Basketball is fun to play for anyone and everyone. Anyone can play. Your friends will definitely be impressed by your moves if you practice. What new skills do you mean? Read on to learn exactly what you can do to improve your game.

TIP! Dribbling the ball the right way needs to be done. Finger tips, not palms, are the key to successful dribbling.

When dribbling, your head must be up, and you need to look forward. You need more practice if you feel that you cannot dribble without focusing on the ball. If you are just getting started, bring your ball with you everywhere. On your way to the grocery store, practice your dribbling. If you’re trying to look at the ball then you’re not concentrating on what’s going on down the court.

In order to be a great shooter, good balance is key. While the all-time greats have shown time and time again how they can shoot while off-kilter, this is not the ideal way to score. They are improvising. Balance needs to be maintained to consistently make successful shots.

TIP! When using the ball a lot, you must relearn a crossover. This is when you switch hands while dribbling.

Don’t just practice your game against the zone defense. Most of the game is played in zone, but your opponent may try to switch things up to do man-to-man coverage. Failure to prepare for this type of tactic makes you more vulnerable and hurts your team.

A great way to learn how to pass is by doing drills often with no dribbling. This helps to develop passing skills with your teammates, making it much more difficult if you’re standing in one spot and not dribbling. Keep your emotions in check if quality passing is not happening right away as it takes time to perfect this part of the game.

TIP! To be a better basketball player you should concentrate on the things that make you great. Your talents might not make you a star, but when you make the most of your strengths, you might better contribute to your team.

If you want to be a jump shooter, avoid pumping iron excessively. Although it’s true that strong muscles are beneficial, additional bulk can impede your ability to play effectively along the perimeter. Some shooting guards that play professionally have such big arms that their field goal rate went down.

Good footwork remains a vital part of basketball. Although physical presence under the basket is important, getting to a good spot before your opponent does is even more important. Once you’re in position, you also need to secure your spot. Strong footwork skills help to build both types of skills.

TIP! A good way to improve team passing to use a no dribbling drill, that is to play the game without dribbling at all. It is a challenge not to dribble while playing, but it will ensure the accuracy of your team’s passes.

A great way you can prepare for what happens on the basketball court is to avoid having your back to the ball. This helps you become aware of the court and lowers chances for surprises from turnovers and quick passes. When your eyes are constantly assessing the game, you will be better able to make easy shots.

Being able to anticipate your opponent is a key skill. Watch tapes and be sure you’re paying attention to scouting reports. You should know if a player is right or left handed. This knowledge will help you play the best game possible. A defender that is knowledgeable is an effective defender.

TIP! If you are posting up, strategic footwork is important to becoming open and making a good shot. Getting a great position under the goal is the most important.

You want to always be aware of foot placement and what you’re doing. Stepping even a toe on the baseline with the ball in your hands means you are out of bounds. Taking a lot of steps when you’re not dribbling means you’re traveling and that’s a turnover call. Also, moving either foot when trying to set a screen, pick or take a charge results in a foul call.

Passing between your legs can be helpful when the other team is riding you hard. Practice this by bouncing the ball hard between your legs as you take a step forward or back. Once you get the move down, you can use it to gain a tactical advantage.

TIP! When injuries occur on the court, it is unwise to keep on playing. The sport of basketball is very physical, which makes one susceptible to injury.

Practice passing while looking in the opposite direction. This can go a long way toward confusing the opposition. If you do it right, the look makes members of the opposing team look in the wrong direction, which gives the person to whom you passed the ball plenty of time to make the shot. When done smoothly it can be a game changer.

You need to mess with your opponent’s head. Do not allow your opponent to become comfortable with their style, or yours. When making a move, be aggressive. Never let them control the game plays. If you allow this, they will run over you. Force them to act and their rhythm will get disrupted.

TIP! As you perform your fitness routine, make it a point to target your core and your footwork. Your body will be more stable and easier to move when you have strength in your core muscles.

Try to strengthen your forearms and hands to better handle the ball. Do some wrist curls as much as possible and your dribbling should get better. Never assume you can just stand somewhere, catch and then shoot. Learning how to pass the ball ensures that you can get the ball safely to a teammate who has better position on the court.

Be slick with your feet so you can get a rebound from a teammate. The defender may be coming toward you, so its important to slip away from him and get the ball. This technique will help you rebound the ball without getting a foul called on you.

TIP! Consistency in your approach is vital to becoming solid at free throws. This can include the number of times you dribble, how you position your feet, or anything else.

Now you can show your stuff off on the court. You may even know information now that your friends do not. Don’t forget, the game should always be fun or it’s not worth playing. Play anytime you get a chance and make having fun a priority, even though you should also look for ways to implement the strategies you just read.