There are many sports which are popular today, but not all are as fun to play as basketball. It requires little in the way of equipment, so anyone of any means can start playing right away. If you want to learn how to become a better player, read the text below.
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 stay relaxed and stay focused. Tensing your forearms can result in a missed shot. Additionally, losing focus can cause you to miss a shot that you would normally make. To help keep you relaxed and focused, take a deep breath before shooting.
When you have the ball, make sure you change your direction frequently. The entire court is open to you, and it is important to take advantage of that fact. As you move to the right or the left, make sure you shift your weight accordingly to have the easiest experience moving with the ball.
When you think you have a good shot, take it. This can be difficult to learn. There is a balance between not shooting enough and shooting too often. You never want to miss out on taking a great shot because you are looking to pass, but you do not want to miss on a couple of points because you do not make the pass.
When you rebound in basketball, make sure you make contact before your opponent.
You’ll be in control of what occurs if you are the first to make contact when boxing out. Hit them first before they get a chance to make contact with you so that you can get leverage. Be sure to anticipate and be sure you’re always first. This will provide you with an edge.
To improve your basketball dribbling skills, set cones out on the court and practice dribbling in and out of the cones. Go from one end of the court to the other at different speeds to enhance your ball control. After you have been up and down the court several times, practice stopping and shooting from various positions.
Practice as many different shots as you can. You never know when you will need one during a game. If you only practice bank shots, then you will feel less comfortable making a 3-point shot or a lay-up. Practice them all and you will see improvements in all of your shots.
As you develop your ability to shoot a basketball, try practicing on one foot only. This will improve many areas of your play, including accuracy when shooting. As you get better, move to practicing your shot from greater distances. Only after you master the basic techniques will you truly get better at long distance shots.
Don’t just practice offense. Unlike some other sports, basketball players need to play both offense and defense constantly. There are no breaks in the game, and a great shooter can negate his or her benefit to the team by being a very poor defender. You need to become good on both ends of the court.
Jump on the ground and dive for those loose balls. Don’t be afraid to hit the ground hard and get a little hustle on. Not only will this help the team, but the coach will surely notice your improved effort. Team moral is always a good thing to keep in high numbers.
When a teammate passes you the ball, make the most out of it. If you have an open shot, go ahead and shoot. If you do not have an open shot or think that you can get open, do the right thing and pass it along to another teammate. They may have the shot that you don’t.
In the off season, it is important to stay in shape so you can be at your best when the games begin again. Formulate a few goals, but make sure they are goals that you can actually reach. For example, jogging may be a part of your routine. Start slow and then increase your time as your endurance goes up. You are more likely to stick with your program this way.
Keep your opponents guessing as to where you will be going next. Dart right, lean left, move back and forward too. The more movement you have on the court, they less likely they are to be able to guess what your plans are, allowing you to trick them and make the shot.
To become a better ball handler, there are two key things you should focus on. Staying low while you dribble will make it harder for opponents to guard you and to steal the ball. Changing speeds is also important. By changing speeds while you move you’ll become more unpredictable to your opponent.
If you find that you think you can being a coach is so easy then go do it. Gather up some younger friends and make a practice team with them. Sometimes it can help a lot to see how it is to try and be a coach who has so many players to manage. You may find a new respect for your coach after that.
While hockey means buying a ton of expensive equipment, and football can lead to concussions, basketball is a safe game to play which doesn’t cost a ton. As long as you keep reading articles like this one, you’ll become better and better. Enjoy this game every day to bring you exercise and fun!
