Dribbling In Circles? Use These Tips To Improve Your Basketball Skills!

Written by: Peter Harrison

Category: General

Published: August 15, 2019

Everyone from presidents to working class people have played the game of basketball. Whether you play it in school, in your spare time or even professionally, it will bring you a joy like few other sports can. To make the game even more enjoyable, check out all of the tips below.

When you are practicing your shooting, make sure that you practice shots that you may be required to make during a game. You should try to shoot the ball while moving around, standing still, and right after you receive a pass. You can have someone toss you a ball while you’re running in order to practice taking a shot after the ball has been passed to you.

When handling the ball, make sure you spread out your fingers. This makes it less likely that the ball will slip away from you. Also, keep your palm from making contact with the ball. Only your fingers should be involved in the process of getting the ball to where you want it to go.

To better your basketball rebound when on the dribble drive, try running to the front of the rim. When you’re in dribble drive penetration, try following your teammate to the rim. You can retrieve the ball if they miss. It’s a great time for rebounding since the defense tends to collapse on the drive, which they can forget to block out. It also lets you get more offensive rebounds and points.

Practice lay ups over and over. The lay up is one of the most basic basketball shots out there. And you should never let this easy opportunity to score pass you by. While simple, it still takes practice in game-like scenarios to make sure you aren’t laying the ball up too hard or at a bad angle. Get the rhythm down and practice it repeatedly.

Improve your offensive game by mastering the shot fake. With this move, players think you are going to shoot the ball, so they will jump up. Don’t really shoot the ball yet; instead, use this opportunity to maneuver around them and take your shot. They will be caught off guard and won’t have a chance to defend you.

Work on flexibility. Flexibility is very important during basketball. This is because you may have to stretch to grab a ball that is in the air. Additionally, increased flexibility helps protect your tendons and joints from the damage caused during this fast playing sport. Do flexibility exercises often and always stretch before beginning any game.

When prepping for the basketball season, walk around with the basketball as often as you can. Take the time to throw the ball from one hand to the other, and even flip it around your back. Your goal is to improve your hand/ball coordination so that the ball feels as if it’s part of you.

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.

When dealing with high school basketball players, make sure that they get enough sleep every night. The workouts involved for basketball players are pretty strenuous. That is why it is very important that they get enough rest so that their bodies can recover. They should try to sleep about seven hours each night.

Be careful about trying to block shots. In most organized leagues, blocking the shot on the way down or when in the imaginary cylinder above the net results in a goaltending call. This just gives the opponent the attempted points, whether they would have made the shot or not anyway.

There are some drills you can practice to help you become a better player. For example, power crossovers: first, dribble with your right hand hard, and then quickly move the ball to your left hand. Repeat while passing the ball back to your right hand. This will make you a better at crossovers.

A consistent pre-shot routine when at the line will increase your chance at success. A consistent routine enables the shooter to have a perfect motion every time. Practicing your free throw again and again is the only way to perfect it. If you alter your routine then chances are the shot will not be good.

You should ensure that you can clearly see. This means more than just being able to see well enough to play, but “seeing” the court deeply. You want to make sure that you see what is going on to the sides of you. Tunnel vision makes it difficult to play effectively, so try to view the entire court and all players.

A great way to improve your game involves communicating with teammates so that you can anticipate their moves. You are sure to understand that it takes teamwork to play basketball. It is not a one-on-one game. Everyone has each others’ backs. Speak to others and tell them when you’ll need help so everyone can play better.

Your shooting stance is a vital part of making the shot. Whether you are shooting long distance, inside or making a free throw, your stance gives you proper balance and determines how much power is behind your shot. Point your feet at the basket and bend your knees. Bent knees affect the arc of your shot.

In order to help you make a successful pass the ball should always be thrown away from the defender, this way your teammate can use his/her body to shield the defender away. A bad pass will lead to a turnover which you do not want. Learn how to make a great pass, and your team will succeed!

When you love something, you need to work hard to become better at it. This is true of all sports, even basketball. While the game itself may seem simple, it takes practice and education to master it. This article is a great first step, so use the tips read here and improve your play.