Tips To Make You A Great Basketball Player

It is tough to argue with the immense popularity enjoyed by the sport of basketball. Given the incredible numbers of individuals who love playing and watching basketball, there really must be something appealing about it. If you are curious about the sport and want to discover more about it, you have come to the right place.

When you are in control of the ball, make sure you always pay attention to what is happening on the court. Know where the other players are. Don not stare at the ground. If you do, there is no way for you to have the type of court awareness that you need to be successful.

Never pass the ball and stand still. This is a mistake most often made by those new to the game of basketball. Once you’ve passed the ball, you need to work to get into the best position possible to be passed to again or to grab a rebound from a shot.

When playing basketball, remember that you are playing on a team. Don’t be a “ball hog.” A team is like a support system and your teammates are there to help you and you should be there to help them. The objective of the game is to work together to beat the opponent.

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.

Avoid errant passes by the use of hand signals. It is very frustrating when a teammate isn’t open for the perfect pass. Players should use hand signals often when available for a pass. Without a signal, there shouldn’t be a pass.

Don’t play while injured or else your injury will worsen. It’s a challenging sport that’s very physical, and you have the ability to get injured. Trying to tough it out and keep playing, even if you are experiencing discomfort, can exacerbate an injury even more. In case of serious injury, it is time to see a doctor.

A player’s free-throw percentage is generally temple run 7 much higher than their field goal percentage. While part of this has to do with being in action with defenders right on you when shooting field goals, the other part is the dedicated form and practice put into this “free” shot. Be sure you spend some time practicing your free throws during each practice.

When you work out, try focusing on building core strength and bettering your footwork. Your body will retain balance and move quicker when you have strong core muscles. Concentrate your efforts on the back, abdomen, buttocks and hips. Similar to boxers, jumping rope can better your speed and footwork.

If your shooting is in a slump, take a look at your shoulders. When the shoulders are wrongly positioned, your shot is unlikely to succeed. Be sure that your shoulders square up in front of the hoop. Line up your shooting shoulder with the rim as well.

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.

Learn to control the ball when you need to change your pace suddenly. If your are able to plant your feet and then quickly dribble the ball while on the move, you gain a distinct advantage over your opponent. If your defenders think you are slowing down to make a shot, they will straighten up to try to block it.

To get offensive rebounds in basketball, you have to learn how to follow the basketball off the rim. Get used to watching people shoot, and see how the ball caroms off. Then get used to anticipating those bounces, so you can get around the defender before he even thinks to box you out.

Know your place on the team and play it. You may be better as a support player than as the one who can dunk the basketball. That doesn’t mean you will never make a winning shot, it just means that you don’t neglect other players or interfere with them in pursuit of scoring points.

Move without the basketball. Running the baseline has advantages. You can possibly lose your defender in the paint for a second and become open. At the very least you might distract the ball defender’s attention for just a second. Even if you can’t get open, set a screen for who has the ball.

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.

Although a slam dunk may seem like the easiest and most reliable shot to make in basketball, there is still room for error. Using one hand to dunk the ball can invite turnovers and missed dunks off the back of the rim. Whenever possible, always use two hands while dunking.

To be sure that you are not withdrawing your hand too quickly when you take a shot, leave it up after the ball has left your hand for two seconds. If you pull your hand back too early, you can under power your shot or cause the ball to go off target.

The numbers do not lie. Basketball is among the most popular sports in the world, both for playing and for watching. The article above was intended to function as a useful guide to help readers maximize their enjoyment of basketball, regardless of their current level of knowledge, skill or understanding.