If you love basketball, you need to continually learn from the experts and pros so you can get better at it. Whether you want to be a great player or coach, appreciating the complexities of the game is what it takes to master it. Read the article below to learn as much as you can.
When dribbling, focus on what’s in front of you by keeping your head up. You should never be looking at the basketball while dribbling. Bring your ball along when you go out. You can practice dribbling when you have to walk to the store. Always look ahead when you are dribbling the ball.
If you are trying to create a charging foul against the other team, make sure you plant your feet to the ground. Don’t shuffle them or lean into the dribbler coming at you. If you do either of these things, you’ll actually be called for a blocking foul instead of getting a charge.
When dribbling, try to keep the ball low to the ground. This makes it more difficult for opponents to steal the ball away from you while dribbling. Keep the ball low and pass it from hand to hand while weaving in and out through your opponents. This will help you maintain control of the ball.
Stamina is key to playing a good ball game. Basketball games are filled with running back and forth along the court. By increasing your stamina, you can stay in the game longer. One way to increase your stamina is by running a few miles each day, followed by a cool down workout.
Never adopt the attitude that the shoes make the player. The latest and supposedly greatest basketball shoes on the market are probably overrated and not truly tested. They also are likely made in the same factory as cheaper shoes that aren’t name brand. Just focus on a decent pair of shoes and the concentrate on your skills.
Don’t prepare more for a game than you do for a practice. If you don’t tape up for practice, don’t do it for games. You will naturally take games more seriously than practice. However, you don’t need to start panicking over a game by overpreparing. Have a consistent and calm routine.
Ball control is an essential skill for good basketball playing. One simple drill to improve your control is to use a ball in each hand for dribbling practice. Bounce one ball first and then just a second after, bounce the other. Alternate the bounce as you move down the court. As you gain more control, pick up the pace.
To defend a person dribbling the ball, it is important to bring your arms up to the ball. When you reach for the ball, starting low means you hit the ball first and not the arm. Hitting the arm first means that you are going to foul — not end up with the ball.
To shoot a basketball outdoors, you have to be ready for the conditions. On the blacktop, the wind can send your shot off, so as you start shooting around beforehand, get used to factoring that wind in by aiming to one side or the other. This will boost your accuracy.
Listen to your coach. Even if you don’t agree with him or her, your coach is the one with the plan. Remember, you’ve got four other people on the court with you, so a team plan of action is vital to your success. If just one person goes a different direction, then you’ll fail.
To rebound a free throw attempt by the other team, you get the advantage of having four people on the lane, as opposed to three for the other team. Take advantage by boxing out, putting your body on the person next to you and moving him away from the basket. This gives you the best chance at grabbing a board.
Practice the three key things around the basket: dribbling, shooting, and rebounding. Everyone loves to shoot the basketball, but it’s only one part of a basketball game. You need to master all three of the things here to be a great player. If you only know how to shoot, you won’t last long on the court for a real game.
It is important that you learn to dribble the ball without staring at your hand as you do it. If your eyes are always on the ball, you can’t see who is around you. That will leave you open to having the ball stolen by a defender when you are least expecting it.
To inbound a basketball, you need to be able to learn to fake defenders out. You can use the ball to fake in one direction and then pass in another. Defenders often will jump at your first fake, giving your teammate the chance to get wide open. Use this to beat those opponents who try to cheat the pass.
If you want to make a 2-3 zone into something special, have the guards remain put until the opposing team’s guard makes their way about ten feet in from mid-court. At that point, both guards should move in for the trap. It also lets you have forwards on blocks sprint to the wing players. Your point guard must then launch a pass in a way that is easy for your forwards to steal.
With all of this knowledge in your mind, you may feel overwhelmed. Tackle each point one by one and start incorporating it into your basketball strategy. It won’t take long for you to notice a difference in your game, leaving you appreciative that you found this article and learned so much from it.