What’s important for you to learn about the sport of basketball? Is there some aspect of the game that would make a person become better and also love the game more? In this article we will provide you with some basic information to act as a solid foundation for your basketball performance.

Make it a point to concentrate on both your defensive and offensive skills. Focusing only on offense does not make you a well-rounded player. Defense is what wins basketball games. Offense is flashier, so it draws the attention of fans and journalists, but a team that can’t defend well won’t win any games.

TIP! It is important to keep your balance when you shoot. Sometimes you’ll see professional players fall out of bounds while making a shot from afar, but this doesn’t work at all times.

Learn proper dribbling. Use fingertips to dribble. Dribbling this way improves your ball control dramatically. Dribble along the side of the body, not immediately in front of it, and keep the bounce to the waist level or below. Keep your eyes up, not on the ground.

Basketball Player

To be a great basketball player you need to work on your balance. We have all seen the professional basketball player falling out of bounds and making a basket from 30 feet away, but this is not proper technique. They are improvising. You need to be balanced properly if you’re going to be making shots, so that over time you’ll be able to always hit the basket.

TIP! Successful free throwing requires as much mental skill as it does physical skill. You can train your body to complete the motions of making a free throw, but if you are mentally prepared to fail, you will.

Learn the way to throw proper bounce passes. It is best when the ball hits the receiving player near the waist. Try bouncing it about three-quarters to them. There are many factors which come into play, though.

Want to become a better basketball player? Watch the pros! Watch as many games on TV as you can. 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.

Are you interested in being able to fool the other team? Consider the back pass. To start, grab the ball using your good hand. Now, pull it behind your back. And last, flick the wrist in the direction you want the ball to go. This should help to trick the other team.

TIP! Work on catching passes frequently. Make sure you get used to catching less than perfect passes smoothly.

Keep your eye on the ball. This keeps you aware of what is going on so you aren’t surprised. Always be on the lookout for open areas where you can seize easy scoring opportunities.

Spreading out your fingers is key to handling the ball correctly. This makes sure that it does not escape away from your grip. Don’t let your palm touch the ball either. You should only let the fingers touch the ball during passing or shooting.

When you want consistently good free throws, repeat your routine. This can include the number of times you dribble, how you position your feet, or anything else. As long as this is a quick set of movements and it’s consistent, you won’t have any trouble having your body memorize what you’re doing.

TIP! A great way to learn how to pass is by doing drills often with no dribbling. It is hard to play with no dribbling, but it will help your team make great passes.

To improve ball handling, consider focusing workouts on your forearms and hands. For example, you can improve dribbling skills by adding wrist curls to your routine. Don’t believe you will be able to simply plant yourself someplace, receive the ball and sink a shot. You have to start moving the basketball around to get things to happen.

To build up your skills with your weaker hand, use it for everything from opening jars to brushing your teeth. If your ability to use that hand starts to improve, the benefits to your basketball playing talents will be substantial. This is bound to carry over to the court.

To get better at three-point shots, work on shooting from the NBA three-point line. College, as well as high school three-point lines are set at a shorter distance. If you make your shots from where the NBA players shoot, you will improve your skills and increase your range.

TIP! How would you like to trick the opposing team? Back passes can give your team the opportunity to score while the other team is still wondering what happened. To do a back pass, begin by grasping the basketball using your dominant hand.

An excellent tip to help you with shooting skills is to shoot the ball from different spots on the court. To improve further, work on fast dribbling just before shooting. Look at your target while you’re in the air, but not before that. This can help you simulate the conditions of the game and also helps you improve accuracy.

While you dribble, alternate your momentum from your left to right side. In the middle of a game, lots of dribbling situations will arise. It would be great if you are always able to go full speed ahead, but more times than not you will need to move and flow with the defense in front of you. It helps to master control of your body as you dribble in a variety of positions. It will help you when you need it most.

Always practice from all spots on the court. Work on your grip and balance first. It is possible to make an off-balance shot, but it has less accuracy. The valve, which is located at the center of the ball, should help you perfect your grip. Spread your fingers, and place your dominant hand over the area where the valve is located.

TIP! Play solo basketball in the months leading up to the season, as well as during the season itself. Though basketball is surely a team sport, there may be times when you have nobody to play against.

Have your questions received answers? Can you take the whole court by storm? Can you handle becoming an even better basketball player as a result of reading this article? Implement these tips to help you reap great rewards.