Basketball is a fun sport to play when you are really good at the skills necessary to help your team. Perhaps you would like to better your skills and that is why you’re here? If so, the following article offers excellent tips that the pros use to help them better their game and you can use them, too.
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.
Never adopt the attitude that the shoes make the player. The latest and supposedly greatest basketball shoes on the market are probably overrated and not truly tested. They also are likely made in the same factory as cheaper shoes that aren’t name brand. Just focus on a decent pair of shoes and the concentrate on your skills.
Be careful not to travel when dribbling the basketball. Traveling occurs when you take too many steps in between dribbles. It’s most likely to happen when going up for a shot. Just one extra step will mean the difference between a score and a turnover, so practice shooting as often as you can.
Keep your footwork in mind while playing defense. Taking short steps will give you a better foothold on your opponent. Remember to push off your front foot. When you take long steps, it is more difficult to defend against a driving opponent. Check your distance from your opposing player by extending one arm.
Shoot at least a hundred free throws every day. Not only does this make you a better free throw shooter, but it helps all your shooting. You can step on a court any day of the week familiar with the sight and sound of you putting the ball in the goal. This gives you serious mental confidence, regardless of how or where you actually shoot.
A great way to stay prepared at all times is to always face the ball. You will enjoy greater court awareness and avoid feeling surprised by rapid changes in game play. You will want to keep extra attention on areas that could improve your position as well.
To be a great basketball player, you have to make the ball part of your body. It may seem silly but roll it in your hands, dribble in the driveway, go for walks with it and take it with you wherever you go. The more time that ball spends attached to your body, the harder it will be for defenders to take it from you on the court.
Want to try a drill which will really work you out? Try dribbling with two balls at once! This will help you learn to master dribbling with both hands, plus it will build your arm muscles very quickly. You can’t use your eyes for this exercise, so you will learn to dribble without looking at your hands.
Ball control is an essential skill for good basketball playing. One simple drill to improve your control is to use a ball in each hand for dribbling practice. Bounce one ball first and then just a second after, bounce the other. Alternate the bounce as you move down the court. As you gain more control, pick up the pace.
After reading the above article you now know the strategies that the pros use to help improve their basketball playing skills. It’s a simple game but in order to help your team win you need to get better. The tips and great advice here will go a long way to helping you improve your game.