The sport of basketball offers a terrific way to stay physically fit and also serves as one of the most popular spectator sports around. But, to really gain the sort of benefits from basketball that you desire, a big of education is in order. Keep reading to gain some wonderful basketball tips and pointers.
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.
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.
Watch professional basketball players on television. When learning basketball, it’s essential to see what the best out there do. Listen to what the announcers are saying, too. Quite often, they’ll point out smart plays and unique moves that were exceptionally done. These call-outs will help you improve your skills just by watching.
Hand signals can help you to stay away from making bad passes. It can be frustrating to attempt to pass the ball to a team mate as that person is heading toward the basket. You can get around that when you use hand signals, if a player can receive a pass. If your teammate misses your signal, then they may miss the ball as well and the other team could gain possession.
In order to shoot the basketball properly, you need to have good balance. For starters, to have a good base, you need to keep your feet roughly one shoulder length apart. Next, have your stronger foot half a step in front of the other foot. Finally, make sure your head is centered.
To play solid defense, if you are guarding the person with the ball, keep your eyes on the basketball. If you look at his eyes instead, he will fake a pass one way, just by looking in that direction, and then dribble around you the other way. The ball can’t lie about where it’s going.
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.
Set up an obstacle course with chairs or pylons and then dribble around them. This will help you learn how to get around opponents while keeping control of the ball. As you get better, make sure your back is to the obstacle as you go by to protect the ball from it.
Passing the ball is a necessary part of basketball. You should practice a variety of passing options and work to determine which pass is best for each situation. Try to make the simplest pass possible to ensure a successful transfer of the ball to a teammate. Pass the ball when your teammate is in a better position on the court or when you are being closely defended.
To dribble the ball better, it is important that you practice dribbling with the hand that’s weaker. By being able to easily dribble with two hands rather than one, you have a huge advantage over your defenders. You can focus on the strength of your weak hand by tying your dominant hand behind your back. This will help you use that hand more easily and improve your dribbling with that hand.
Know your place on the team and play it. You may be better as a support player than as the one who can dunk the basketball. That doesn’t mean you will never make a winning shot, it just means that you don’t neglect other players or interfere with them in pursuit of scoring points.
If you’re playing the guard position, having good court vision is an absolute key to success. You should always keep your eyes moving and focus on what’s happening around you. Learn how to dribble the ball with your head up. Looking down while dribbling will mean you can’t see what’s happening on the court.
An appreciation of basketball can lead you toward heightened physical fitness or just a fun way to spend time with friends and family. Learning all you can about basketball can open the door to an entirely new lifestyle. Keep the above information and advice close at hand and start taking full advantage of everything basketball can offer.
