If you’ve dreamed of becoming a basketball star, you know what kind of dedication is necessary. Even if you happen to be a purely recreational player, you probably still wish to play well. Reading the following article will help you become a skilled player.
Keep your head up when you dribble. If you are looking at the ball for any reason while dribbling, you have not put in enough practice. Bring the basketball with you everywhere you go. On your way to the grocery store, practice your dribbling. If you have to watch the ball, you will be unable to see whatever is going on at court level.
Dribble while your head is up and your eyes are forward. If you must look at the ball while dribbling, you haven’t practiced enough. The ball can go with you when you go anywhere. If you walk to the store, dribble the ball. You will not be able to see what’s happening before you on the court while beholding the ball.
If you want to improve your game, play up your strengths. While you may have a particular skill that isn’t going to make you stand out as the star player, honing it can help you become an integral part of your team’s success. Know the things you’re great at and keep practicing until there is no one better than you.
Your balance is an important aspect to consider when you are shooting. Falling when you make a shot is not the right way to shoot. Those who do this are improvising. Consider proper balance when you shoot, and eventually you’ll consistently make baskets.
Passing quickly without dribbling is a great way to practice. This helps to develop passing skills with your teammates, making it much more difficult if you’re standing in one spot and not dribbling. Even though this is not an easy drill, you will be rewarded for your efforts during game time.
If you want to improve your game, concentrate on your strengths. While you may have a particular skill that isn’t going to make you stand out as the star player, honing it can help you become an integral part of your team’s success. Understand where you excel, and work on those talents until they are perfected.
To keep passes under control, make use of hand signals. It is very frustrating when a teammate isn’t open for the perfect pass. You can avoid this by using hand signals if a player is able to take a pass. Without a signal, the ball controller shouldn’t make a pass.
It is important to practice catching the ball from others as much as passing. During practice you should come up with drills where you perfect catching bad passes along with the good ones. When a game is underway, not every throw will be perfect. You and your team mates will be happier if you (and they) are more versatile.
When injuries occur on the court, it is unwise to keep on playing. The sport of basketball is very physical, which makes one susceptible to injury. If you continue playing, you could make the injury even worse. If the pain is bad, visit a doctor.
Do you want to fool the other team? Consider the back pass. To accomplish this pass, grasp the ball using your dominant hand. The next step is to draw the ball behind you. Lastly, flick your wrist in the direction that you want the ball to land. This should make it easy to trick the other team.
Keeping your fingers spread wide is important for holding onto the ball. This will keep the ball from getting away while you hold it. Additionally, the palm of your hand should not come into contact with the ball. You should try your best to only hold onto the ball with your fingertips when passing and shooting.
Building core muscle is key to playing great basketball. Focus on hips, lower back and abs. The core connects the lower and upper extremities, and if a person has a weak core, they will fail to excel in athletic pursuits. Strong core muscles help you with many movements associated with basketball.
Quickness is a blessing in basketball. If you want the advantage, you need to be quicker than your opponents. If you want to play the game fast, you need to drill continuously. Avoid playing faster than your abilities allow. By playing beyond your speed capabilities, you will quickly lose control of the ball, which will lead to bad passes, bad shots, and turnovers.
If you get hurt during a basketball game, don’t try to play while in pain. Basketball is very physical and there’s always a risk of injury. Trying to play while injured will just make your situation worse. Visit a doctor if you think it’s serious.
Have someone taper your games and then watch it to see how you look on the court. This way, you have the opportunity to go through your play at a later time and see your mistakes. Do not waste time criticizing yourself. Just make an honest assessment. Seeing yourself realistically can be a great way to make changes in a positive direction.
Ask fellow team members what they like about your skills on the court. Is there something that you excel at? You could potentially be excellent in one area while you are busy focusing on another, unaware. Determine what others like about your game and fine tune those skills.
Do your free throw shooting the same way every time. It could be that you dribble several times, bend at the knees, brush your hair out of your eyes or do something else. This routine will help you make your free throws, but make the routine a quick one.
Watch your shoulders and their position if you notice yourself developing a slump in your shooting. If they’re in a poor position, no matter your skill level, you will be unable to make the shot. Be sure that your shoulders square up in front of the hoop. The dominant shoulder needs to be aligned correctly with the rim.
Making a pass from between your legs is sometimes a good option when the opposing team is right on top of you. Refine this skill by bouncing a ball with force between the legs while stepping backwards or forwards. This move can give you an advantage when playing a tough defense.
Practice looking the other way when passing. This will easily confuse your opponents. If you do this fake the right way, then the receiver of the pass should have an advantage and a great look at the goal. It’s a great play if done properly.
In order to become better at dribbling the ball you should learn how to practice using your weak hand. Opponents are a lot easier to blow by when you can dribble with ease using both hands. To help develop your weaker hand, avoid using your dominant hand. Your dribbling skills will improve with your weaker hand.
To increase the efficiency of your layups, begin your takeoff on the foot opposite from the hand you’re shooting with. When shooting right-handed, take off using the left foot. That will build your balance and help you stay in the right position.
Never break your defensive stance when playing ball. Slide your feet from side to side or push off with your opposing foot so that you are always in position. Don’t allow your feet to cross, and this will make you a hard defender to beat.
A routine can enable your free throw percentage to rise. If you are inconsistent then your shot will be off. Practice and repetition are the only way to become a consistent free thrower. If you have a glitch in the routine, you are likely to miss your shot.
Developing your muscle strength and flexibility will make you a better basketball player. Conditioning training will also increase your stamina. Even young children can benefit from strength training. If you have been exercising regularly for years, it might be time to introduce weights into the mix. Once they transition into adulthood, strength training must continue to be a core part of their exercise routine.
You need to mess with your opponent’s head. Do not allow your opponent to become comfortable with their style, or yours. Your defensive moves must be aggressive and executed properly. Do not allow them to decide which plays to make. If you let them, you’ll be at their mercy. Rather, move first; attack their rhythm.
When you dribble, bend your knees. If your knees are not bent, the basketball will be more difficult to control. Just a little bending at the knees can make a huge difference in your overall ball control.
Make your forearms and hands stronger so you can handle the ball better. Curling your wrists also help you improve your own dribbling. Don’t think you can just go somewhere on the court, catch a ball and then make a successful shot. You must move the ball to have things happen.
Keep dribbling until you want to shoot or pass. After you have stopped dribbling, your options are quite limited. You can’t do anything but pivot if you don’t shoot or pass. Once this happens, you are prone to being double-teamed and more likely to turn the ball over.
To rebound off your fellow player’s free throws, use sly feet. Your defender will move towards you, so figure out how to slither past him and grab the ball. Now you can achieve a proper rebound and not commit a foul.
Try different shots from different places on the basketball court. Work on your grip and balance first. You can shoot off balance, but it’s not very accurate. To get a perfect grip, use the basketball valve as a point of reference. Spread the fingers of your dominant hand and put the center of your hand over the valve located at the center of the basketball.
A key play on defense is to draw a charge. By taking charge you can create a defensive stop so you can get the ball, and allows you to create setups so that the opponent will foul you. This can be devastating to the other team.
Do not double dribble. Double dribbling happens when you’ve stopped dribbling once, and then start again a few seconds later. Once you’ve stopped dribbling, you can only pass the ball or shoot the ball. You can’t just start dribbling again. Doing so results in a turnover, which means the opposing team will get the ball.
You should practice your dribbling while switching your balance from right to left. This will have you ready for a game, when you will need to move any direction on a moment’s notice. You will have many opponents swarming you. You must know how to dribble the ball no matter what your body is doing. This allows you to get yourself out of a tough spot.
Make your opponent go into the sideline. Pushing them out to the side will give them with fewer options. When they are sidelined, their choices for moves becomes very limited.
Keep the ball below knee level if possible. This makes it more difficult for the opposing players to get control of the ball from you. This will help you move the ball down the court easier.
Once you start gaining some skill, you will start having greater control over your dribble. There are many variables that involve getting the ball to the exact point where you want it. Keep the opposing defender in a high state of awareness by switching up your position and momentum.
Now, it’s time to take action, utilizing the various tips and techniques that have been talked about in this article. You’re going to see improvement as you go on, so remember what you have learned, apply the tips, and keep practicing. Before you know it, you will be a superior player.
Don’t argue with the officials of the game. You can disagree with their call and you can ask them questions. Being confrontational isn’t going to get you very far. The job that the officials have to do is not easy, so have patience with their calls and do not let them affect your performance.
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