Do you want to be as great as Shaquille O’Neil? Don’t just dream about it, do it! Use these tips to help you accomplish those great feats.
A good tip is to practice your layups on a daily basis. This will make up about eighty percent of shots during any basketball game. Dribble the ball in front of you while taking large strides followed by a smooth shot. If you can do this right, you can master this shot.
Get educated on the way to properly pass the ball on a bounce. A useful bounce pass will hit the receiving player at waist level. Bounce it 3/4 of the distance to the receiver. There can be other factors in play to keep in mind, as well.
There is a lot of pressure when shooting free throws. You can teach your body to make a free throw properly, but unless you are properly prepared mentally, you may not succeed. Stay focused and vigilant to improve your ability to make free throws.
Better your basketball skills by watching the pros play. It is important that you see how other people play the game. You will quickly notice all the different skills that they have which makes them a great player, then take what you learned and use it to help improve your own game.
Perfect Passes
Frequent pass catching practice is important. You need to be able to retrieve perfect passes and not so perfect passes. During the game, not all passes will go where they’re intended. Therefore, it pays to practice catching passes that are a bit off-target.
Play basketball against yourself even during the off-season. Basketball is sport played in teams, but there are times when no one is around to play with you. That should not matter. You are able to do a lot with solo games. Work on free throws or practice pivot moves. Many things can be practiced.
Study you opponent well to give yourself an edge. Pay attention to how they play. Find out who are the right-handed or left-handed players. When you know more about the opposing team, you will play a better defense. A knowledgeable defender is a strong defender.
Where are your feet? You want to make sure you don’t step over the bounds by even a teeny bit. If you walk without dribbling, you will be called for walking and this will result in a turnover. In addition, moving one foot while working on setting a screen or pick will produce a foul.
Being a good defensive player involves disrupting your opponent’s concentration. Don’t let your opponent get comfortable out there on the court. Your defensive moves must be aggressive and executed properly. Do not allow them to choose the plays that they make. If you allow this, they will run over you. Instead, disrupt their rhythm by making the first move.
A great drill to try is to see how many dribbles it takes for you to make it across the court. The ideal number of dribbles is five. This may seem quite difficult at first, but once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you’ll have great speed and stride length. That translates to smooth layups during fast breaks.
Strength Training
Strength training can improve your game. Strength, flexibility and stamina are all important things to have in basketball. Small kids who play stand to reap real benefits from strengthening their legs and arms. When they become teens, try using weights to keep enhancing their exercises. When they become adults, strength training is critical to maintaining solid court performance.
When you are defending, keep your stance low. This will help you be quicker on the jump and react to the man in front of you easier. Stay in your defensive stance all the time. When you break your stance to block, return to proper form as quick as you can.
You can use your guards and point guard to trap an opponent with a 2-3 zone defense. Then they need to get to the guard on point to trap him. Simultaneously, make sure you own forwards are free to sprint to the opposing players who are out on the wings. The point guard should throw up a pass that your forwards can easily steal.
Increase your weak hand’s capabilities by using it for everything you normally would not. Being more dexterous means you will have better control. This will make you a force to be reckoned with on the court.
Only cease dribbling when you are prepared to shoot or pass. The instant you stop the dribble, your options become limited. If you opt to not pass or shoot, you’re left with pivoting on your back foot. This causes you to be wide open to some double teaming by the other team and increase your chances of having the ball stolen.
Try to contain the action to the area below your knees. This will make it harder for opponents to get the ball away from you. You’ll have to bend over, but it will be worth the effort.
When in possession of the ball, you need to grasp when it is wise to shoot and when you ought to pass. It’s much better being a piece in your team’s winning shot than being the one player with the shot that costs your team the game.
After going through this article you should be able to practice a number of things. You need to practice a lot and believe in yourself. Show people what you got, and make sure you always remember the advice that you’ve read.