If you’ve ever dreamed of being a great basketball player, you know you’ve got to commit and practice enough.Even if you’re playing for recreation, don’t you want to play well? This article will help you in becoming a better basketball player.
It is important to focus on both offense and defense when learning to play basketball. Basketball games are won with a good defense. While offensive players sometimes seem like the stars of the show, it is the efforts of defensive players that allow them to shine.
Make sure you are dribbling the ball correctly. Don’t use your palm, but use your fingertips instead. This way you’ll have a lot more control over the ball much better while you dribble.
Don’t pump too much iron if you want to be good as a jump shooter. Muscle strength can be great for basketball players, but there is such a thing as too much. Some shooting guards worked on their arms so much that they started lowering their field goal percentage.
Crossovers are very important if you’re a ball handler. Moving the ball from hand to hand is a crossover. You must do it fast for best success. When done properly, crossover dribbling is a great way to quickly switch direction or move around the court in an efficient manner.
Play basketball games against yourself during the season and before it. Even if you can’t get a bunch of people together to play, practicing alone can be helpful. There is much that can be accomplished when playing alone. Work on your free throws or three pointers. There are many things that can be done.
Core muscles are comprised of the hips, abs, and abdominal muscles. A strong core provides a center of force with their legs to be applied to faster running and jumping during games.
Concentrate on your strong points if you want to improve your game. Your best skills may not be center-stage every game, but knowing how to play the best angles can help you give more to your team. Learn what your strengths are, then practice to perfection!
The key for controlling the ball control is to spread your fingers. This will help you keep a better grip on the ball at all times. Don’t let your palms touch the ball either.
Practice looking in the other way when passing. This can go a long way toward confusing to the opposition. When done right, it will cause the opponents to go to the wrong area so that you can pass to someone that has a good look at a basket before shooting. It’s a play if done properly.
If you’re on the offense, you footwork needs to be excellent to stay open for passes and shots. You always want to beat your opponent to the open spot. Once you find a spot, you need to know how to defend it. Strong footwork is key.
Free Throws
A consistent routine is necessary for improvement in free throw percentage to rise. If you aren’t able to be consistent you’ll find yourself missing free throws. The simplest way to get better at free throws is through constant repetitive motions when shooting the ball.
You should ask your teammates about your strengths and weaknesses. Can they tell you what you’re really good at? Perhaps you have an excellent understanding of defensive strategies or you are the fastest player on your team. You can learn a lot about your skills by knowing how others see you on the court.
Practice with your weaker hand.Tie your dominant hand behind your back and force yourself only use your weaker hand. You will quickly strengthen your weak hand.
Good footwork will help you get those rebounds. The defender in your path will be moving at you, so find a way to slip around him and get to the ball. This allows you to score a rebound without having to commit a foul.
It’s important to know where you have your feet and also what they’re doing. If you slide onto the baseline, you will lose the ball for being out of bounds. You could also be the reason for a turnover if you get called for walking when you take more steps than allowed without dribbling. You may need to keep your feet planted to avoid getting called for charging.
Keep your body constantly facing toward your opponent to get by you.
Then your defending guards should encircle the point guard to trap him. Your forwards can sprint to block the wing players. The point guard throws a pass that forwards can be easily stolen by your forwards.
Have a friend or family member tape your games so you can view how you appear on the court. Are you able to see what you’ve missed or things that you could improve on? Don’t get yourself down about your performance, but stay honest with yourself concerning where your game needs some work. Sometimes you think of yourself as something you are not.
You will have better ball control by bending your knees just a bit.
Try practicing your dribbling while switching the momentum from side to side. This will happen during all different kinds of situations. You will have many opponents ready to swarm you. You must know how to dribble the ball no matter what your body lean in various directions. This allows you find your way out of jams.
You want to strive in practice to bring the ball all the way up the court in no more than five dribbles. While this is a challenging goal, working toward it will make you a much better player. That translates to smooth layups during fast breaks.
This is going to make things harder for the opponent to take the ball. 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.
Use the techniques and tips from this article to become a great basketball player. As you continue to practice these tips, you will continue to see improvements in your game. The three step plan can help you succeed.
Stay in your defensive stance while defending your basket against opponents. Use a shuffling side to side motion to ensure you are in position. Don’t allow your feet to cross, and this will make you a hard defender to beat.