People all over the world love to watch and play basketball. Many famous players, including Michael Jordan, Yao Ming, and Kobe Bryant, are global celebrities. You may not be on their level as a player, but if you love to play basketball, you can profit from reading the following tips.
When you are dribbling the ball, be sure that you are doing so with your head up. If you have your eyes on the ball instead while you are dribbling it, you cannot keep an eye on those defending you. This could lead to them stealing the ball away from you.
Keeping calm and reacting maturely to getting beat is as important to your game as anything else. If your opponent has played harder and has out-hustled you, don’t get upset or stressed out, as your game will only suffer. Instead, think about how to match the intensity of your opponent. Beat them at their own game.
Where loose fitting shorts and a sports shirt that lets you move. Basketball is a very physical sport. There’s a lot of running, a lot of physical contact, and a ton of jumping. You want to wear clothes that let you move as well as possible. If you don’t, you’ll find your time on the court to be pretty miserable.
To play your best game of basketball, it is important to keep focused. Even when the action is not near your position, remain aware of the action and be ready to move fast. A positive attitude combined with being fully focused on what you are doing can give you the competitive advantage.
Be careful about trying to block shots. In most organized leagues, blocking the shot on the way down or when in the imaginary cylinder above the net results in a goaltending call. This just gives the opponent the attempted points, whether they would have made the shot or not anyway.
Knowing how to handle the basketball is an important step in becoming a good player. Work hard to perfect your dribble with your weaker hand. The ability to dribble the ball well with both hands will keep opponents guessing. When you are able to take off dribbling to the right or the left, opponents will have a hard time predicting where you will go.
To help your muscles get used to the change of pace in dribbling during a regular game, do 10-5 drills. Soft dribble for 5 seconds, then power dribble for 10. Do it these drills a number of times on each hand. That way, the muscles in your arms will be prepared to change pace as quickly as you need to.
You need to mess with your opponent’s head. Force them to leave their comfort zone. An aggressive approach is an effective one for this purpose. Never allow them to decide what plays will be made. If you do so, then your rivals have the control. Force them to act and their rhythm will get disrupted.
Always keep your eyes up when dribbling the basketball. You need to be looking for a lot of things when dribbling. First, you want to be able to see teammates open for a good pass. You also want to be looking for any weaknesses in the defense, especially in transition.
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.
A good basketball drill to perform is to see if you can get the ball down the entire court in 5 or less dribbles. This may not seem feasible, but once you master it, your speed and stride will be truly impressive. You will have easy layups on fast breaks and you will be able to advance your team easily.
Perhaps you are not quite ready for the NBA, but this does not mean that you should not focus on becoming a better basketball player. The advice that you have just read can be invaluable. Incorporate these tips into your game so that you can dominate the court the next time you play.