TIP! Make sure to dribble properly. Finger tips, not palms, are the key to successful dribbling.

What should I learn about basketball? What should I learn to become a better player and appreciate the game more thoroughly? This article is going to provide you with great knowledge to take with you to the court.

TIP! Practice shooting free throws. The execution of a free throw is not as simple as it may appear.

Make sure to dribble properly. Don’t use your palm to dribble. Instead, use your fingertips. This allows you to control the ball much better while you dribble. Keep the ball by your side as you dribble instead of right in front your body. Don’t look down, always look up.

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

Know your strengths and they’ll help you become a better player. The best talent you have isn’t going to have you starring in every highlight reel, but having a good skill set can benefit your team. Know what you are good at, then practice it until you’re absolutely perfect at it!

TIP! Practice playing by yourself. Sometimes during off season, or when practicing, you can’t play as a team or find even a single opponent.

Any good basketball player needs to know how to make a layup. A huge percentage of successful shots are layups. When practicing this technique, run toward the goal and shoot. Running and jumping well in practice means better jump shooting in actual games.

TIP! Being able to anticipate your opponent is a key skill. Pay attention to how they play.

Get educated on the way to properly pass the ball on a bounce. Bouncing the pass to the receiver should be at their waist. The ideal bounce pass should land about 3/4 of the way between you and the receiver. But, there are some factors that can change this.

TIP! Build your core strength and work on your footwork. This allows your body to be in balance and be more explosive on the court.

Successful free throws require you to be mentally and physically strong. Training your body is important, but you also have to be mentally ready for the shot. Relax and focus on your shot, and you can make it.

Perfect Passes

TIP! High percentage free throw shooters typically have the same free throw routine prior to each and every shot. Perhaps you will dribble twice, follow up by bending your knees, pulling your earlobe or performing some other ritualistic action for good luck.

Work on catching passes frequently. You need to be able to retrieve perfect passes and not so perfect passes. Understand that during a game, you will receive very scattered passes. Some will be good; some won’t. Make sure that your teammates also practice this type of pass with you.

TIP! A consistent pre-shot routine when at the line will increase your chance at success. When you stay consistent, you get better success.

Never practice only against the zone. While a great portion of a game will be concentrated in the zone, your rivals could opt to go to man-to-man covering to keep you guessing. If your practice hasn’t included this type of scenario, you might lose control rapidly.

TIP! Practice dribbling with both hands, dribble on both sides of your body and learn to dribble in front of you while taking large strides. By being able to easily dribble with two hands rather than one, you have a huge advantage over your defenders.

Build hand signals so passes are more successful. One thing that can frustrate you when playing basketball is to try and pass while a player is trying to run to the basket. All of this confusion can be remedied through the use of hand signals when a player is opened. Without a signal, you should not attempt to pass the ball to a player.

TIP! AS you dribble the basketball down the court, keep your knees bent. If you are standing up straight, you will have more difficulty controlling the ball.

Ask your teammates what they like about how you play. Do they feel you are really good at something? You might be quick, or you might always be around to support them. Find out what others perceive as your natural gifts and build upon those more completely.

TIP! If you want to improve your three-point shooting, try and do it from the NBA distance, at a minimum. The international line is much closer.

Make sure, no matter what else happens, you can see where the ball is. This helps keep you aware of the action, and it takes away the surprise factor. Maintain awareness of open areas on the ball court that may allow you to quickly score a basket.

TIP! Dribble the ball below knee level. This makes it more difficult for the opposing players to get control of the ball from you.

In order to become better at dribbling the ball you should learn how to practice using your weak hand. Being able to effortlessly dribble with both hands gives you the ability to run both sides on an opponent and keep them off guard. Exercise your non-dominant hand by securing your dominant hand at your side or behind your back. Your weak hand won’t be that for long!

TIP! If someone is attempting a shot from one of the court’s corners, that shot (if missed) will probably bounce over to the opposite side of the net. When someone is going for a corner shot, try to anticipate where a missed shot would land so you can be there for the rebound.

Work on getting the ball down the length of a full court with five or fewer dribbles during drills. This may seem to be too difficult at first, but once you’re able to do it you’ll have a lot of speed and stride length. It can mean easier lay-ups when dealing with fast breaks and it can help your teammates for just a moment.

TIP! It is necessary to be capable of altering the path of your opponent. Whether you are in an offensive or defensive stance, make other players do what you want.

When you’re working with defense, staying low is a good idea. You will become faster and react faster. Maintain proper defensive position at all times. You should return to this position immediately after leaving it to block or defend.

Basketball Questions

TIP! Keep yourself calm when shooting the ball. Keep your view on the basket.

Did these tips help answer some of your basketball questions? Are you now prepared to take on any challenge? Hopefully this article has given you the answers to all your basketball questions. Then it’s time to put your skills to practice and really reap the rewards of what you’ve learned.