What is there to learn when it comes to basketball? What will help me enjoy the game more and play better? Reading these tips gives a quality information base when it comes to playing basketball.
Always protect the ball when you are in possession of it. Keep your dribble off to the side of your body to make it more difficult for another player to steal the ball. While you generally want to avoid dribbling in front of you, you can do so if there are no other players in your immediate vicinity.
Practice makes perfect. This is especially true in basketball. Learning how to shoot a basket, how to dribble and how to pass a ball is important to playing good basketball. Spending as little as 30 minutes practicing a day can really help develop your game and make you a better player.
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.
Practice lay ups over and over. The lay up is one of the most basic basketball shots out there. And you should never let this easy opportunity to score pass you by. While simple, it still takes practice in game-like scenarios to make sure you aren’t laying the ball up too hard or at a bad angle. Get the rhythm down and practice it repeatedly.
Practicing with your team is important, but don’t overlook the value of daily practice on your own. Set up a daily practice time for yourself and stick to your schedule. Practice footwork, shooting, and dribbling. It is also important to include strength training and endurance training in your practice schedule.
You can learn how to better pass the ball if you run drills without the dribble. While this may be difficult, it gets you used to finding teammates and thinking on the run. Work through the initial frustration and see how the challenge will improve your game in the long run.
If there’s no one around to play with, it is okay to play a basketball game by yourself. Basketball is sport played in teams, but there are times when no one is around to play with you. Don’t worry! You can accomplish a lot by practicing alone. Practice free throws and layups. You can always work on something.
Learn how to use your hips, eyes, shoulders and entire body while dribbling. This can easily shake a defender off of you while dribbling if you look one way and move another. They are watching your body for clues to where you are going next. Use this to your advantage and throw them incorrect clues to get around them.
Be careful about trying to block shots. In most organized leagues, blocking the shot on the way down or when in the imaginary cylinder above the net results in a goaltending call. This just gives the opponent the attempted points, whether they would have made the shot or not anyway.
Stay conscious of your foot motion and placement. Placing even a single toe atop the baseline while holding the ball will result in you being ruled out of bounds. If you walk without dribbling, you will be called for walking and this will result in a turnover. In addition, moving one foot while working on setting a screen or pick will produce a foul.
A good way to see yourself playing is to have someone record your games. You can see where you can improve and what plays you missed. Assess yourself honestly, but don’t be a harsh critic. The reality of your play is often very different from your perception.
Strive to be a player that everyone can respect. You are representing your team both on the court and off. That means that you need to be a good sport and to not think that your status as a player makes you better than anyone else. The most popular players are often popular because of the way they deal with teammates and fans.
You can improve your ability to handle the ball by working out your forearms and hands. Wrist curls are especially effective at making you better able to handle a basketball like you could dribble sleepwalking. Good playing is not only instinctive, it takes hard work and discipline. Your ability to handle the ball will affect your success on the court.
Although a slam dunk may seem like the easiest and most reliable shot to make in basketball, there is still room for error. Using one hand to dunk the ball can invite turnovers and missed dunks off the back of the rim. Whenever possible, always use two hands while dunking.
Control the ball at a level that is below your knees. The opposing team will have a harder time separating the ball from you. Practice moving quickly while dribbling below knee level.
The hand not used to dribble the ball should serve as a wall separating the ball from the opposing players. However, you’re not actually going to push with this hand; instead, you’re going to separate yourself using this hand. You should try to keep your barrier arm up slightly when you are dribbling.
Are you aware of the answers to the questions you have? Are you now prepared to take on any challenge? Is becoming an amazing player on the horizon for you now? Practice what you’ve learned, and you will soon see the results.
