Want To Be A Better Basketball Player? Use These Tips!

by | Sep 24, 2021 | Basketball

TIP! Always keep your head up when dribbling instead of focusing on the ball. If you need to look at the ball while dribbling, you’ll need to practice more.

Basketball is among the most loved and followed sports in the world. The fans number in the millions. To love the game even more and maximize your enjoyment whether playing or watching is to understand everything there is to know about it. This article below can help with that.

TIP! Teach yourself to throw bounce passes correctly. Bounce passes should not go above or below the receiving players waist.

If you want to improve your game, concentrate on your strengths. You can contribute to the team by consolidating your best skills, even if these skills do not make you one of the star players. You can also focus on your weaknesses if you know what they are.

TIP! You can learn how to better pass the ball if you run drills without the dribble. It is hard to play with no dribbling, but it will help your team make great passes.

Free throws require as much mental focus as physical skill. It is possible to practice the physical movements needed to make such a shot, but when your mental focus is lacking, you are likely to miss. Stay calm and collected to increase your free throw percentage.

TIP! Want to make the other team not know what’s going on? Try a back pass. To accomplish this pass, grasp the ball using your dominant hand.

Even professional basketball players spend a lot of time watching other people play basketball. Go to a bunch of professional games in person, watch them on television, or just get online to search for basketball videos. Each player has their strengths and you can learn a lot from each one.

TIP! Bad passes can be avoided with the right hand signals. One of the more frustrating aspects of basketball is making a pass to a teammate at the same time they head to the basket.

Ask teammates what they admire about your playing skills? Do you have an area where you excel? Perhaps you have an excellent understanding of defensive strategies or you are the fastest player on your team. You can learn a lot about your skills by knowing how others see you on the court.

TIP! If you’re injured in a basketball game, don’t attempt to play while in pain. It’s easy to be hurt when playing basketball.

Keep your eye on the ball. This will make you more aware of the court and you won’t be surprised when turnover potentials come up or quick passes. Keep your eyes open for areas that are open.

Core Muscles

TIP! Being able to anticipate your opponent is a key skill. Watch replays and follow scouting reports.

When exercise, concentrate on perfecting footwork and strengthening your core muscles. With strong core muscles, you will have better balance. Focus on the back, buttocks, and hip muscle groups. Jump rope like a boxer to improve your fancy footwork.

TIP! Quickness is something you have to have when playing basketball. Try to play faster than your opponents for an advantage.

Practice your footwork and control the position of your feet at all times. 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. Also, moving a foot when setting up a screen can result in a foul.

It can help you when you pass through your legs. This will make it very hard for your defender to get it. This technique can really throw off defenders.

TIP! You must have a consistent practice routine if you want to learn to shoot free throws well. If you’re consistent, your shots will be too.

When you’re practicing passing, try to look the other way. This trick can be used successfully to confuse defenders. Not only will they not see the pass coming, they may think a pass is going in the opposite direction. You must practice this move with your teammates so that everyone on your team understands what is going on.

TIP! Using a weaker hand helps improve overall dribbling skills. If you’re using both hands to dribble the ball well then you can get by an opponent easily.

If you want to make the most of your layup, push up from the foot that is opposite the hand you will shoot from. Jump off your left foot when you shoot using your right hand. This will keep you balanced and going towards the basket.

TIP! In order to be good at rebounding the ball off a missed free throw, you must be quick with your feet. The more quickly you get under the basket, the better you chance of grabbing the rebound.

If you wish to get a free throw rebound from a teammate, you have to stay on your toes properly. Your defender will move towards you, so figure out how to slither past him and grab the ball. This will allow you to score a rebound without getting penalized for a foul.

TIP! You can prevent other players from stealing the ball from you by dribbling hard. This causes the ball to return to your hand more quickly, so the offense has less time to try to get it away from you.

Dribble hard if you don’t want the ball taken from you. When you dribble hard, the ball bounces back to your hand faster. That means there is less time for the other side to grab it. If someone is guarding you closely, stop dribbling and pass to someone else who is open on your team.

TIP! You can strengthen you weaker hand by using it as much as possible, for instance open jars or even brush your teeth. You will have more control as you use it to do daily activities that require dexterity.

Drills should be done where you attempt to get your basketball up the court within five dribbles or even less than that. You may find this very challenging, but once accomplished it will give you a real edge. That translates to smooth layups during fast breaks.

TIP! When you dribble, bend your knees. Standing while dribbling will make it much easier for the opponent to steal the ball from you.

Mix things up offensively to keep the other team’s defense off-balance. As you run towards the net, plant your front foot and begin to straighten up. Your opponent will see you as stopping, then will also stop themselves. As hes does, plow forward and run by him.

TIP! Work on your 3 point shot by shooting from the established NBA distance. High school lines, international standard lines, and college lines are much closer.

Defensive players need to stay low. Doing so improves your reaction time with regards to your opponents’ actions. You always want to have a strong defensive stance on the court. If you need to block someone’s shot, quickly get back into your stance.

TIP! Keep the action beneath your knees, if you can. This makes it difficult for the ball to be stolen.

Keep your knees loose when you dribble the ball. When you are rigid, the ball is not only hard to control, it is also an easier target for a rival to steal. Bending your knees slightly will enable you to control the ball more efficiently.

TIP! Having good positioning on the court when trying to grab a rebound will help you keep the ball. For better power and balance, jump using both feet and take the basketball with both of your hands.

Keep all motion below the knees if possible. This prevents your opponents from stealing the ball. You need to bend your knees to have this happen, but you will be able to move along the court fast because you’ll be throwing off your defenders.

TIP! If you are assigned to defend someone bigger than you are, try staying in the passing lane between your man and the current ball handler. This prevents them from getting easy passes, and hopefully prevents them from catching the ball and shooting it over your head.

You need to be able to alter your opponents path. Whether you are playing defense or offense, controlling the movements of your opponents is vital. This opens up passing lanes and shooting chances when you’re on offense and can help create turnovers when you’re on defense.

TIP! An important part of playing the game is to shoot free throws. In the closing minutes of a closely contested game, fouls can be a common occurrence.

If you’re trying to guard a person that’s bigger than you are, try keeping between that person and the one in possession of the ball. That should make it difficult for the ball to be passed to them.

TIP! Work to improve your defensive skills. Your team is more likely to win games if you can steal the ball and block attacks.

It’s not easy to match the thrills that basketball supplies for many of its fans. Without understanding all these nuances, the game seems confusing. Hopefully, the above tips can be of use to anyone wanting to learn about basketball.