Everyone loves basketball. It’s a simple enough game for someone of any age to pick up. When playing, be sure you get along and work with your fellow teammates and stay positive no matter if you lose or win. When you want to learn all you can about basketball, the content below is a must read.
Find out how to make free throw shots. That’s a shot that appears simple but is actually difficult in reality. Try using this technique in practicing. Place the ball right in line with your face. Keep looking towards the goal and think about the ball getting into that goal. Shoot the ball how you imagine it going in.
When using the ball a lot, you must relearn a crossover. Crossover dribble is switching hands while you’re dribbling. The action must be very swift if it is to be successful. Once you have learned how to do a crossover, you can travel down the court quickly.
Get educated on the way to properly pass the ball on a bounce. Bounce passes need to be at waist level when received. The ideal bounce pass should land about 3/4 of the way between you and the receiver. There are other factors you have to think about too, however.
Watch the pro’s play if you want to improve your game. Go to a bunch of professional games in person, watch them on television, or just get online to search for basketball videos. Every truly great player has unique skills that you can learn from.
To learn how to pass well, drill without dribbling. Passing drills with your team is important for accurate passes during game time, and you can try doing them without dribbling at all. Don’t be frustrated by how hard it is at first; you will get used to it.
Understanding your opponent is a good way to shut him down on defense. Watch tapes and stay up on scouting reports. Know which team members are right handed and which ones are left handed. Knowing an opponent’s dribbling, passing and shooting styles gives you a definite edge on defense. Knowledge is power, even in basketball.
When working out, focus on building your core strength and perfecting your footwork. Your balance will improve if you strengthen your core. Don’t forget to also work out muscles in your back, buttocks, abdomen and hips. Jump rope like the boxers do to increase your footwork speed.
If you’re shooting isn’t what you’d like it to be, make sure that your shoulders are in the correct position. If you have bad shoulder position it doesn’t matter how great you are the shot isn’t going to go in. One area of focus should be to keep your shoulders aligned straight toward the hoop. Your dominant shoulder should also be lined up perfectly with the rim.
Always have an awareness of the location and movement of your feet. Stepping ever so slightly out of bounds while you have the ball can cause an overturn. In addition, if you move your feet and you don’t dribble, you will be called for walking. You can’t move a foot when you take a charge, pick or screen either, or it’s a foul.
In order to perfect your layup shooting technique practice, take off with your left foot if you shoot with your right hand and vice versa. What this practically means is that if your right hand is your shooting hand, you need to take off with your left foot. This will keep you balanced and going towards the basket.
If you want to stay in a good defensive position, simply avoid breaking out of your defensive stance. You can shuffle your feet to either side, or push with your opposing foot, so you will be ready and in position. Don’t let your feet get crossed and it will be hard to get around you.
Changing up your pace is something you have to do to make sure the offense is paying attention. When running toward the hoop, plant your leading foot and start to straighten up. This will confuse your opponent into adjusting their stance. As hes does, plow forward and run by him.
When dibbling the ball, bend your knees. Standing straight will make you see that it’s harder to handle and easier for the opposing players to take. You only need to bend your knees slightly to improve your control of the basketball.
Keep dribbling until it is time to shoot or pass the ball. When you cease dribbling, you’re really limiting your options. Your only option, besides shooting or passing, is to use your back foot to pivot. This leaves an opening for your opponents to double team and try get the ball away from you.
Use the hand you are not dribbling with to keep your defender away from the ball. This is much safer than just shoving an opponent, which is a serious foul and bad sportsmanship to boot. Keep it slightly up when you dribble with your opposite hand.
Learn how make your opponent alter their path. Regardless of your position, having this control allows you to limit the other player’s options. This allows you to go where you need to go and does not let them determine your path.
Passing must be a crucial element in your game. Passing can work to confuse opponents. It also demonstrates your understanding of teamwork, which fellow teammates will appreciate. You have to wait for the right time to showcase your talents. That time will come; just be patient and allow others to shine as well.
Why in the world is basketball as popular as it is? It’s fun to play and it’s easy too. If you are an aficionado then the tips presented here will be very useful. It’s always fun to play such a great sport, and with these tips you can make sure that you always have the chance to improve as well.