Just about everyone has at least a rudimentary notion of what basketball is all about. However, many people are interested in taking their understanding of the sport to a whole new level. If you are among those wishing to learn more, this article can serve as a very useful resource going forward.
Free throws are an excellent skill to practice in your spare time. The execution of a free throw is not as simple as it may appear. Practice often using the following technique. Start out by holding the basketball right in front of you. Then, look at the ball and visualize it going in the basket. When you shoot, keep the visualized trajectory in mind.
When shooting a basketball, it is important to stay relaxed and stay focused. Tensing your forearms can result in a missed shot. Additionally, losing focus can cause you to miss a shot that you would normally make. To help keep you relaxed and focused, take a deep breath before shooting.
Practicing with your team is important, but don’t overlook the value of daily practice on your own. Set up a daily practice time for yourself and stick to your schedule. Practice footwork, shooting, and dribbling. It is also important to include strength training and endurance training in your practice schedule.
If you are trying to create a charging foul against the other team, make sure you plant your feet to the ground. Don’t shuffle them or lean into the dribbler coming at you. If you do either of these things, you’ll actually be called for a blocking foul instead of getting a charge.
There are passes that can confuse the other team momentarily. Back passes can give your team the opportunity to score while the other team is still wondering what happened. Use the dominant hand to hold onto the basketball when trying this pass. Next, place the ball behind you. Flick your wrists in the direction that it must travel. It can be a dangerous maneuver that catches the other team off guard.
Jump on the ground and dive for those loose balls. Don’t be afraid to hit the ground hard and get a little hustle on. Not only will this help the team, but the coach will surely notice your improved effort. Team moral is always a good thing to keep in high numbers.
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.
Never throw the basketball at another player. Even if you are angry or aggravated, it’s never smart to take your anger out with the ball. Not only will you draw a foul, you can also do some serious damage to the person you are throwing at. Take a breathe before you do anything stupid.
Keep your opponents guessing as to where you will be going next. Dart right, lean left, move back and forward too. The more movement you have on the court, they less likely they are to be able to guess what your plans are, allowing you to trick them and make the shot.
Learn something about basketball every day. Even if it’s the off-season and there’s nowhere to play, you can still improve your game. Read up on tips via books and websites or watch archived games to see what your favorite pro players can teach you. You may be surprised how much rubs off the next time you’re on the court.
Stick with the same routine every time that you do free throws. You have 10 seconds to shoot, so you can use that short period of time as you like. You can bounce the ball a couple times, spin it within your hands, talk to yourself, etc. Try to be creative and find a routine that works best for you. You will eventually get more comfortable with this shot by doing the same routine over and over.
Make basketball a learning activity. It isn’t always about playing. Sometimes it’s about studying. There are all sorts of unique moves, team plays, and rules that you can go over to give you as much knowledge as possible about the game itself. That knowledge can come in very handy during game time.
Play full-court basketball whenever you can. If you love playing, then you probably know a half-dozen spots where you can play street ball or playground pick-up games. While these are good, they don’t give you the practice or experience of getting down the whole court. This matters in fast break situations, both offensive and defensive.
When it comes to making the shot, the key is to hold the ball the right way. Practice makes perfect, so hold your hands like they are claws and space out your fingers. Hold the ball with your fingers, not your palm. Hold the ball in your hand while watching TV to build your muscles.
To inbound a basketball, you need to be able to learn to fake defenders out. You can use the ball to fake in one direction and then pass in another. Defenders often will jump at your first fake, giving your teammate the chance to get wide open. Use this to beat those opponents who try to cheat the pass.
Most people understand the sport of basketball on at least some level, but that is not to say that they are satisfied with their present level of knowledge. By learning as much as possible about basketball, one’s enjoyment of the sport can grow to a surprising degree. Hopefully this article has provided the basis for a long-lasting love affair with basketball.
