TIP! Be sure to get lots of practice on layups. Almost 80% of shots will be layups.

Millions of folks love basketball. The best way to really enjoy basketball, either as a player or as an enthusiastic spectator, is to understand it completely. This article can help anyone do that.

TIP! Quality footwork will help you get better shots. You must beat the opposing playing to an open spot.

Focusing on the offense may come easily but you need to be able to focus on the defense as well., Defense ultimately determines the winner of a game of basketball. Without good defense, a basketball team will lose the match.

TIP! Practice your footwork and control the position of your feet at all times. Just touching the baseline is going to get you called out of bounds.

Find out how to make free throw shots. That’s a shot that appears simple but is actually difficult in reality. You should practice as often as possible with this technique. Place the ball right in line with your face. Picture yourself going through the shot in your mind, with the ball sinking through the net. Next, shoot with just the trajectory you saw.

TIP! Watch tapes of yourself playing basketball to get a more objective perspective. This way, you have the opportunity to go through your play at a later time and see your mistakes.

Dribble while keeping your head upward and looking ahead. If you must look at the ball while dribbling, you haven’t practiced enough. The ball can go with you when you go anywhere. You can practice dribbling when you have to walk to the store. Remember, if you are directly staring at the ball, there’s no way for you to see what’s happening on the court.

Bounce Passes

TIP! Build a consistent routine for your free throws. If you’re not consistent you’ll find yourself missing free throws.

Learn the way to throw proper bounce passes. Good bounce passes need to hit the other player waist length when they receive it. The ideal bounce pass should land about 3/4 of the way between you and the receiver. There can be other factors in play to keep in mind, as well.

TIP! Improve both forearms and hands to improve ball control. Wrist curls are especially effective at making you better able to handle a basketball like you could dribble sleepwalking.

Making a free throw takes mental concentration as well as physical prowess. It’s easy to physically train for a free throw, yet mental preparation is also needed. Relax your mind and keep your concentration centered on the basket to make more of these freebies.

TIP! The trick to grabbing a rebound on a teammate’s missed free-throw is to plan your footwork in advance. As you see the defender moving in, quickly slip around to grab the ball.

Completing passes to your teammates is just as important as dribbling the ball. It’s tough to play basketball minus the dribbling, and it causes you to pass accurately. Don’t be frustrated by how hard it is at first; you will get used to it.

TIP! You need good vision if you are going to play basketball. Not to just be able to see the scoreboard, but to actually make a shot and catch a pass.

If you have a kid that wants to play basketball in high school, ensure they’re training core muscles in the right way. That means their hips, lower back and abs. The lower and upper extremities are linked by the core, and athletes with a weak core will exhibit limited performance. A strong core helps you jump higher and run faster.

TIP! You need to take charge when the opportunity presents itself. By taking a charge, your team will get the ball.

Spread your fingers out to handle the ball properly. You will have better luck holding onto the ball as well. In addition, keep your palm off of the ball. Fingers need to be the only thing that touches the ball when you shoot it or pass it.

TIP! An excellent tip to help you with shooting skills is to shoot the ball from different spots on the court. To help you get even better, practice dribbling the ball and quickly pulling up for a shot.

It is important to be aware of the location of your feet and just what they are up to. If you fall on a baseline, you will be out of bounds. Also, you can cause a turnover if you walk without dribbling the ball. Also, when you’re moving your feet when a screen is being set, you can take a charge or pick to try and get a foul.

TIP! You’ll want to use the hand that you aren’t dribbling with as a barrier to protect the ball. You can’t push the person guarding you, but you can hold your arm out gently.

The excitement that basketball creates for millions of fans across the globe s hard to match. However, it’s so easy for novices to be lost, wondering what the fuss is all about. Hopefully, the above tips can be of use to anyone wanting to learn about basketball.