Use These Tips To Become A Better Basketball Player

by | Oct 21, 2021 | Basketball

TIP! It’s natural to be drawn towards offense as a novice, but the pros know defense is where the game is won or lost. Basketball games are won more often by defense than offense.

Basketball is something that people find to be fun and lots of people love it. However, it’s not that simple to be the greatest at the game when you first start. The game of basketball can still be a fun game even if you don’t rank at the top in genetics and athleticism. Read further to gain some insight on the sport of basketball.

TIP! Learn what a crossover is and how to do it. Crossovers involve moving the ball from hand to hand.

Having a good foundation is key when shooting the ball. You’ve seen the pros fall out-of-bounds and shoot a basket up to 300 feet away, however, this isn’t proper technique. They improvise to do that. By focusing on balance in your shot, you will develop the consistency needed to be a great scorer.

TIP! You can improve your skills by paying attention to how the pros play. Try to go to games, watch televised games, or check out videos of the pros playing.

You need to practice more than defeating a zone defense. While you might see a zone defense mostly, a team can switch defenses to man-to-man quickly in order to confuse you. Practice with each type of defense so you will know what to expect.

TIP! Practice playing by yourself. Basketball is a multiple player sport, but other people won’t always be around.

Don’t bulk up if you want to be good as a jump shooter. Strong muscles are certainly useful for basketball, but you can overdo it if you plan to play on the perimeter. Many guards in the pros have developed their arm muscles too big, which has really harmed their shooting percentage.

Core Muscles

TIP! Understand your opponent. Review tapes and keep up with scouting reports.

If you have a kid that wants to play basketball in high school, be sure they’re working on their core muscles. These core muscles for basketball include your lower back, hips and abs. The core links the upper and lower extremities and without a strong one, their athletic performance will be limited. If your core is solid, you will have greater strength in your legs. This helps with fast running and high jumping.

TIP! Pay close attention to your shoulders if you’ve suddenly developed a shooting slump. Shoulders are the key to a consistently successful shot.

Don’t let the ball go behind your back. This will give you court awareness and keep you from being surprised by quick passes or turnover potentials. Make sure you also have the court in your line of vision as well, so you know when and where you can drive in for the score.

TIP! Get someone to analyze how you play on tape. Do you see anything you could do differently? Be honest with yourself but don’t be too harsh.

Be aware of your own actions and the position of your feet. Stepping even over a baseline when you’re in possession of the ball will have you called out of bounds. More than three steps will cause you to get called for travelling. Being aware of your body movements can give you an advantage on the court.

TIP! If you want improve your free throws, you have to develop a routine. If you aren’t consistent, you won’t make the basket.

Have your games taped so you can play them back later and observe your court presence. Are you able to see what you’ve missed or things that you could improve on? Assess yourself honestly, but don’t be a harsh critic. This gives you an unfettered view of how you actually performed on the court, rather than relying solely on your memory of the game.

TIP! Build up your forearms to become a better ball handler. Do some wrist curls as much as possible and your dribbling should get better.

Dribbling the ball fast and hard will help you to keep better control of it. This makes the ball go back to your hand quicker, so offense has reduced chances at taking it from you. If someone is close to you and is really good at guarding you, pass to another person that’s open.

TIP! A great drill to try is to see how many dribbles it takes for you to make it across the court. The ideal number of dribbles is five.

Never break your defensive stance as this will assure you are in your proper position for defense. Keep your feet moving to each side or push your opposing foot off so you can keep yourself in position. Don’t let your feet get crossed and it will be hard to get around you.

TIP! You need to take charge when the opportunity presents itself. This play gets your team possession of the ball and a foul against your opponent.

A powerful play called the trapping machine, is to have your guards wait for the point guard to come just past midcourt. Then they should run to the point guard and trap him. While this is happening, your forwards must sprint toward players in the wings. The point guard will then probably throw an easily interceptable pass.

TIP! Trip up the offense by constantly changing your pace. As you approach the goal, plant your foot and then straighten up.

You can strengthen you weaker hand by using it as much as possible, for instance open jars or even brush your teeth. You’ll find it becomes more controllable. This will help you with your basketball game also.

TIP! Always stay low when playing defensively. That helps you stay quick when it comes to the jump and will help you react more quickly to the person just ahead of you.

You should always bend your knees while dribbling. Standing straight up lessens your ability to control the ball and increases the chances that it will be stolen. You only need to bend your knees slightly to improve your control of the basketball.

TIP! To become a better three-point shooter, make sure you attempt shots from where the NBA three-point line would be. College, as well as high school three-point lines are set at a shorter distance.

Use the hand you’re not dribbling with to create a barrier between the ball and the opponent. You can’t push with that arm, but it can serve as an obstacle that helps keep your opponent from reaching in. Just keep it up slightly while dribbling with the other hand.

TIP! Never stop your dribble unless you are going to shoot or pass the ball. After you halt the dribble, your options become quite limited.

Practice your skills and get out there on the court. Perhaps you need a bit of practice first. Get motivated, get energized and get excited; then, show your stuff on the basketball court. You will see the improvement with your skills after using this advice.