TIP! Practice your bounce pass. Bounce passes should not go above or below the receiving players waist.

Basketball ranks among one of peoples’ favorite sports to both watch and play. Still, it is a difficult sport to master. While athleticism and genetics might determine your rank somewhat, basketball can be fun for everyone. This article will teach you how to be a better player.

Crossover Dribble

TIP! Do you want to fool the other team? Try a back pass. You want to grip the basketball with your strongest hand.

If you handle the ball often, you need to learn how to do a crossover. Crossover dribble is switching hands while you’re dribbling. It should be done quickly. When you do it right, the crossover dribble helps you alter directions and go down the court faster.

TIP! If you become injured when playing basketball, stop immediately. This is an aggressive sport, and injuries happen often.

Prior to basketball season, and even during it, you can play solo games. You may not always be able to find someone to play with you. For concentration purposes, it can be good to practice on your own. There’s still a lot that you can do playing on your own. Work on free throws or three pointers. You can always practice something.

Positioning Yourself

TIP! You can play a great defensive game if you know the opposition well. Monitor scouting news and watch footage of other teams in action.

Good footwork is essential to escaping coverage and putting yourself in position to take a shot when you are posting up. Focus on positioning yourself more quickly than the opposing player is just as important as having someone beneath the hoop. After positioning yourself on the court, make sure that you are secure. Expert footwork is the key to these skills.

TIP! To become a better free throw shooter, use the same routine prior to every shot. This might mean that you dribble the ball twice, bend your knees, touch your forehead, or any other movement.

The key to ball control is to spread your fingers out. This way, you won’t lose the ball when holding it. Do not allow your palm to come in contact with the ball either. When you’re shooting or passing, the only place the ball should touch your hand is on your fingers.

TIP! Using a weaker hand helps improve overall dribbling skills. If both hands are useful for dribbling, your opponents will not stand much of a chance.

Always have an awareness of the location and movement of your feet. You will be called out of bounds if even one toe is touching the baseline as you hold the ball. If you walk without dribbling, you will be called for walking and this will result in a turnover. A foul will result if you try to take a charge or set a pick and your feet are moving.

TIP! Good footwork can really help you to get those rebounds. You’ll have a defender coming at you and this means you have to figure out what can be done to get around them.

If the opposition is hot on your tail, pass between your legs. This will make it very hard for your defender to get it. This technique can really throw off defenders.

TIP! Bend the knees when you dribble a basketball. It makes it much easier to control the ball while dribbling as opposed to standing straight up, which makes controlling the ball much harder.

Work on making your forearms and hands stronger in order to improve ball handling. One important exercise is wrist curls, which help you with your dribbling. Good playing is not only instinctive, it takes hard work and discipline. Good dribbling skills will help you always stay in movement.

TIP! If it is possible, keep all action below the knee. This makes it more difficult for your opponents to steal the ball.

Stay on top of your footwork when attempting a rebound. Slip around the defender moving your way and get the ball. You are able to rebound the ball without fouling someone.

Defensive Position

TIP! Diet is essential when it comes to playing ball. Complex carbohydrates and protein will give you energy to ensure that you get through a long, fast-paced basketball game.

If you want to stay in a good defensive position, simply avoid breaking out of your defensive stance. You will always be in a defensive position if you slide your feet one way and then the other and push off using your opposing foot. Don’t forget not to cross your feet, and you won’t be easy to get around.

TIP! Forge a strong bond between teammates, whether you are playing the game or off the court. A team that works together is an unstoppable team.

Strength and flexibility training can help your skills in basketball. Stamina and strength are two things you need to do well in this sport. Even the youngest players need to have strong arms and legs. When they become teenagers, they can start using weights to increase their exercise. As adults, it will be imperative to maintain a strength training routine.

TIP! Don’t double dribble. When you stop dribbling and then begin again is double dribbling.

Defensive players need to stay low. 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. Make sure you always maintain your defensive stance. When you have to break out of stance to block a shot, get back into form as quickly as possible.

TIP! When you shoot, try to stay calm. It’s important that the basket is your main focus.

Only cease dribbling when you are prepared to shoot or pass. When you stop dribbling, then you limit your options. If you cannot pass or shoot, you can only pivot with your back foot. You leave the ball vulnerable to possible steal attempts and yourself open to being double teamed.

TIP! Proper pivoting is essential in the game of basketball. You have to practice the footwork you do so that you can pivot without giving it a second though.

Are you prepared to show what you’re made of? You probably should practice before you do. Get motivated, get energized and get excited; then, show your stuff on the basketball court. In no time at all, your skills we be noticeably stronger as a result of this advice.