You can find people enamored with the sport of basketball all around the world. It’s easy to just go down to the park and play a game if you’d like, or you can make it a career if you start early enough. To learn about how to play basketball better, read on.

Learn proper dribbling. When you dribble, only use your fingertips instead of your palms. Using your fingertips will allow you to have better control when dribbling the ball. Dribble the ball around the height of your waist, and over to one side. Look up, not down.

TIP! If you get possession of the ball a lot, you must learn the crossover technique. Moving the ball from hand to hand is a crossover.

Learn the best way to make your free throws. This seems like an easy shot, but it is quite hard. Use this technique to better your game. Put your weaker hand in front of the ball and center your stronger hand over the air valve in the basketball. Focus on the basket and picture the ball slipping into the net. Then try shooting the ball along the trajectory that was in your mind.

Frequently practice passing and catching the passes of others. You should practice catching errant passes, along with perfectly executed ones. This will help to improve your game when it gets intense. You’ll be helping out your team a great deal if you can catch their not so perfect passes.

If you want to be a master of the jump shot, do not make weight lifting a priority. Muscle is good, but you can have too much. Many guards in the pros have developed their arm muscles too big, which has really harmed their shooting percentage.

TIP! Balance is vital to good shooting. While some NBA players are able to launch a ball to the net mid-fall, this is not appropriate for most people.

Play basketball against yourself even during the off-season. Sometimes during off season, or when practicing, you can’t play as a team or find even a single opponent. That should not matter. You can still accomplish a lot when playing solo. Work on free throws or three pointers. You can always hone your skills when practicing alone.

Good footwork is important when you’re posting up in the paint. Securing a good location is critical when playing basketball. Once you’re in the proper position, you’ll have to then secure your spot. Strong footwork is key.

Now you should know how to get into basketball even more. As with any sport, getting better takes hard work and a willingness to learn. When you start to play, you should start doing so regularly. You can have fun at the same time!