A wonderful thing about the game of basketball is that the basics are easy to learn. You can pick up the basics quickly. However, you can always learn new things if basketball is something you wish to be good at, and the following advice will help you get started.
Dribble the ball correctly. Instead of using your palm to dribble focus on using your fingertips. This way you’ll have a lot more control over the ball. Always dribble to your side, not your front. Keep your eyes up, not on the ground.
Always dribble with your head up when dribbling instead of focusing on the ball.You haven’t practiced enough if you keep looking at the basketball while dribbling.Bring your ball no matter where you go out.Dribble as you walk down the market.If you’re looking at the basketball, you’re unable to see what’s going on down the court before you.
Hand signals can help stop you to stay away from making bad passes. Hand signals can help you if your teammate is ready.
Learn how to throw a proper bounce pass. A good bounce pass should hit the player on the receiving end at waist level. The ideal bounce pass should land about 3/4 of the way between you and the receiver. There are other variables to consider though.
Never turn away from the ball so that you can always be prepared for anything in a basketball game. This will make you more aware of the court and you aren’t surprised. Keep an eye open for areas that are open.
Ask someone to take a friend to record your games so that you can see how yourself in action. Can you see chances that you can improve your form? Are there things you might have done better? Be honest with yourself but not overly critical.
You need to practice more than defeating a zone defense. Usually, a big part of the game is probably going to be in zone; however, the opposing team can suddenly switch to man-to-man to catch you off guard. If your practice hasn’t included this type of scenario, you might lose control rapidly.
To become a better free throw shooter, always go through the same routine before each shot. This might mean that you dribble the ball twice, bend your knees, touch your forehead, or do anything else. As long as it’s quick, you won’t have any trouble having your body memorize what you’re doing.
Passing between the legs is something that helps when you are being closely guarded. You can practice this maneuver by stepping forward or backward and bouncing the ball with force between your legs. Mastering this skill will provide you an advantage on the court.
It is important to be aware of the location of your feet and just what they are up to. When you are in possession of the ball, touching the baseline will get you out of bounds. Also, you can cause a turnover if you walk without dribbling the ball. Do not move your feet when attempting to set up a screen, a foul can be called.
Practice passing while looking in the opposite direction when you make a pass. You are able to confuse opponents with this way. If you do it right, then the receiver of the pass should have an advantage and a great look at the goal. It’s a great play when done properly.
Practice dribbling with your weak hand when it comes to dribbling. Tie your strong hand to the rear of your back and force yourself only to use your weaker hand. You will improve dribbling with your non-dominant hand for dribbling.
When moving in for a layup, push off from your weaker foot and lead with your shooting hand. Use your left foot when shooting with the right hand. This way you keep your body away from defenders, your momentum going in the direction of the basket and your body stays balanced.
Good footwork will help you to get those rebounds. The defender may be coming toward you, so find a way to slip around him and get to the ball. This allows you a rebound without getting penalized for a foul.
Dribble hard if you want the ball taken from you. If the defense gets to be too much, stop what you’re doing and quickly look to find and open teammate to pass the ball to.
Practice dribbling with both hands, dribble on both sides of your body and learn to dribble in front of you while taking large strides. If you have two hands that can dribble the ball effortlessly then it becomes easier to get by your opponent. Practice with your weak hand by tying your dominant hand behind your back. You will get new dribbling skills with your weak hand.
To build up your skills with your weaker hand, try to use it for all daily tasks. This will help you with your next match.
Stop Dribbling
You want to keep your vision completely clear at all times. This isn’t just for reading the score, but for catching passes and making shots. Your peripheral vision should be at its best. This will help you see the whole game better and anticipate openings and defense players.
Only stop dribbling if you are prepared to shoot or pass the ball. You are limited once you after you stop dribbling. If you opt to not pass or shoot, you can only pivot with your back foot. This makes you open up to people that want to double team and try get the ball away from you.
This will lower the opposing players to get control of your opponent being able to steal the ball from you. You need to bend a bit more for this to succeed, but you will be able to move along the court fast because you’ll be throwing off your defenders.
Practice dribbling while switching the momentum of your body from side to side. In the middle of a game, lots of dribbling situations will arise. You need to feel as comfortable with defense closing in on you, as you do in the open court. Learning to dribble effectively will help you in many different situations. Not being able to do this leaves you open for the ball to be stolen.
Maybe you just started playing the game before looking up this article. Or have you been playing since a young child? Either way, this article will help you learn about playing. Try this advice out whenever you can play.