wins you games. Without good defense, a basketball team will lose the match.

TIP! You have to know how to bounce pass properly. A bounce pass that’s good is going to end up hitting the other player near their waist.

Learn what a crossover is and how to do it. A crossover happens when you switch hands the ball is in. The action needs to be performed quickly in order to be successful. Learn how to perform a crossover dribble will help you get down court quickly.

TIP! If you have a kid that wants to play basketball in high school, ensure they’re training core muscles in the right way. The concept encompasses the abdominal muscles, the hips and the lower back.

In order to be a great shooter, good balance is key. You have seen some crazy shots made by professionals, but these shots aren’t going to be based on fundamentals. These players are using creative improvisation. You need to maintain good balance while shooting, which is sure to produce greater consistency.

TIP! If you’re on the offense, you footwork needs to be excellent to stay open for passes and shots. Although a strong presence in the key is important, beating your opponent to good spots on the floor is more important.

Passing the ball is an important part of playing basketball so practice making and receiving passes. During practice you should come up with drills where you perfect catching bad passes along with the good ones. During a real game, many of the passes that come your way will be off-target and tougher to handle. Therefore, learn how to catch any type of pass so that you can help lead your team to victory.

TIP! Ask fellow team members what they like about your skills on the court. You may have a certain skill that you have perfected.

To keep passes under control, make use of hand signals. It is very frustrating when a teammate isn’t open for the perfect pass. These common miscommunications can be avoided by utilizing hand signals, which tells the passing player the other player is ready for a pass. If the player does not flash the signal, then the player can avoid an errant pass.

TIP! You can improve your control of the ball by spreading your fingers. That will ensure that it doesn’t get away from you as you hold it.

Good footwork is important when you’re posting up in the paint. You need to have physical presence beneath the net, but you also have to choose the right spot to be in. Once there, you have to firmly claim the area as your own. The key to mastering these skills is good footwork.

TIP! Stay conscious of your foot motion and placement. If you slide onto the baseline, you will lose the ball for being out of bounds.

See if your teammates admire something in particular about your game play. They will probably notice the things you do best. Maybe you are nimble or you are reliably there to support them. Learn what other’s see as your natural skills and make sure to keep and develop those skills more fully.

TIP! Have someone record the games you play so that you can watch it to check out your form. Are you able to look at your skills in a different light? Assess yourself honestly, but don’t be a harsh critic.

Always be aware of your feet. Out of bounds will happen with even one toe over the baseline of the lined play area on the court. Taking too many steps without dribbling means a walking call and another turnover situation. Also, moving either foot when trying to set a screen, pick or take a charge results in a foul call.

TIP! It can help you when you pass through your legs. Bounce the ball very hard through your legs while stepping to the front or the back.

Launch your layup jumps from the foot that is opposite the hand you shoot with. If you normally shoot using your right hand, jump with your left. Doing this lets you maintain balance and movement towards the goal, while keeping your body in between your defender and your shot.

TIP! In order to do the best you can with layups, you’ll want to take off with the foot that is opposite of your shooting hand. So, if you shoot using your left hand, launch with your right foot.

In your drills, you should attempt to move the basketball the length of the court in fewer than half a dozen dribbles. This initially seems undoable, but it helps build speed and stride. In games, this drill will become useful when you have fast break opportunities.

TIP! To help you shoot better free throws you need to come up with a consistent routine. Inconsistency does not make a better shot.

Playing basketball well means developing good court “eyesight.” You don’t just want to be able to pass and shoot well. Great peripheral vision is an asset. By seeing the court well, you can anticipate defensive moves as well as what all your teammates are doing. Good vision is vital to basketball success.

TIP! You need to mess with your opponent’s head. Getting them to do things they aren’t accustomed to doing is ideal.

After you’ve read this, you should have some things that you’re able to practice. You must practice every day and be confident that you can win. Keep these tips in mind and show off your newly acquired skills.