Basketball is enjoyed around the world. In order to play as a team and win the game, each player has a certain function that they perform. If you’re here to get educated on how you can become a better basketball player then continue to the article below.
Make sure you are dribbling the right way. You’ll want to use your fingertips to dribble instead of using your palm. This provides you with much more ball control. Dribble along the side of the body, not immediately in front of it, and keep the bounce to the waist level or below. Always look up and never look down at the ground.
When dribbling, focus on what’s in front of you by keeping your head up. If you’ve got your eye on the ball while you’re dribbling, you haven’t mastered it yet. Take you ball with you everywhere. You can practice dribbling when you have to walk to the store. You will not be able to see what’s happening before you on the court while beholding the ball.
Any good basketball player needs to know how to make a layup. Layups account for up to 80 percent of the shots taken during a game. Run full tilt to the basket, then smoothly jump and shoot. This method will teach you to improve your jumps and shots throughout the game.
Learn to crossover if you get the ball often. A crossover is when you move the ball from one hand to the other. Speed determines the success of the crossover move. Once you’ve learned how to use it, the crossover dribble makes it easy to navigate the court in a more effective way.
Get educated on the way to properly pass the ball on a bounce. Bounce passes should not go above or below the receiving players waist. One good rule is for you to bounce the basketball most of the way toward the other player. Practicing your bounce pass is important so that you can use it skillfully during games.
Balance is essential to shooting. You’ve seen the pros fall out-of-bounds and shoot a basket up to 300 feet away, however, this isn’t proper technique. Those who do this are improvising. When you shoot, you should always be properly balanced, which will help you make more baskets more consistently.
Watching the pros can help you pick up on certain skills for improving your game. Watch some games on TV, view videos of professional games, and go to some games. Every player has a skill that allows him to succeed. Practice their moves to become better.
Making free throws are almost as much a mental part of the game as they are a physical part. You must train both your body and your mind. Take a deep breathe, relax and block out all outside distractions before taking the shot.
Hand signals will help you avoid those errant passes. It’s frustrating to pass to your teammate at the very moment they’re heading toward the basket. All of this confusion can be remedied through the use of hand signals when a player is opened. No signal, no pass.
Observing what the professionals do can be a great way to improve your game. It is important that you see how other people play the game. You will notice great skills from different players that you can practice.
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? Continue to develop the skills that play into your natural abilities. Learn what the other people around you see while you are playing and it may open your eyes to new areas for practice.
Work on pass catches. When practicing make sure you drill yourself to catch errant throws as well as picture perfect passes. When the game is going on, every pass isn’t going to make it to its target. Learning how to catch these errant passes will put you at an advantage.
Whenever you work out, practice footwork and work on your core strength. Your body will be able to move quicker and be more balanced when you have srong core muscles. Your hip, buttocks, back and abdomen muscles need to be worked on. Much like boxers do, you have the ability to bolster your footwork and agility by using a jump rope.
Don’t just practice playing against a zone defense. While a good chunk of the game will most likely be played in zone, your opponent might flip the switch to man-to-man coverage just to change things up and surprise you. This can cause your team to lose momentum to the other side if this isn’t something you’ve practiced.
Concentrate on your shoulders if you have gotten into a shooting slump. When they are out of alignment, all shots will fail. Make sure your shoulders are always square towards the hoop. The shoulder that is dominant should be perfectly aligned with the hoop rim.
Entire Team
Speed is one of the best virtues when playing basketball. Speeding up the temp allows you to out-quick your opponent. Regular drilling will increase your speed. However, don’t try to be faster than you’re physically able to be. By playing beyond your speed capabilities, you will quickly lose control of the ball, which will lead to bad passes, bad shots, and turnovers.
You can learn how to better pass the ball if you run drills without the dribble. Playing basketball without dribbling is very challenging, but your entire team will quickly improve their passing skills. This may be hard and frustrating at first, but as you get the hang of it your entire team will begin to excel at passing.
Develop a routine to use every time you shoot a free throw. For example, many people touch their foreheads or tap their chest before making a free throw shot. If you make your routine consistent, your body will eventually know how to make the shot every time.
Practice basketball in season and out of season. While it’s a team sport, you may not be able to find others that will play. That should not matter. In solo games, you can accomplish quite a bit. Maybe work on those free throws or practice your pivoting. You can always practice.
Practice passing while looking in the opposite direction. You are able to confuse opponents with this technique. When you do it right, the opponents are going to think you’re moving in one direction. That way, the person you’ve given the ball to has a bit of time to look at the net to taking a shot. It can be a really powerful play.
To be a good post-up player in the pain, you need to have really good footwork. Although a strong presence in the key is important, beating your opponent to good spots on the floor is more important. Once you’re in position, you also need to secure your spot. These will both require powerful footwork.
The trick to grabbing a rebound on a teammate’s missed free-throw is to plan your footwork in advance. You need to seek out a way to quickly slide around your opponent and be able to quickly react to the ball. You’ll be able to grab the rebound without fouling your opponent.
You should always be aware of the position of your feet and their actions. Stepping your toe in a baseline with a ball in your grip will mean that you’re out of bounds. If you walk without dribbling, you will be called for walking and this will result in a turnover. In addition, a foul can be called against you if you move either foot while setting a screen, a pick or taking a charge.
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. This may completely break the competition down.
As soon as the ball leaves your teammate’s hands after a free throw, start moving into position. The more quickly you get under the basket, the better you chance of grabbing the rebound. Now you can achieve a proper rebound and not commit a foul.
Developing your muscle strength and flexibility will make you a better basketball player. When you play basketball you need a lot of stamina and strength to keep going through the entire game. Proper exercise allows younger players and older players an improved physical presence on the court. Use weights when they get older. As an adult, strength training becomes vital in order to play your best basketball.
Always set your three-point shooting practice goal at the official NBA distance. All the other three point lines are much closer than the NBA line. Being able to shoot successfully from the NBA range will give you a great advantage.
When dribbling you want to keep your knees bent. If your knees are not bent, the basketball will be more difficult to control. To help out your ball control, try bending the knees.
If you want to improve your outside shooting skills then you need to take hundreds of shots each day from all over the court. To get even better, try to practice dribbling and quickly shooting. While in the air check out your target, but never before that. Your accuracy will get better and you’ll have a better idea of what real game conditions will be like.
Use the hand you aren’t dribbling with to keep the opponent away from the ball. You can’t push the person guarding you, but you can hold your arm out gently. Just keep it up slightly while dribbling with the other hand.
Understanding your teammates is a vital part of basketball. You need a team to play basketball. It is not a one-on-one game. You all help each other out. Communicate with them so that they know when you need assistance, so that you all collectively play better.
A great way to improve your game involves communicating with teammates so that you can anticipate their moves. You are sure to understand that it takes teamwork to play basketball. It is not a one-on-one game. This knowledge makes it easier for you to assist each other. Let others know when you require assistance.
Remember that your diet has a great affect on your basketball performance. When playing regularly, you are going to need lots of carbs for serious energy, along with some fats and protein. Good things to add to your diet are nuts and nut butters, chicken, and wheat bread. Conversely, avoid salt and sugar whenever you can.
Practice shooting the ball from many different areas in order to improve your ability. The first thing to do is to practice on your balance and your grip. Shooting when you are not in balance is less accurate, but it is possible. Use your basketball’s valve for perfecting your grip. Put the middle of your palm over the valve.
Everyone that plays basketball eventually tries mastering specific skills to better their game. After going through the article above it shouldn’t be hard to know what needs to be done if you want to be better at basketball. Read the article again if you have to, but never stop practicing these tips in order to get better.
Keep calm while shooting the ball. Keep focused on the basket. You should work to keep your eyes on the point furthest away from you on the hoop when you’re shooting. When shooting layups, be sure you are using the backboard.
About The Author
