Basketball has really exploded in popularity and is now adored by millions all over the world. You need to know all about it, though, if you want to play the sport or just watch it. Continue on and get educated on basketball.
Always keep your head up when dribbling instead of focusing on the ball. If you must look at the ball while dribbling, you haven’t practiced enough. Carry your basketball everywhere. Dribble while walking to the store. Staring at the ball doesn’t allow you to watch the other players.
Work on being able to receive a pass. You want to practice catching perfect passes and bad passes. During a real game, many of the passes that come your way will be off-target and tougher to handle. Learn how to catch any sort of throw.
If you have a kid that wants to play basketball in high school, ensure they’re training core muscles in the right way. Show them how to exercise their hips, lower back and abs. The core is what holds the body in balance and allows the limbs to work well. By developing a strong core, your legs will follow suit.
Keeping your fingers spread wide is important for holding onto the ball. That makes sure that you don’t lose the ball when you hold it. Do not allow the palm of your hand to make contact with the ball. When you’re shooting or passing, the only place the ball should touch your hand is on your fingers.
Have your games taped so you can play them back later and observe your court presence. You’ll likely see ways that you can improve. Evaluate what you see honestly, but don’t be too hard on yourself. Sometimes it’s beneficial to look at yourself the way you really look and not just like you think you look.
You must disrupt and upset the play of your opponent if you want to be successful as a defensive player. Force them to leave their comfort zone. The more aggressive you are the better. Other players should not influence the plays you make. If you do so, then your rivals have the control. You need to adopt an aggressive style and react quickly so you can interrupt the patterns set by your opponents.
Perform exercises to strengthen the muscles in your forearms and hands in order to maximize your ability to handle the ball. Do some wrist curls as much as possible and your dribbling should get better. Don’t just think you’re able to stand around, catch the ball and then shoot it. The ball should always be in control and moving.
To avoid having the ball stolen, dribble hard. This means you get the ball back from your opponent faster. If someone is guarding you closely, stop dribbling and pass to someone else who is open on your team.
Be certain that your vision is the best it can be. This isn’t just for reading the score, but for catching passes and making shots. You want to make sure that you see what is going on to the sides of you. This will help you see the whole game better and anticipate openings and defense players.
A great way to make sure you’re in a good position defensively is to keep yourself in the defensive stance. To do this, avoid lurching or stepping across the floor; instead use smaller, shuffling steps to move with your opponent. Stay low and make it hard for opponents to get around you.
Varying your pace and direction keeps the offense off guard. You can try faking a jump shot by planting quickly, and straightening your body. The guard will assume you are reducing speed and will do the same. Push forward and blast by them.
Maintain a lower position as you play defense. Doing this allows you to have quick reactions, especially to your opponent. Hold a defensive stance always. When you break your stance to block, return to proper form as quick as you can.
As the point guard approaches within 10 feet of the middle of the court, your guards should take action and create a 2-3 trap. They can then run toward the point guard to trap him. With the forwards blocking outside, you have a good shot at intercepting a bad pass. A pass should be thrown by the point guard for forwards to steal.
You can strengthen you weaker hand by using it as much as possible, for instance open jars or even brush your teeth. These tasks help to make your weaker hand feel more natural when you use it on the court. This is bound to carry over to the court.
Do not stop dribbling unless you’re going to shoot or pass. After dribbling is stopped, your choices are very limited. If you decide not to shoot a basket or pass the ball on, you are only allowed to pivot on the heal that is furthest back. This situation leaves you vulnerable to a double team by the defense, and you risk losing the ball.
The thrills and excitement that basketball hold for legions of fans worldwide is tough to match. Yet, without knowing a few intricacies of this surprisingly complex game, newcomers might get lost. Hopefully, you have learned a little something from the tips included above.