Have you ever watched professional basketball players and envied their skills? Don’t just dream about being great! Learn some great techniques that will help you attain your dream. Continue reading this article so that you can find out how to do that.

Many people only direct their attention to the offensive part of the game without realizing that defense is the key to winning. Basketball games are won with a good defense. While offense seems to get the praise, defense must be stellar in order to win.

TIP! Learn how to maneuver a crossover if you have the ball fairly often. This is when you switch hands while dribbling.

When dribbling, make sure you hold your head high and look straight ahead. You haven’t practiced enough if you keep looking at the basketball while you’re dribbling. Take you ball with you everywhere. Try dribbling even when walking to a store. If you look at the ball, you’re unable to see what’s going on down the court before you.

Free Throw

Making a free throw takes mental concentration as well as physical prowess. You can teach your body to make a free throw properly, but unless you are properly prepared mentally, you may not succeed. Relax and focus on your shot, and you can make it.

TIP! If you want to take jump shots, don’t spend time pumping iron. Even though having strong muscles is great for the inside game, being on the outside it can harm you when shooting the ball.

Better your basketball skills by watching the pros play. Go to a bunch of professional games in person, watch them on television, or just get online to search for basketball videos. You’ll see that every great player has specific skills that cause them to be great and you have the opportunity to practice what you’re watching them do.

Do you want to fool the other team? How about the behind the back pass? Hold the ball using your dominant hand. Next, place the ball behind you. Flip your wrist towards the site where you want the ball to go. This will trick your opponents.

One of the keys to becoming a great basketball player is developing core muscles. The core muscles are the hips, lower back muscles and the abdominal muscles. The lower and upper extremities are linked by the core, and athletes with a weak core will exhibit limited performance. Having a strong base allows the player a solid position from which to jump and accelerate during the game to help speed up their movements.

TIP! Play solo basketball in the months leading up to the season, as well as during the season itself. Basketball is usually a team sport, but just because you can’t find others, doesn’t mean you have to just stop thinking about it.

If you get hurt during a basketball game, don’t try to play while in pain. Basketball is physically demanding and you can easily get hurt. Being tough is one thing, but playing through injury can only harm you even further and make the problem much worse. If an injury is serious, go to see a physician.

Seek advice from your teammates about how you play the game. Are you skilled at something? You could potentially be excellent in one area while you are busy focusing on another, unaware. See what others view as your own natural skills, then be sure you retain and develop them more.

Practice passing while looking the opposite direction. It can be very confusing to your opponents. If you do it right, this draws your opponents’ focus the wrong way. You must practice this move with your teammates so that everyone on your team understands what is going on.

TIP! Ask your teammates what they like about how you play. Are you great at any one thing? Perhaps you are quick footed, or you are always ready to lend a hand on the court.

A powerful play called the trapping machine, is to have your guards wait for the point guard to come just past midcourt. After he crosses the midcourt line, they should run and trap him. Simultaneously, make sure you own forwards are free to sprint to the opposing players who are out on the wings. You will see the opposing point guard make a bad pass that anyone on your team can steal.

To increase the strength of your weaker hand, utilize it for doing everything, including brushing your teeth and opening jars. Being able to dribble and shoot the ball with both hands will make it much more difficult for opponents to defend you. This is bound to carry over to the court.

Keep all motion below the knees if possible. This prevents your opponents from stealing the ball. You will need to bend somewhat for this to happen, but it’ll allow you to move quickly down the court as you ward off your opponents.

TIP! Study you opponent well to give yourself an edge. Review tapes and keep up with scouting reports.

A good way to improve your game is by finding out from your teammates what they plan to do. You need a team to play basketball. Meaning offense and defense is played, not just one on one. You must help one another out. Communicate with them so that they know when you need assistance, so that you all collectively play better.

Practice shooting the ball from many different areas in order to improve your ability. The first thing you should do is practice your grip and balance. You’re much more accurate if you are balanced well. The basketball’s air valve can be used to aid in perfecting your grip. Center your dominant hand over the valve, and spread your fingers out from there.

Diet is essential when it comes to playing ball. Complex carbohydrates and protein will give you energy to ensure that you get through a long, fast-paced basketball game. Peanut butter and nuts are great choices. Sugar can give you an energy spike but it fades rather quickly, so try to stay away from sugary foods.

TIP! Be aware of what your feet are doing and where they are. If you fall on a baseline, you will be out of bounds.

When someone misses a corner shot, you can bet the ball bounces across the court. Attempt to catch the resulting rebound by watching the angle from which it was shot.

Learn to control where your opponent can and can’t move. Whether you are playing offense or defense, it is important to control the moves of your opponent. Doing so makes it easier for you to navigate the court without interference from the other player.

Have you learned some helpful tips? Practice hard and with consistency. Over time, the work you put in will translate to confidence on the court. Keep this advice in mind and show your skills off.