Follow These Tips To Make Yourself A Better Basketball Player

Basketball has been loved for many years, allowing people the chance to enjoy themselves while they compete on the court. If you are interested in the game, you must have the proper skills and the right mindset. Read this article to get the information you need to play basketball.

Make sure you learn how to shoot free throws. This seems like an easy shot, but it is quite hard. Practice this technique regularly. Hold the ball level to your face. Look at the basket and imagine the ball going in it. Next, shoot with just the trajectory you saw.

Practice catching passes as often as you can. Try to catch all of the passes that are thrown to you. This will help you catch those bad passes during a game. Being able to get imperfect passes will limit turnovers.

You want to be prepared for any type of defense the other team plays. While you might see a zone defense mostly, a team can switch defenses to man-to-man quickly in order to confuse you. When you don’t know how to defeat it, you will lose.

Do not wait for any special season to play some basketball. It is possible to enjoy this team sport even in the absence of your team. Don’t worry! There is still much you can accomplish playing alone. Work on free throws and pivot moves. There are always things that can be done.

Good footwork is essential to escaping coverage and putting yourself in position to take a shot when you are posting up. Although it’s important to have a physical presence underneath the basket, it’s more important that you get in a good place before your opponent can. After establishing good position, you need to make sure you hold it. Good solid footwork will help you develop the skills you need for success.

You should always be aware of the position of your feet and their actions. You will be called out of bounds if even one toe is touching the baseline as you hold the ball. Holding the ball for too many steps and not dribbling will result in a walking call which will cause you to you will lose possession of the ball. Moving your feet as you are setting a screen or pick usually results in you being called for a foul.

Ask a friend to record your games so that you can see how yourself in action. This way, you have the opportunity to go through your play at a later time and see your mistakes. Be honest with yourself but don’t be too harsh. There are times when it pays to view yourself realistically.

For more consistency in making those free throws, stick with the same sequence of motions before you take each shot. This might mean that you dribble the ball twice, bend your knees, touch your forehead, or any other movement. If you make your routine consistent, your body will eventually know how to make the shot every time.

Practice passing while looking the opposite direction. Your opponents can really get confused by this, as well. This will give the person that you passed the ball to a chance to make their move before your opponent can correct from their mix up. This play can be very powerful.

If you’re able to remember these things the next time you hit the court, you’ll have a lot more fun the next time you play. Take your time and go over other articles as well as videos so that you can keep learning more. Obtain all that advice you can to better your game.