On a scale of 1 to 10, how much would you say you know about basketball? Whether you said 1, 10 or somewhere in between, the great thing about basketball is there is always something to learn. Continue reading to find out some helpful advice about improving your basketball game.
It’s natural to focus on offensive abilities when practicing the sport of basketball, but your practice time needs to focus on defense. Basketball games are won because of good defense. Offense may be splashier, but lacking a solid defense, any team is sure to lose.
Mastering Dribbling Techniques
Dribbling the ball the right way needs to be done. When you dribble, use the fingertips, not the palm. Dribbling this way improves your ball control dramatically. Dribble along the side of the body, not immediately in front of it, and keep the bounce to the waist level or below. Never look at the ball; instead, look forward.
Make your passes quick and precise. This takes practice, but you can improve your passing skills over time. Find someone else who wants to improve their passing and run drills with them. Running up and down the court passing and dribbling will eventually become second nature and help you with your game.
Always follow through when shooting. A great way to practice is to hold your follow through until the ball goes in the basket or misses. This will give you some clues on why you missed a shot or where you need to strive for consistency. Watch how other players follow through and follow their lead.
If you are in a good position to receive a pass, put your hand up in the air so the current dribbler can see you. The basketball court is surprisingly small when you’re actually on it. And when you’re playing in a game filled with ten people, there’s a lot of chaos going on in that small space. Sometimes that hand is necessary so that the dribbler sees the option.
Learn how to be patient and trust your teammates during games. Many players fall into the trap of not passing the ball and trying to do it all themselves. You need to trust them and pass the ball. This is a team sport and passing is part of what helps your team win games.
Using Hand Signals
When trying to pass the ball to your teammate, the chest pass is one of the most effective. To do the chest pass, have your knees bent while you step into the pass. Then, make sure your thumbs are facing down and that the ball is coming off of your fingertips.
Hand signals will help you avoid those errant passes. You can become easily frustrated when a teammate does a poor job of anticipating your next passing move. Avoid this using hand signals to see if they can get the pass. If the player does not flash the signal, then the player can avoid an errant pass.
Conclusion
Do you feel like you could get better by using these tips on the court? Well, it’s time to put them to the test. Take what you’re learned about, and see how it betters your basketball game. You might just surprise yourself, and who knows, you could be the next star.