Basketball: Taking It To The Hoop With Success

Basketball is simply not something to just play while in gym class or intramural competition. It can be played in the neighborhood and even on your driveway.If hoop shooting is your thing, read the following tips to help you become a better ball player.

You should practice your crossovers a lot. When you do a crossover, you move the basketball very fast from one hand over to the other hand. This action most be quick to work out. If you do it right, a crossover dribble will assist you in changing directions and getting down the court in an efficient manner.

TIP! Balance is important when shooting. You’ve seen the pros fall out of bounds when trying to shoot 30 feet from the basket; this is a bad move.

Always dribble with your head up when dribbling instead of focusing on the ball.You should never be looking at the basketball while you’re dribbling. Bring the ball along when you go. Dribble the ball as you go about your day doing errands like walking to the dog. If you have to watch the ball, you cannot see what is happening down the court in front of you.

Learn to crossover if you have the ball fairly often.This is when the hand to your right hand and back again. You need to perform crossovers very quickly to get good at it. When you do it right, the crossover dribble help you to change direction in order to move down the court efficiently.

Practice your layups a lot. Four out of every five shots taken in a given game will be layups. When you practice, run toward the net, and then get a high jump in so you can smoothly shoot. If you can do this right, you can master this shot.

TIP! Be sure to watch professional games to learn some great tips and tricks to improve your game. Watch professionals play or go check out talented local teams to see who has the moves that you want to learn.

Do not only practice solely against zone defense plays. The majority of game play might take place in the zone, but be careful about a team who changes things up. If you have not practiced against this, you might lose your game very quickly.

Play games against yourself in and before it. While it’s a team sport, sometimes you just can’t find others to play with. There is much that you can improve your game alone. Work on your free throws or practice pivot moves. There are many things that can work on.

Ask fellow team members what they like about your skills on the court. Find out what they perceive as your best skill. Perhaps you have good dribbling skills or maybe your footwork is enviable. Learn what the other people around you see while you are playing and it may open your eyes to new areas for practice.

Hand signals will help you from turning the ball over. Hand signals can help you communicate with your teammate is ready.

Speed is a key attribute in basketball. Try to play faster than your opponents by being fast to win the game. You have to be steady as you play faster. But don’t try to go even faster than you are able. Playing beyond your capabilities will lead to bad passes and excessive turnovers.

Study you opponent well to give yourself an edge. You should be look at scouting reports, practicing techniques and watch tapes. Know the dominant hand of every player. Understanding your opponent allows you to effectively play defense. A defender that is knowledgeable is an effective defender.

TIP! To play good defense, you have to upset and disrupt your opponent. Don’t let your opponent get comfortable out there on the court.

Passing between the legs is great when you have defense all over you.Practice this maneuver by bouncing the basketball between your legs as you take a step forward or back. Mastering this technique can give you with a big advantage on the court.

To get more out of layups, begin your takeoff on the foot opposite from the hand you’re shooting with. This will keep your body properly balanced and going towards the basket.

Your forearms and hands should be strengthened if you wish to handle the ball better. Consider wrist curls and and exercise machine that focuses on strengthening each finger individually. Good playing is not only instinctive, it takes hard work and discipline. The ball should always be in control and moving.

TIP! Practice drills that force you to get the basketball to the other end of the court in less than 5 dribbles. 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.

Practice with your weak hand as much as possible. Tie your strong hand to the rear of your back and force yourself only to use your weaker hand. You will get new dribbling skills with your non-dominant hand for dribbling.

Being a successful defensive player means disrupting your opponent’s play. Don’t let them get comfortable out there on the court. Be aggressive in the moves you execute your moves. Do not let them choose their plays.

In order to improve your weaker hand, make use of it for everyday things, such as brushing your teeth, eating out of a spoon, etc. If you gain more mastery of it in all walks of life, you improve overall control. This will start to appear in the game of basketball, too.

TIP! While you’re dribbling the basketball it is wise to bend your knees. Standing straight will make you see that it’s harder to handle and easier for the opposing players to take.

Your forearms and hands should be strengthened if you to handle the ball better. Wrist curls are great for bettering your ball handling skills. You can’t just stand and shoot. You have to learn to move the basketball around to get things to happen.

Be sure that your vision is unobstructed. This isn’t just so you to make shots as well as catching passes that come your way. You have the best peripheral vision possible.

An excellent tip to help you with shooting skills is to shoot the ball from different spots on the court. Become better and better by practicing your fast dribble then stopping abruptly to make a shot. Only lift your head up to check out the target once you are in the air. This improves your accuracy.

TIP! It is important that you remain in control of the ball despite which way your body is going. You’re going to be dribbling in many different conditions during a game.

No matter if you’re playing competitive basketball or just a friendly game of horse, improving your basketball skill-set can make the game much more enjoyable. After reading this article, it is time to put that knowledge to work. If you can better your game, why not do so?