What all should you know about basketball as a sport? What should I learn to become a better player and appreciate the game more thoroughly? The article below has the information you need to know to accomplish your basketball goals.

You can easily focus on offense when learning to play basketball, however, you must really focus how playing defense. Victory requires the ability to play defense. 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! Dribble while keeping your head upward and looking ahead. Lack of practice will manifest itself in looking down towards the ball when dribbling.

Learn what a crossover is and how to do it. When you do a crossover, you move the basketball very fast from one hand over to the other hand. This action most be quick to work out. A good crossover dribble can give you the opportunity to switch directions and progress on the court much faster.

Practice your layup shot often. Layups sometimes wind up being 4 out of every 5 shots in basketball. Dribble the ball in front of you while taking large strides followed by a smooth shot. Perfecting this skill will enable you to get to the rim effortlessly during a game.

Free throws are mental as well as physical. You can train your body to complete the motions of making a free throw, but if you are mentally prepared to fail, you will. Relax as you focus on making the shot, and soon you’ll be making more free throws.

TIP! Concentrate on your strong points if you want to improve your game. You can contribute to the team by consolidating your best skills, even if these skills do not make you one of the star players.

Don’t dribble during your drills. This helps to develop passing skills with your teammates, making it much more difficult if you’re standing in one spot and not dribbling. Do not get frustrated if it it seems difficult at first, over time your team’s passes will become more accurate.

Core Muscles

If you have a kid that wants to play basketball in high school, be sure they’re working on their core muscles. These core muscles for basketball include your lower back, hips and abs. The core muscles link lower and upper extremities. Without a strong core, they won’t have strong athletic performances. A strong core provides a center of force that can be tapped through the legs while running and jumping during games.

TIP! Would you like to fool the opposing team? Give the back pass a try! To start, grab the ball using your good hand. The next step is to draw the ball behind you.

Have you found the answers you seek? Do you think you’re ready to play? After reading this article, you will be able to become a better ball player. Keep going, keep practicing, and using these tips to better your results.