Are you struggling with understanding the rules of basketball, but you love watching it anyway? You are certainly not alone. There are many people out there who love to take in a basketball game and are very curious as to how the pros play so well. This article is packed with basketball tips.

TIP! Practice your layups a lot. 80% of all shots in a game are usually layups.

Practice shooting free throws. It looks simple to do, but it isn’t that easy. Practice often using the following technique. Start by holding your ball before your face. Then, look at the ball and visualize it going in the basket. Then shoot the ball with the trajectory that you visualized.

Look forward and hold your head up while you dribble the ball. If you have to ever look at the ball while dribbling, then you haven’t practiced that enough. Bring the basketball with you everywhere you go. Whenever you are walking and it is appropriate, dribble there. Maintaining unbroken visual contact with the ball makes it difficult to be aware of your surroundings.

TIP! Use hand signals to avoid errant passes. It’s frustrating to pass to your teammate at the very moment they’re heading toward the basket.

Learn how a bounce pass is thrown. It is best when the ball hits the receiving player near the waist. It’s best to bounce the basketball about 75 percent of the way towards your teammate. At the same time, take into account any other extraneous factors that may affect the pass.

If your son or daughter wants to play high school basketball, they need to work on core muscle training. They should train their lower back, hips, and abs. The core is what holds the body in balance and allows the limbs to work well. Building a solid core helps maintain the leg strength that lies at the core of a strong game.

TIP! Never try to push through pain after an injury. It’s a challenging sport that’s very physical, and you have the ability to get injured.

One good way to always be ready for whatever happens on the court is to never turn your back on the ball. Always knowing where the ball is will make sure that you are ready if it quickly comes your way. Always be on the lookout for open areas where you can seize easy scoring opportunities.

In order to be your best on defense, take the time to completely understand the player you are guarding. Watch tapes and be sure you’re paying attention to scouting reports. For example, you should know which of the players are left-handed and which are right-handed. This knowledge will help you play the best game possible. A defender with an education will be good at what they do.

TIP! Figuring out the opponent is a great way to do well against a tight defense. One great way to get a better understanding of your opponent is to take the time to watch film and get information from other players or scouts.

If you experience a slump in your scoring and shooting, your shoulders may be the cause of the problem. Whenever your shoulders aren’t in a good position, you simply will not shoot well, regardless of your skill level. Be sure shoulders always remain squared towards your hoop. The shoulder that is dominant should be perfectly aligned with the hoop rim.

Always be sure of where you’re placing your feet so you’re aware of what they’re doing. An errant toe to the baseline while holding the ball will result in an “out of bounds” call. You will get called for walking if you take extra steps and are not dribbling. Moving either of your feet when setting a pick, screen, or even take a charge will result in a foul.

TIP! Ask someone to take a video of you playing and watch it. Are you able to see missed opportunities or ways in which you could have improved? Appraise your performance honestly but don’t be overly harsh with yourself.

Get someone to analyze how you play on tape. Do you see how you could’ve handled a situation differently? Appraise your performance honestly but don’t be overly harsh with yourself. Analyze your skills honestly so you can become the player you want to be.

Give your layouts the most by launching from the foot that opposes the hand you are shooting with. If you use your right hand to shoot, use your left foot to take off. Doing this lets you maintain balance and movement towards the goal, while keeping your body in between your defender and your shot.

TIP! Try practicing how to pass while looking in another direction. Your opponents can really get confused by this, as well.

Develop and use a consistent routine for shooting free throws. If you stay inconsistent, you miss a shot. Repetition is an excellent way to improve your ability to make each free throw. Stick with a routine until you can perfect it. If you don’t do the routine right, then the shot won’t make it.

Dribble harder if you want to avoid the ball being stolen. This makes the ball come back to you faster so the people on defense aren’t able to steal it as easily. If you are being guarded closely, bring your dribbling to an end and pass the ball to another open team member.

Defensive Stance

Once you are in your defensive stance, remember to hold your ground. Slide sideways and use your back foot to push off in order to maintain the defensive stance in stride. Don’t forget not to cross your feet, and you won’t be easy to get around.

TIP! To improve 3 point shooting, practice from NBA distance, at least. All other three point lines are closer than what the NBA uses.

Developing your muscle strength and flexibility will make you a better basketball player. Conditioning training will also increase your stamina. Even little kids who play basketball will develop more overall body strength. As they grow and gain skills, they will be even better players. As an adult, strength training becomes vital in order to play your best basketball.

Have you been yearning to learn more about the game of basketball? Now that you’ve read this, you should be ready to play just like a pro. Get started playing basketball with this advice.