TIP! You should often work on your layups. Almost 80% of shots will be layups.

No matter a person’s sex, basketball makes many people happy. Anyone can play. Assemble your inner circle and demonstrate your skills. What moves you say? You should keep reading to learn more about basketball.

TIP! Observing what the professionals do can be a great way to improve your game. Go to games, watch them on TV and you can also watch videos.

Dribbling the ball the right way needs to be done. Instead of using your palm to dribble focus on using your fingertips. Using your fingers allows you to better control the basketball. Be sure to dribble beside your body instead of in front of yourself. Bounce the ball at a level even with your waist. Look up, not down.

TIP! Work on being able to receive a pass. When practicing make sure you drill yourself to catch errant throws as well as picture perfect passes.

It is vital that you learn to crossover the basketball while dribbling. A crossover is when you move the ball from one hand to the other. You need to perform crossovers very quickly to get good results. Once you’ve learned how to use it, the crossover dribble makes it easy to navigate the court in a more effective way.

TIP! Good footwork is important when you’re posting up in the paint. Getting a great position under the goal is the most important.

To be a great basketball player you need to work on your balance. You’ve seen the pros fall out of bounds when trying to shoot 30 feet from the basket; this is a bad move. This is simply an improvised move. When you shoot, you should always be properly balanced, which will help you make more baskets more consistently.

Free Throw

TIP! Always be aware of where you have your feet and what you are going to do with them next. Stepping your toe in a baseline with a ball in your grip will mean that you’re out of bounds.

Free throws have a huge mental element to them. You can teach your body to make a free throw properly, but unless you are properly prepared mentally, you may not succeed. Stay relaxed and just focus on the goal and you will increase your free throw rate.

TIP! Practice passing while looking the opposite direction. You are able to confuse opponents with this technique.

A great way to bolster your basketball ability is to observe those who are considered to be the best in the sport. Go to games, watch them on TV and you can also watch videos. You’ll see that every great player has specific skills that cause them to be great and you have the opportunity to practice what you’re watching them do.

TIP! To improve your dribbling skills, practice dribbling with your weaker hand. Getting by an opponent should be a lot easier if you can dribble using both hands.

Make sure to practice catching passes. During practice you should come up with drills where you perfect catching bad passes along with the good ones. Understand that during a game, you will receive very scattered passes. Some will be good; some won’t. You and your team mates will be happier if you (and they) are more versatile.

TIP! Upset and disrupt your opponent’s play. All successful basketball players do this.

Ask your teammates what they like about the way you play. Are you great at any one thing? You may be quick with your footwork or are always there for backing them up. Learn what other’s see as your natural skills and make sure to keep and develop those skills more fully.

TIP! Keep changing up your pace to help keep your opponents on their toes. When running towards the net, step on your front foot, and start to straighten up your body.

Understanding the opponent is a good way to win with defense. Watch tapes and be sure you’re paying attention to scouting reports. Learn who the left handed players are and who the right handed ones are. The more you understand what you are up against, the more likely you are to develop an effective strategy during games. Strong defenders are knowledgeable defenders.

TIP! When you are on the defense, the key is to stay as low as you can. Doing so improves your reaction time with regards to your opponents’ actions.

Passing between your legs can be helpful when the other team is riding you hard. Practice dribbling the ball between your legs. If you get this down, you will have a major advantage on the court.

TIP! If you are serious about basketball then you should be serious about your diet. In order to be ready for practice and games, it is vital that you have the proper energy stored in your body.

Now you should be prepared to play with heightened confidence. You may now even know a few secrets that your friends are unaware exist. Remember that basketball should always be fun. No matter what, though, winning is always a great feeling.