Do you wish you were like a famous ball player, such as Lebron James or Michael Jordan. It takes years to be world-class players like they are, but you can improve your skills with hard work and dedication. Keep reading to learn more.

While focusing on offense is fun, you must also make sure you focus on defense. Defense is what keep the other team from scoring. Offensive skills are usually the most impressive ones but defense is something every team should work on.

TIP! It’s natural to focus on offensive abilities when practicing the sport of basketball, but your practice time needs to focus on defense. Basketball games are won with a good defense.

If you typically handle the ball a lot, it pays to learn the crossover. Crossovers involve sending the basketball from one of your hands over to the other one. The action must be very swift if it is to be successful. When done properly, crossover dribbling is a great way to quickly switch direction or move around the court in an efficient manner.

Core Muscles

One of the keys to becoming a great basketball player is developing core muscles. The core muscles include the lower back, hips and abdonimals. Core muscles are the connectors between arms and legs. If the core muscles are weak, basketball performance will suffer. By developing a strong core, your legs will follow suit.

TIP! Even professional basketball players spend a lot of time watching other people play basketball. Whether seeing an all-pro on YouTube, attending a game in person, or sitting on the couch with buddies to watch your local professional team, there are many chances to observe the best.

Footwork is the best way to find an opening shot. You must beat the opposing playing to an open spot. Once you have a location, it is important that your feet are firmly planted there. The key to this relies on having good footwork.

Never turn away from the ball, so that you can always stay ready for anything. This helps you become aware of the court and lowers chances for surprises from turnovers and quick passes. Always scout the court for areas that will open up and allow you to make a clear shot.

When exercising, concentrate on building up core strength and improving your footwork. With strong core muscles, you will have better balance. Work your ab, back, hip and buttocks muscles. As with boxing, you can increase footwork speed and dexterity by jumping rope.

TIP! Practice catching passes as often as you can. While you are practicing, you should be sure to drill yourself on catching errant throws, as well as catching those perfect passes.

Always be aware of your feet. Just touching the baseline is going to get you called out of bounds. Taking a lot of steps when you’re not dribbling means you’re traveling and that’s a turnover call. A foul will be called if your feet move while you attempt to screen other players.

Consistency in your approach is vital to becoming solid at free throws. You could dribble twice, touch your forehead, bend your knees, or some other kinds of movements. When you have a steady and consistent routine, your muscles will remember what to do to shoot those free throw shots.

This article can give you many pointers in the right direction. Be consistent and confident. Learn from the advice in this article to become the best player you can be.