TIP! When dribbling, focus on what’s in front of you by keeping your head up. Looking at your ball when you dribble indicates that you haven’t practiced enough.

Basketball is something tons of people enjoy. Many people enjoy watching the NBA on television, playing on their own teams, or just shooting some hoops at the park. Nearly everyone that plays wishes to become a great player and win the game. While you can’t win them all, you sure can bring your game to the next level.

TIP! Start out with proper balance before attempting to take a shot. Even though a professional can hit all sorts of crazy off-balance shots, it is not the ideal method of shooting that you want to learn.

Figure out how to perfect your free throw. It seems easy to do but surely isn’t. Practice regularly and employe the technique that follows. Place the ball right in line with your face. Keep looking at the goal while visualizing the basketball going through the hoop. Then shoot! Shoot the ball in the trajectory you imagined.

TIP! Would you like to pull one over on the other team? Try doing what is known as a back pass. Use your dominant hand to palm the basketball.

To be a great basketball player you need to work on your balance. While the all-time greats have shown time and time again how they can shoot while off-kilter, this is not the ideal way to score. This kind of improvisation is the result of years of practice and loads of ability. Point your feet towards the basket, guide the ball with your weaker hand and push the ball away with your strong hand whenever you shoot the basketball.

Bounce Pass

TIP! Make use of hand signals so that wild passes can be avoided. You can become easily frustrated when a teammate does a poor job of anticipating your next passing move.

It is important to know the right way to throw a bounce pass. Executed properly, a bounce pass will connect with the receiving player at the waist. Bounce the ball so that it lands near your teammate. There are other things to keep in mind, though.

TIP! One way to get a good understanding of your game is to ask your fellow players about your ability. Do they feel you are really good at something? Perhaps you are quick footed, or you are always ready to lend a hand on the court.

Free throws require as much mental focus as physical skill. You’re able to train your whole body to do full free throw motions, but if you’re not mentally prepared, you will fail. Relax and focus on your shot, and you can make it.

TIP! In order to be your best on defense, take the time to completely understand the player you are guarding. Monitor scouting news and watch footage of other teams in action.

A good way to get your basketball game up to speed is to start trying to see how the pros are playing. You can do this by watching games in person and on television. You will quickly notice all the different skills that they have which makes them a great player, then take what you learned and use it to help improve your own game.

TIP! For more consistency in making those free throws, stick with the same sequence of motions before you take each shot. You could dribble twice, touch your forehead, bend your knees, or some other kinds of movements.

Don’t dribble during your drills. This helps to develop passing skills with your teammates, making it much more difficult if you’re standing in one spot and not dribbling. Don’t let it frustrate you, just be patient.

TIP! A solid routine is necessary for improvement in free throw shooting. If you aren’t consistent, you will find that your shooting is off.

One great thing to do if you wish to be prepared while playing is to make sure your back isn’t turned to the ball. You will enjoy greater court awareness and avoid feeling surprised by rapid changes in game play. Always watch for areas opening up where you can go for a quick basket.

TIP! Be sly on your soles to catch rebounds from free-throws your own team members are making. Guards will be attempting to stop you, so get around them.

Always have an awareness of the location and movement of your feet. Stepping your toe in a baseline with a ball in your grip will mean that you’re out of bounds. More than three steps will cause you to get called for travelling. In addition, moving one foot while working on setting a screen or pick will produce a foul.

Free Throw

TIP! Stay low and dribble the ball below the level of your knees. Opponents will have a hard time stealing the ball from you if you keep it low.

Get into a consistent routine to improve your free throw shots. If you aren’t consistent, you won’t make the basket. The simplest way to get better at shooting free throws is through constant repetitive motions when shooting the ball. If your free throw routine is out of whack, you will miss.

TIP! You can place your off-hand out in front of you to serve as protection against the defense. You don’t want to be pushing any of your opponents (that’s a foul), but you can use that non-dribbling arm as a separator to keep the ball safe.

Practice with your weak hand when it comes to dribbling. Being able to effortlessly dribble with both hands gives you the ability to run both sides on an opponent and keep them off guard. Don’t allow yourself to use your dominant hand when practicing. This will help you use that hand more easily and improve your dribbling with that hand.

TIP! Build your team in and out of the basketball court. When a basketball team gels fully, their game can reach entirely new heights.

To get a rebound of a free throw that one of your teammates is taking, you need to be sly with your feet. Guards will be attempting to stop you, so get around them. Now you can achieve a proper rebound and not commit a foul.

TIP! To succeed in basketball you should learn how to change the path of your opponent. Whether you are playing defense or offense, controlling the movements of your opponents is vital.

You can strengthen you weaker hand by using it as much as possible, for instance open jars or even brush your teeth. Using both hands when playing is an important skill if you can develop it when you’re not playing. Soon enough you will see great improvements on the court.

TIP! Grabbing and keeping a rebound depends on how well you’re positioned before and after the ball comes off the rim. For better power and balance, jump using both feet and take the basketball with both of your hands.

Bend the knees when you dribble a basketball. The basketball is much harder to control if you stand tall and the opposing team can snatch it more easily. A bit of a bend will boost your control.

TIP! When you know an opponent’s weak side, try to get them working mostly from that side. If that player is right-handed, move in the player’s direction on your left foot.

Bettering your game can be done in many ways. It is important to understand the fundamentals of the game if you plan on being a great player. Practice is the key to learning anything, so practice often to help improve your game. No matter if you are practicing with teammates or shooting in your own driveway, the work you do is sure to pay dividends.