Whether shooting hoops like the pros or cheering from bleachers, you should have basketball knowledge to be able to fully enjoy the game. Know nothing about the game? Don’t worry about that. Basketball is easy to learn and fun to play as you gain skill. Continue reading to find ways to up your game skills.

When dribbling, make sure you hold your head high and look straight ahead. If you have to look at the ball while dribbling, that means you need to practice more. The ball can go with you when you go anywhere. Dribble the ball while you’re walking around. Maintaining unbroken visual contact with the ball makes it difficult to be aware of your surroundings.

TIP! Learn to correctly dribble the ball. Use the fingertips, not the palm, for the best dribbling.

Footwork is the best way to find an opening shot. You must be certain to get the good spot ahead of your opponent. Once you find a spot, you need to know how to defend it. Footwork is the key to either of these.

Keep your eye on the ball. You must always be prepared to receive a pass and you need to know where players are on the court. Knowing where the other players are on the court helps you open passing lanes and gives you more opportunities to take a shot.

Understand your opponent. Watch tapes of their games and see how others move on the court. See if you can determine each players strong and weak sides. When you know some of the other player’s moves, you’ll have a leg up during a game as you’ll be able to predict what he is going to do. A smart defender is someone who is good at his position.

TIP! Do not wait for any special season to play some basketball. Basketball is a multiple player sport, but other people won’t always be around.

You need to be quick to be good at basketball. Speed always gives you an edge over your opponent. Steady drilling is the key to playing fast. Though, you should never attempt to a play faster game than your abilities permit. Playing beyond your own capabilities sends the game spinning past your ability to control it, and turnovers are bound to occur.

Free Throw

Develop a routine to use every time you shoot a free throw. This could mean two dribbles before taking your free throw, bending your knees, or some other thing you do to get into a rhythm before shooting. As long as it’s quick, using a consistent routine can help your body retain the memory to make those shots after your “ritual.”

TIP! Avoid errant passes by using hand signals. One of the most challenging aspects is trying to send the ball to your teammate as they are going for the basket.

Use small weights and resistance training to build the muscles in both forearms and hands. Try doing some wrist curls as they are particularly effective in honing your dribble skills. You can’t just stand and shoot for the whole game. It is essential to move the ball around in order to succeed.

Be sure your vision is unobstructed. This will help you to secure the ball during the game. Your peripheral vision needs to be as strong as possible. If you scan the entire court, not just the location of the ball, it is possible to anticipate defense moves in advance and see which teammates are open.

Stay low when playing defense. You will be able to react more quickly and jump higher because of this. Hold a defensive stance always. When you need to block, quickly get back into your stance.

TIP! Make it your goal to never turn away from the ball on the court. Passes and turnovers won’t take you by surprise because you will be more aware of what is happening on the court.

Always bend the knees while dribbling. Standing while dribbling will make it much easier for the opponent to steal the ball from you. Your ball control will improve dramatically by simply bending a little at the knees.

Always set your three-point shooting practice goal at the official NBA distance. High school lines, international standard lines, and college lines are much closer. If you can make a basket from there, you will open up the defense because they will have to play you closely.

Use workouts to better your game. Running for short quick bursts at a time will help you become quicker, and running long distance can help with stamina. Resistance training or lifting weights will increase muscle strength and shooting abilities. The aggression and confidence you get from this can also assist you more than most things if you’re shooting.

TIP! If you want to correctly handle the ball, you need to know where to place your fingers. That makes it less likely that you lose control of the ball.

Work on taking shots from various on-court locations. First, practice your balance and grip. While it is possible to shoot off balance, it isn’t always accurate. You can perfect your grip on the ball by using the valve. Put the middle of your shooting hand over the basketball’s valve.

You need to learn how to change your opponent’s personal path. Whether you are playing defense or offense, controlling the movements of your opponents is vital. This enables you to get to the spot that you need to get to without letting your opponents control you.

How hard was it to read those helpful tips? Now you know a ton about basketball. Keep this information in mind to become a great basketball player.