In order to succeed at basketball and attain your goals, you must be a good practice player. But you have to make sure you’re practicing the right way, or else you’re wasting time. Use these tips to take your game to levels you never though possible before. You can do it.
Really practice the types of shots that you’d get in a typical game experience. Yes, it’s fun to play HORSE and try crazy shots, but that’s not prepping you for actual game play. You want to get the types of shots you usually see down cold. Practice them over and over.
You need to keep your balance if you’re shooting. Even though a professional can hit all sorts of crazy off-balance shots, it is not the ideal method of shooting that you want to learn. They are improvising. If you have correct balance when you are making a shot, you will make more consistent baskets over time.
Good shooters rely on the perimeter shot, so practice getting open to get these key shots. A good play to run is having a post player work the ball down low and then pass it back out once the defense collapses. Run a drill during practice where the only shots you take are those from passes coming from inside the paint.
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.
To master dribbling, try the 10-5 drill. Start with your right hand and power dribble for 10 seconds. Slow it down for five seconds, then switch hands and repeat. This helps your arms learn about the changes in dribbling pace associated with a competitive game, building muscles and giving you strength.
Try practicing dribbling between your legs. Dribble hard and then walk over the ball, continuing the dribble when it is behind you with your other arm. When you use this trick on the court, you will find that your competitors don’t know what to do to get the ball from you.
A great way to practice the fast break is to get the ball up the court in less than five dribbles. It may seem impossible, but the more you practice this rule, the easier it becomes. During game time you will notice yourself using this to your advantage during the fast break.
The only way to become a better basketball player is through practice and hard work. Anyone can better their skills, but in order to truly succeed and be better than other players is by improving your skills. It doesn’t take much, all you need is a hoop, a ball and desire to become better.
You need to practice dribbling with your weak hand in order to be a more effective player. If you’re using both hands to dribble the ball well then you can get by an opponent easily. 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.
Always share with your teammates. When someone begins to guard you, start looking for someone to pass to and stop dribbling. If you don’t, your teammates won’t bother trying to find an open spot as they will know that you are a ball hog who doesn’t pass when the time is right.
Don’t read what anyone in the press says about your team. This applies to every level from high school newspapers to the professional leagues. The only opinion about how your team is playing that matters is the one in the locker room. Don’t let anyone contaminate your team’s chemistry and confidence with the doubts of some critic.
Follow through on the shots you take. Don’t just lob the ball up there and quickly drop your hands. Let your hands go full the motion completely. Even the last touch of the ball can give it just the right spin to get a lucky bounce. Be sure you repeat this motion every time.
To be a better at passing the ball you need to learn the art of touch. This comes about as you learn whether to make a soft pass or one that is hard. It is getting the feel of the game. The best way to learn this is through repetitive practice. If your touch is off, then your pass will either be too soft or too hard. That leads to a turnover.
It is as important to guard a player who doesn’t have the ball as it is to guard those who do. If you leave that person, they may be passed the ball and can take the shot without you being prepared. Always treat the person you are guarding as if they are about to score.
Don’t make looking cool be your main priority on a basketball court. Yes, you may have seen those amazing shots done by the pros,but remember…they are pros. They practice for many hours daily, and they’ve worked out the game plan with their teams. If you try to mimic the pro’s crazy dunks and shots without your team’s involvement, you may find yourself alienated very quickly.
Proper passing is key to a game. Good passing helps beat your opponent. Not only will it teach you how to play as team, you become well-liked by your teammates. You will get time to show off your skills. Be patient and wait for the right moment.
It matters not how regularly you get to play basketball, because this advice will help each and every time you get the chance to hit the court. Use one tip and you’ll see your game get better. You can make every shot count, pass better, rebound like a pro and overall improve how you play every day.
