A great knowledge base can help you with anything you do. From changing a tire to playing basketball, you have to understand the situation to do it right. When it comes to the latter, there is nothing better than reading the tips you will find below and then using them yourself.
As you dribble, bring your body down just a little closer to the ground. This will make it easier to bounce the ball. If the ball has a shorter distance to travel between the ground and your hand, you are less likely to make a mistake that leads to a turnover.
When shooting a basketball, it is important to follow through. This means that you extend your arms out completely and flick your wrists as you release the ball. This give the ball extra force and speed. This force and speed allows you to make long distance shots that you normally wouldn’t be able to make.
When rebounding, start moving as soon as the shooter uncoils. When you react and move quicker, you better anticipate their moves and get more rebounds. When they start to uncoil, start contact by blocking them out. Make sure to do the same thing on offense since the shooter will most likely try to uncoil after the rebound. This can boost your number of rebounds.
When shooting a free throw, keep your knees slightly bent and relaxed for best results. This stance allows you to jump vertically without shifting from right to left; thus, helping you maintain an even, accurate shot. Release the ball at the top of your jump for added momentum to the shot.
Free throws are as much mental as they are physical, like other parts of the game. Making the right physical motions is easier than having the right mind set. Relax and focus on the basket; this will help you succeed.
Stamina is key to playing a good ball game. Basketball games are filled with running back and forth along the court. By increasing your stamina, you can stay in the game longer. One way to increase your stamina is by running a few miles each day, followed by a cool down workout.
Keep your hands active. Use a deflective hand high to block shots and intercept passes. Use a ball hand low to block low passes and try to poke the ball away from your opponent. Always swipe your hand up when playing the ball. Swiping down at the ball could result in a foul.
One of the best tips for improving your shot is to practice. As simple as it may seem, this really is effective. Once you get a feel of where to stand and how to stand, it will be easier for you to make shots. Have a friend defend you to get better practice.
Beware of picking up bad habits from street basketball games. Street games are often rougher and flashier than team basketball. It’s a game to impress through individual showmanship, not from your work as part of a bigger group. Therefore, you can bring the wrong skills to the table if you base your team play on what you’ve learned from street games. Remember, you are part of something bigger than just you.
If you play organized basketball, keep track of your average fouls per minutes played. If you are not a starter who sees a lot of minutes, you want to know this just in case. You might get called on to put in a lot of minutes one game, or play repeated overtimes. The last thing you want to do is foul out because you aren’t used to playing so long.
Take your ball with you wherever you go and dribble as often as possible. This allows you to practice handling the ball on all sorts of surfaces. For example, it will react differently on grass than it will on a wooden court. If you can master moving the ball on any surface, you will become a better ball handler.
When you’re playing basketball, make sure that you dribble with your head up. If you feel that you have to look down every time you dribble, then you need more practice. Try to practice dribbling all over the place when you can without looking to get better at it. Watching good point guards can help since they always look forward and around when they dribble.
If you want to better your dribble, start practicing with your weaker hand. If you use both your hands to dribble, it is easier to control. Tie the main hand you use behind your back so that you have to use the weak hand. You will improve dribbling with your weak hand soon enough.
Strengthen your hands and forearms for better ball handling. Wrist curls work well at helping you handle the ball. Making a goal isn’t just standing there as the ball miraculously comes to you and then shooting it at the basket. Your ability to handle the ball will affect your success on the court.
Can you see well? This means more than just being able to see well enough to play, but “seeing” the court deeply. Develop your peripheral vision on the court. If you look across the whole game and not just focus on the ball, you can see oncoming defensive pressure in advance, as well as open teammates.
To inbound a basketball when no one is open and your defender’s back is to you, you can pull a trick — just toss the ball lightly off the defender’s back. Then step inbounds with both feet and grab the ball and go. The ball just has to touch a player inbounds before you can touch it again.
Now that you know what it takes to better your game, start using these ideas as you play basketball. As you become a great player, you will be pleased that you took the time to read this article. With every win, you will feel great accomplishment, pride and a sense of joy.
