TIP! Keep your head up when you dribble. If you are looking at the ball for any reason while dribbling, you have not put in enough practice.

Countless fans and players the world over love basketball. You can just shoot some baskets at the park, or try to make a career out of playing. Read this article to learn more about the sport of basketball.

TIP! Know your strengths and they’ll help you become a better player. Your best talent may not make you the star of every game, but learning to play your best angle will help you contribute more to the team.

Make sure that you’re dribbling the ball correctly. You need to use the tips of your fingers rather than your hand’s palm when you are dribbling. This provides you with much more ball control. Dribble to your body’s side instead of doing it out front, and bounce the ball at your waist’s level. Keep your head up, do not stare down towards the ground.

TIP! Practice your layup shot as frequently as possible. A huge percentage of successful shots are layups.

Figure out how to perfect your free throw. This is something that seems simple, but in reality it can be hard. This technique should be practiced often if possible. Start with the ball positioned right before your face. Look at the basket and imagine the ball going in it. Then, use the trajectory you just visualized and shoot the ball.

TIP! Learn how a bounce pass is thrown. Bouncing the pass to the receiver should be at their waist.

To get better in your basketball game, focus on your strengths. You may not be the star player, but by contributing the best way you can you will win more games. Knowing what you excel at and then practicing that can help you become perfect at it!

TIP! A good way to improve team passing to use a no dribbling drill, that is to play the game without dribbling at all. It is hard to play a game when you don’t dribble, but it will help you to be sure that everyone is passing accurately.

Free throws require as much mental focus as physical skill. You can practice for hours on how to make the shot, but if you over think things or get distracted you will miss every time. Take a deep breath, relax and imagine you are at practice to help yourself make the shot.

TIP! Keep your skills sharp in the off-season by playing different challenging games. Basketball is usually a team sport, but just because you can’t find others, doesn’t mean you have to just stop thinking about it.

Make use of hand signals so that wild passes can be avoided. It can be frustrating to attempt to pass the ball to a team mate as that person is heading toward the basket. You can stay away from doing this if you use a hand signal to see if someone is ready for a pass. If the signal is not used, then the pass should not be made to that player.

TIP! Make sure your fingers are apart from one another when dribbling. You will have better luck holding onto the ball as well.

Never turn away from the ball, so that you can always stay ready for anything. This keeps you aware of what is going on so you aren’t surprised. When your eyes are constantly assessing the game, you will be better able to make easy shots.

TIP! You should always be aware of the position of your feet and their actions. Stepping even over a baseline when you’re in possession of the ball will have you called out of bounds.

Stay conscious of your foot motion and placement. Stepping even over a baseline when you’re in possession of the ball will have you called out of bounds. If you take too many steps and don’t dribble, then you are walking. Moving your feet as you are setting a screen or pick usually results in you being called for a foul.

TIP! To maximize your layups, take off with the foot that opposes your shooting hand. So, if you shoot using your left hand, launch with your right foot.

Passing between the legs is something that helps when you have defense all over you. You can practice this technique by stepping forward or backward and bouncing the ball with force between your legs. If you get this down, you will have a major advantage on the court.

TIP! In order to be good at rebounding the ball off a missed free throw, you must be quick with your feet. The defender may be coming toward you, so its important to slip away from him and get the ball.

Learn to pass the ball without looking at your intended target. You are able to confuse opponents with this technique. Not only will they not see the pass coming, they may think a pass is going in the opposite direction. It’s quite a play when done properly.

TIP! Dribble with force to prevent the ball from being stolen. When you dribble hard, the ball bounces back to your hand faster.

Practice with your weak hand when it comes to dribbling. If you’re using both hands to dribble the ball well then you can get by an opponent easily. Tie your strong hand to the rear of your back to ensure you only use your weaker hand. Your dribbling skills will improve with your weaker hand.

TIP! Take charges whenever possible. Turnovers are an important part of the game that can end up giving your team the upper hand.

We hope this article has given you the information you need to enjoy basketball to the fullest. It is not a complicated game and a great form of exercise. Once you being to play, you’ll probably be hooked. Whatever you do, remember to have fun!