Many games come and go, but basketball is one that sticks around. Kids start playing at young ages and many keep playing well into their adult years. The key is to understand how the pros and skilled players do their thing. Knowledge of these skills are what you will find ahead in this article.
Practice dribbling the ball on a number of different surfaces. As you get used to how the ball reacts, you will be able to adjust your game accordingly. How you handle the ball can make or break the game. Turnovers lead to points that your team may not be able to recover from, so your skills in this area need to be solid.
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.
When shooting the basketball, it is important to maintain good balance. Jumping and leaning to the right or the left can result in a missed goal. Learn to jump straight up while maintaining your balance for best results. You can practice this by running and shooting the ball during your practice time.
Practice passing drills as a team. Basketball is a team sport first and foremost. You’ve got five people on the court with the same common goal. Teams that are great at passing can really break up a defense making it much easier to get into good scoring positions. You’ll definitely win much more than you lose when you work as a team.
Always remember that to be a great basketball player, you’ve got to be a great athlete first. Put as much time into conditioning your body and increasing your endurance as you do shooting and passing. This will improve your play under even the most excruciating circumstances, making you an invaluable team member.
When trying to pass the ball to your teammate, the chest pass is one of the most effective. To do the chest pass, have your knees bent while you step into the pass. Then, make sure your thumbs are facing down and that the ball is coming off of your fingertips.
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.
Stop and ask your coach what you can do to help the team improve. Basketball is a team sport and every component must be working towards a common goal. The coach is there to offer guidance and provide instruction. Ask if there’s anything specific you can do to help and follow his advice.
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.
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.
Make sure your vision is good. While it will allow you to catch passes and read the score, there is more to it than that. Try making your peripheral vision the best it can be. Being aware of the entire court will help you to better anticipate who will move where.
To become a better rebounder in basketball you need to understand how to box out your opponent. The best way to box out your opponent so you can grab the ball off a missed shot is to get your body in front of him or her. Make sure you shield this person from the basket, this lets you grab the carom off the backboard and rim.
If your defender is playing you low, pass the ball to teammates using the overhead pass. Be aware of where your teammate will catch the ball. If you throw it too low, the ball will be uncontrollable. If you throw it too high, your teammate may not catch the ball at all.
There aren’t many games like basketball. In fact, it is almost one of a kind. That is why it is important to really learn from articles like this one and others. Use what you have seen here and get your skill level up. Don’t be afraid to be the best baller you can.
