People just love basketball! From playing a friendly game of hoops in the backyard with friends, to watching professionals on the big stage, the sport of basketball has come a very long way. Most players are in it to win it. Practicing and learning new skills can help you become a star player.
You can easily focus on offense when learning to play basketball, however, you must really focus how playing defense. Defense is essential to winning these games. Even though everyone loves to watch offense, defense is what wins you most games.
Get good at making free throws. This kind of shot seems easy, but it really is not. The following technique should be practiced often. Place the ball right in line with your face. Focus on the ball and visualize it going toward the goal. Next, shoot with just the trajectory you saw.
You must learn how to dribble, how a crossover is done and other important ball handling skills. Crossover dribble is switching hands while you’re dribbling. Your crossovers should be fast, which is why it is important to practice them. Once you have learned how to do a crossover, you can travel down the court quickly.
Practice your bounce pass. If done properly, the pass will land near waist level with the opposite player. It’s best to bounce the basketball about 75 percent of the way towards your teammate. There are other things to keep in mind, though.
Work on catching passes frequently. Don’t just work on waist-level, perfect passes, though, work on receiving tougher passes as well. During a real game, many of the passes that come your way will be off-target and tougher to handle. Being able to get imperfect passes will limit turnovers.
Do you want to fool the other team? Try doing a back pass! To accomplish this pass, grasp the ball using your dominant hand. Next, place the ball behind you. Flip your wrist towards the site where you want the ball to go. This should should thoroughly fool your opponent.
You must know your opponent in order to be tough on defense. Watch tapes and stay up on scouting reports. See if you can determine each players strong and weak sides. Defense is more effective when you know what your opponent is likely to do. A defender with an education will be good at what they do.
To land your layups, jump off the foot opposite the hand you shoot with. Use your left foot when shooting with the right hand. Your body will develop good coordination and you keep your defender at a distance.
Stay in your defensive stance while defending your basket against opponents. Keep your feet moving to each side or push your opposing foot off so you can keep yourself in position. Never cross your feet and your opponents will find you a difficult player.
Altering your own pace is a good way to disrupt the opposition. When you running towards the basket, try planting the front foot and start straightening up. The offense will believe that you’re stopping or slowing down and may follow in your steps. When they do this, push yourself forward and take the chance to run by them.
Strength and flexibility training can help your skills in basketball. Being physically tough is as important as having the stamina to keep up with the game. Even youngsters can strengthen their arms and legs to improve game play. As they reach their teen years, bring weights in to further enhance exercise. It’s important to continue strength training when you are an adult to maintain your performance.
There are several ways you can improve your basketball skills. It can be easy when you practice. Practice is really the secret to becoming a master of anything, so be sure you have a hoop, ball and free time available regularly. Regardless of whether or not you play on a team or a playground, these tips will make your game better.