Learning to play basketball is an extremely fun and beneficial opportunity. Maybe you already play with a group of friends or maybe you are considering trying out for a local team. The following ideas are tips that the professionals practice each and every day. If you want to play in the big leagues, you have to learn how the big leagues play.
When you are in control of the ball, make sure you always pay attention to what is happening on the court. Know where the other players are. Don not stare at the ground. If you do, there is no way for you to have the type of court awareness that you need to be successful.
Focus on your strengths to get better at basketball. Your talent might not make you a star; however, learning your strengths will help you become a better team player. Perfect what you can do well by practicing and developing the strengths you already have.
Once you’ve passed the basketball while on offense, consider doing a hard cut straight towards the basket. Sometimes this action will break your man-to-man coverage or, at the very least, confuse the zone you are playing against. It can open you up for an easy lay up or distract the defense long enough for an easy perimeter shot for whoever currently has the ball.
It is not always necessary to dribble the ball. In fact, you should only dribble it when it is part of your play. For instance, you will want to dribble the ball when you are trying to get the ball up the court, to get in a position for passing, or to get the defense off you.
A good basketball player is really quick on his feet. If you want the advantage, you need to be quicker than your opponents. To increase your quickness, you must practice playing fast while running drills. But don’t try to go even faster than you actually are. If you play beyond your speed, the game gets out of control, with errant passes and turnovers.
Make basketball a learning activity. It isn’t always about playing. Sometimes it’s about studying. There are all sorts of unique moves, team plays, and rules that you can go over to give you as much knowledge as possible about the game itself. That knowledge can come in very handy during game time.
If you want to become a better basketball player, exercise your forearms and your wrists whenever you possibly can. This will significantly help you with your ball handing and control. A strong dribbler always has strong forearms. Practice wrist curls in your exercise routine to improve forearm and wrist strength.
The key to great defense is being a nuisance to the player you are guarding. Don’t let your opponent get comfortable out there on the court. Make assertive moves, keeping your opponent unsure of your next move. Do not allow them to decide which plays to make. If you let them, you’ll be at their mercy. To avoid this, stay aggressive and try to interrupt their thought patterns and rhythm.
Add stretching to your warm up, cool down, and work out routines. Stretching helps give you a wider range of motion with your arms and legs. That’s critical to basketball. It’ll allow you to do things with the basketball that others will find impossible, including between the leg dribbling and behind the back passing.
To rebound off your fellow player’s free throws, use sly feet. The more quickly you get under the basket, the better you chance of grabbing the rebound. This allows you to grab the rebound legally.
Have you ever ran out of gas on the court? No matter if you play for a team or as a hobby with friends, you want to be able to last. It takes more than just playing the game during practice to help build your stamina. Taking up some long-distance running and practicing different sprint drills can help.
A chest pass is one of the best ways to get the ball to your teammate. As long as no one from the other team is standing between you and your intended recipient, go for it. You can pass with a step for more power, or without a step to move the ball rapidly.
If you have a defender right in front of you, consider using an overhead pass. You can throw the ball so high that the defender can’t reach it, protecting it from their grasp. Aim high on the person intended to receive it so they can catch it near their chin.
Success in basketball is now a step closer than it was before. You can now head onto the court with confidence in your knowledge of the sport and its mechanics. Use the tips you have read here to surpass the other players and become the team star. Nothing is holding you back.
