Do you wish that you knew more about basketball? You are a basketball player, and you adore the sport. However, there is so much you still don’t know, and a good player will recognize that. Maybe you can learn something from this article. Read on to find out how to become a better player.

TIP! Correct dribbling is key. When you dribble, only use your fingertips instead of your palms.

If you hold the ball a lot, you have to learn crossovers. A crossover happens when you switch hands the ball is in. This action most be quick to work out. If done correctly, a good crossover helps you get past your opponent and to the rim.

You want to be prepared for any type of defense the other team plays. Zone play will be important, but man-to-man will pop up from time to time, too. If your practice did not include this, you can quickly lose control of the game.

TIP! Balance is essential to shooting. We have all seen the professional basketball player falling out of bounds and making a basket from 30 feet away, but this is not proper technique.

Hand signals will help you avoid those errant passes. Passing is tough, especially if you and your teammate are not in sync with one another. The use of hand signals can help you avoid this difficulty. If there is no signal, the player should not make the pass to them.

In order to get a good shot, you must use good footwork. While physical positioning is important, it is even more essential to move quicker than an opponent. Once you have a location, it is important that your feet are firmly planted there. Footwork is the key to either of these.

TIP! Work on being able to receive a pass. You should practice catching errant passes, along with perfectly executed ones.

Should you receive an injury during the course of the game, never try to continue playing despite the pain. This is an aggressive sport, and injuries happen often. You may injure yourself more if you continue to play with an injury. See a physician if you think your injury is serious.

If you’re quick on the basketball court, you have a built in advantage. You need to be faster than the opposing team if you want the advantage. In order to play fast, you must practice drills. Don’t attempt to play more quickly than your skills allow. It’s easy to lose control when you play fast.

TIP! If you want to be a jump shooter, avoid pumping iron excessively. While muscle strength is good to have in any basketball position, it is possible to have too much for perimeter play.

To become a great free thrower, practice and develop a routine you will use during each shot. This could mean two dribbles before taking your free throw, bending your knees, or some other thing you do to get into a rhythm before shooting. As you adopt this routine, it becomes easier for your mind and body to prepare for the shot.

Shooting Free Throws

TIP! You need to be quick to be good at basketball. You need to be faster than the opposing team if you want the advantage.

Develop and use a consistent routine for shooting free throws. If you don’t have one, your accuracy may suffer. The simplest way to get better at shooting free throws is through constant repetitive motions when shooting the ball. You’ll miss if you don’t have a good routine down.

Dribble the ball hard to keep it from being stolen. This causes the ball to return to your hand more quickly, so the offense has less time to try to get it away from you. If you have somebody guarding you very closely, pass the ball to an open teammate.

TIP! Consistency in your approach is vital to becoming solid at free throws. Perhaps you will dribble twice, follow up by bending your knees, pulling your earlobe or performing some other ritualistic action for good luck.

In order to ensure that you are always ready to defend, keep your stance at all times. You can shuffle your feet to either side, or push with your opposing foot, so you will be ready and in position. If you never allow your feet to cross one another you will invariably be a very hard player to get passed.

To improve your perimeter shooting, it is important to practice every day from various spots on the court. If you wish to get even better at this, try dribbling and then stopping to make a quick shot. Only lift your head up to check out the target once you are in the air. You will increase your level of accuracy and create an experience closer to real game play.

TIP! In order to be successful with layups, the foot that is opposite from shooting hand is the one you should take off from. Practice shooting using your right hand, then jump off your left foot.

Diet is essential when it comes to playing ball. If you want to have plenty of energy to play, you should take in plenty of complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and lean sources of protein. Adding nuts, chicken, peanut butter and whole grain breads to your diet can help. Avoid using excessive sugar and salt.

Know where the ball goes when it is in the air. Rebounds are a critical component of the game. No matter how hard you work to perfect your defensive technique, if you can’t retrieve the ball then you can’t score.

TIP! Practice dribbling with both hands, dribble on both sides of your body and learn to dribble in front of you while taking large strides. Being able to effortlessly dribble with both hands gives you the ability to run both sides on an opponent and keep them off guard.

Pivoting is essential to becoming a great player in basketball. You have to practice the footwork you do so that you can pivot without giving it a second though. You also want to practice on not getting disoriented or getting your feet tangled up. Practice this frequently without the ball, and then with the ball.

In order to beat a zone defense you must be able to get ball penetration into the lane. If you get around a defender and make it to the shooting lane, the defenders will either break their defense or converge on the ball. If you feel good about it and are in position, take a shot. If you spot an open teammate, pass the ball so that they have an easier shot.

TIP! To rebound off your fellow player’s free throws, use sly feet. You need to seek out a way to quickly slide around your opponent and be able to quickly react to the ball.

With these tips, you should now feel this new energy to take to the court. It’s a lot of fun to learn something new and then see how you can do it yourself. Keep these tips in mind as you play the game. Basketball is a very popular sport, for fans and players alike.