Basketball is a wonderful sport that fits every gender type. People of any age or gender enjoy playing this exciting game. You can really impress your friends with the techniques you’ll learn here. What new moves? You should keep reading to learn more about basketball.

When learning the game of basketball, it’s easy to get caught up in offensive play. But you should also give plenty of attention to defense. Defense is what keep the other team from scoring. Offense gets more attention, but the team is going to lose without a strong defense.

TIP! Proper balance is essential when shooting. Everyone has watched a pro player drift out of bounds while still making their shot, but this isn’t something to emulate.

Dribble the ball the right way. Avoid using your palm while dribbling. Instead, use your fingertips. When you do this you will have more control over the ball. Also, dribble off to the side instead of in front. The ball should bounce no higher than your waist. Always look upwards, never at the ground.

To be a better basketball player you should concentrate on the things that make you great. Your skills might not make you an all-start every time out, but playing up your strengths makes you a great contributor. Realize your limitations, and roll with your talents.

Any good basketball player needs to know how to make a layup. You should expect layups to represent about 80% of all the shots you take in a game. When practicing this technique, run toward the goal and shoot. This method will teach you to improve your jumps and shots throughout the game.

Bounce Pass

It is important to know the right way to throw a bounce pass. A bounce pass that’s good is going to end up hitting the other player near their waist. It’s best to bounce the basketball about 75 percent of the way towards your teammate. There are other things to keep in mind, though.

Hitting free throws is a mental challenge as well as a physical one. With everyone watching, it can be easy to allow the pressure to interfere with your game. Relax yourself and focus on the hoop.

TIP! Frequently train yourself on your pass catching moves. During practice you should come up with drills where you perfect catching bad passes along with the good ones.

One great way to pass good is to drill when you can without dribbling. While this may be difficult, it gets you used to finding teammates and thinking on the run. This may be hard and frustrating at first, but as you get the hang of it your entire team will begin to excel at passing.

If you are posting up, strategic footwork is important to becoming open and making a good shot. You must be certain to get the good spot ahead of your opponent. Once you have a location, it is important that your feet are firmly planted there. Footwork is the key to either of these.

One of the most vital attributes one needs to play basketball is quickness. You will have the advantage over your opponents if you can really play fast. You will have to do a lot of drilling to play faster. Just don’t play any faster than you’re able to. If you play basketball past your own speed ability, then you can lose control of you game with bad passes and needless turnovers.

TIP! Perform skills, practice your ball handling and shoot free throws when you are practicing alone. Even though you play on a team, practicing alone can be helpful.

If you want to better your dribble, start practicing with your weaker hand. If you use both your hands to dribble, it is easier to control. Tie your dominant hand behind your back and force yourself only to use your weak hand. You will improve dribbling with your weak hand soon enough.

Work on getting the ball down the length of a full court with five or fewer dribbles during drills. You may find this very challenging, but once accomplished it will give you a real edge. It will allow you to execute easy layups.

Never break your defensive stance as this will assure you are in your proper position for defense. Shifting your weight back and forth between your feet will help you to stay in position. Don’t forget not to cross your feet, and you won’t be easy to get around.

TIP! Talk to your teammates and find out what they like about your game. What areas are your strong points? Knowing your strengths and weaknesses will allow you to develop your skills to become an all around better player.

Changing pace can help you keep the offense guessing. Try to block the net by planting your foot hard. The guard is sure to anticipate a slow-down and will then straighten their own body. Once they slow their momentum, you can shoot past them with a burst of speed.

Make sure the ball doesn’t bounce above your knees when you dribble. Doing this makes it more difficult for members of the opposing team to steal the ball from you. To help this occur, you must be bending, however it will speed up your efforts to move down the court.

To help ward off your opponent, practice using your other hand to help shield him away from you. Avoid physical contact like pushing, but keep the ball from them by separating them from it. This move helps to keep the ball protected and you in control of it.

TIP! One of the most vital attributes one needs to play basketball is quickness. If you want the advantage, you need to be quicker than your opponents.

If you’re serious about basketball, seriously consider your diet. To play with great frequency, you will need a large amount of carbs combined with a bit of fat and protein. Good things to add to your diet are nuts and nut butters, chicken, and wheat bread. Conversely, avoid salt and sugar whenever you can.

Since reading these tips, you should be confident in your basketball skills. You are now in possession of some of the best kept secrets of basketball. Remember that basketball should always be fun. Whatever the case may be, it is fun to win the game.