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, take the practice shots you would attempt during the game. You are rarely going to be open for long enough to get your feet planted and line up the shot, so shoot on the move. Practice off dribble and shooting while moving for better results at game time.
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.
Try practice rebound drills that will help you learn to rebound outside your area in basketball. Great rebounders will try to get the ball no matter its location. Poor rebounders will remain still and watch the ball since they think they can’t reach it. To learn rebounding out of your area, run some drills that causes the ball to go far away from you. One way is to throw it off the back board and go after it.
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.
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.
In order to shoot the basketball properly, you need to have good balance. For starters, to have a good base, you need to keep your feet roughly one shoulder length apart. Next, have your stronger foot half a step in front of the other foot. Finally, make sure your head is centered.
Use two hands when trying to make shots. Have both thumbs on the ball so that they are almost touching. Put the ball over your head but be sure you are able to see what you are aiming for. When you shoot, aim for the backboard or give it a backspin by rolling your hands down while shooting.
A player’s free-throw percentage is generally 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.
Always keep your head up while dribbling. You will not be able to see an open teammate if you are looking at the ball. You also will not be able to see what kinds of defenses the opposing team is playing if you are looking at the ball while dribbling.
To get a jump shot off without having it blocked, release it at your nose or even higher. If your release point is at your chest or even your chin, it is much easier for even a shorter defender to block it. A higher release point means that your shot is more likely to go over that defender.
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.
When it comes to basketball, most players want to spend as much time on the court as possible. One thing that will increase your playing time is to ask your coach what you can do to help your team succeed. This shows the coach that you value the team’s success over your own personal success. When the season comes to an end, be sure to ask your coach which skills you should work on in the off-season to be a greater asset to the team.
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.
