The wonders of basketball have long been known to many, but there are many people who still harbor curiosity about how to play better. Study of basketball fundamentals and skills techniques can be a great place to begin. Continue perusing this article for some truly fantastic advice on improving your game.
When you’re passing the ball, make sure that you pass the ball to the location of where the person should be headed. You don’t want your pass to be the reason a person needs to slow down or double back. Your pass should be aimed for a little bit in front of the person that you are passing to.
If you need to improve your basketball shooting ability, practice as if you were really in a game. Rather than taking your time to throw the perfect shot, act as if there are defensive players around you, trying to distract you and take away the ball. This will help you shoot better under pressure and make the shots that count.
To be a great basketball player you need to work on your balance. While some NBA players are able to launch a ball to the net mid-fall, this is not appropriate for most people. They have just improvised, is all. You need the right balance to shoot; it is the only way to eventually make consistent baskets.
Learn how to throw a proper bounce pass. A bounce pass that’s good is going to end up hitting the other player near their waist. It’s smart to get the ball to bounce about 75% to the receiving player. Although, there will be other circumstances that are involved too.
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 throwing an overhead pass, it is best to keep the ball from actually going behind your head. If you do, the ball is easier to steal. In addition, it takes longer to throw the overhead pass if you bring it behind your head. Throw it from over your forehead.
A good way to get your basketball game up to speed is to start trying to see how the pros are playing. Get tickets to some pro games, if possible, or catch some games on television. 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.
Always remember that to be a great basketball player, you’ve got to be a great athlete first. Put as much time into conditioning your body and increasing your endurance as you do shooting and passing. This will improve your play under even the most excruciating circumstances, making you an invaluable team member.
Try yoga to improve your basketball game. You might not want to tell your teammates about it, since some of them are going to likely laugh. However, the increased flexibility and agility you get helps prevent injuries or at least leaves able to get back up quicker when you get knocked down. Don’t laugh; Kareem Abdul-Jabaar used it to extend his NBA career.
Bend your knees as you dribble the ball. This gets you closer to the surface you are dribbling on and causes the distance between ground and ball to be reduced. This gives your opposition less of a chance to steal the ball away from you as you head for the net.
Learn how to do a crossover if you plan to be in possession of the ball a lot. Crossovers are when you move the ball from one hand to the other while dribbling. If done quickly, the opposition won’t be able to get the ball away from you as you can pass it to the side they are not on.
To make sure that you protect your ankles while you play basketball, wear shoes that are a little bit higher around them and lace them up. If you play in lower shoes, it is very easy to turn your ankle. Higher shoes keep you out on the court playing longer.
Upset and disrupt your opponent’s play. All successful basketball players do this. Make them uncomfortable. Be aggressive as you execute your moves. Don’t let them dictate the game. You should never let an opponent control what you do on the court. Make your moves first and end their patterns.
Make sure you practice shooting all over the court. The first thing you should do is practice your grip and balance. It’s possible to shoot when not properly balanced, but the accuracy of such shots is diminished. Perfect your grip by using the basketball valve. Your fingers of the dominant hand can be placed on the ball with your palm centered on the valve.
Balance is key to taking a shot. When you jump, you should find that you land with both feet at the same time on the ground. You should also feel as if you are heading towards the net slightly when you are in the air. As you take a shot, close your eyes so you can feel what your body is doing.
Lots of people already love basketball, but the sport certainly has room for new aficionados to enter the scene. The best method of sharpening your interest in basketball is to learn as much as possible about playing better and about honing winning strategies. Hopefully the resource above has sparked an even greater desire to further the game that so many people love.