Practice is the only way you can actually improve your skills on the court. You shouldn’t be practicing things you do wrong, though. You should keep reading if you want to learn more about strategies you can use to become a better player.
When dribbling, make sure you hold your head high and look straight ahead. Anyone who watching the ball while they dribble surely needs to spend more time in the gym practicing. One of the best ways to improve your dribbling is to bring your ball along anytime you need to walk somewhere. Dribble on your way to school. Remember, if you are directly staring at the ball, there’s no way for you to see what’s happening on the court.
If you typically handle the ball a lot, it pays to learn the crossover. Switch from one side to the other while dribbling. If order for the maneuver to be a success, it has to be performed with speed. When done correctly, the crossover dribble help you to change direction in order to move down the court efficiently.
Concentrate on your strong points if you want to improve your game. You might not become a big basketball star based on your strengths, but you will be an asset to your team. Find you best position and then refine it until you are unbeatable.
Teach yourself to throw bounce passes correctly. The bounce pass needs to reach the player at waist level. It’s best to bounce the basketball about 75 percent of the way towards your teammate. This all depends on many factors.
Zone Defense
Do not only practice zone defense plays. Learn how to play a man-to-man defense and a zone defense to get the best understanding of how the game works. Practice with each type of defense so you will know what to expect.
You can learn how to pass well by drilling on it separately from dribbling. It is quite challenging to play the game without dribbling, but it does make sure you and your teammates make accurate passes. Work through the initial frustration and see how the challenge will improve your game in the long run.
Make better passes through the use of coordinated hand signals. Passing is tough, especially if you and your teammate are not in sync with one another. You can get around that when you use hand signals, if a player can receive a pass. If your teammate misses your signal, then they may miss the ball as well and the other team could gain possession.
Ask your fellow team members which of your skills that they admire. Are you really good at any one thing? It may be that you are quick on your feet or that you are always there to back them up. It’s great to get an idea of how your teammates think of your skills, this way you know what areas of the game to focus on.
Make sure your fingers are apart from one another when dribbling. This can help you avoid losing it when you hold it. Don’t allow yourself to have your palm touching the ball either. You should try your best to only hold onto the ball with your fingertips when passing and shooting.
Work on passing through your legs to add another skill to your arsenal. Go forwards and backwards with the ball to practice bouncing it. Mastering this technique can give you a significant advantage.
Practice dribbling with your weak hand as much as possible. If both hands are useful for dribbling, your opponents will not stand much of a chance. Immobilize your dominant hand by tying it behind your back, then practice using your other hand for everything. Eventually, your weak hand will be trained to dribble properly.
If an opponent charges at you, let him run into you. A charge leads to a turnover by the opposing team and gives you the ball back. This can have a major impact on the other team psychologically, and it can be a powerful play as well.
An excellent way to have proper defensive posture is to remain in the correct stance. You will always be in a defensive position if you slide your feet one way and then the other and push off using your opposing foot. Don’t allow your feet to cross, and this will make you a hard defender to beat.
Strength Training
In basketball, strength is important, so do strength training. Conditioning training will also increase your stamina. Even younger kids will benefit from strength training. When they become teenagers, they can start using weights to increase their exercise. Then they will be ready to really learn the skills that really make an excellent player.
You should always bend your knees while dribbling. If your knees are not bent, the basketball will be more difficult to control. Your ball control will improve dramatically by simply bending a little at the knees.
Don’t just practice while static; try to move around while shifting your weight to learn how to best control the ball. Dribbling during game play requires you to adopt a variety of dribbling skills. While the court may be open at times, this only means you’re likely to get swarmed. This is why it’s important to switch the direction you will be dribbling. It really will get you out of some sticky situations.
Overall Game
Whether you only play on the weekends or you’re a hardcore enthusiast, these tips will still help improve your skills on the court. Begin using the tips above to help improve your overall game. Improve your shooting, passing, and overall game control.