How do I get better at basketball?

[holybich]

do NOT "run." as a person suggested above. running is aerobic exercise, which slows you down (do I have any evidence for this? no, but I heard that the average marathon runner has a vertical leap of 20 inches. the NFL tests vertical leap of all draft prospects because there is a major correlation between vertical leap and speed.

do sprint workouts instead. basketball players do not run up and down the court in games, they sprint up and down the court.

I agree with crossovers+layups, and 10 minutes a day of just ball handling. If you are lazy like me learn to shoot. but ball handling is always a priority, once you are good at that you can keep playing pickup games.

 

[kever]

Originally Posted by holybich

do NOT "run." as a person suggested above. running is aerobic exercise, which slows you down (do I have any evidence for this? no, but I heard that the average marathon runner has a vertical leap of 20 inches. the NFL tests vertical leap of all draft prospects because there is a major correlation between vertical leap and speed.

do sprint workouts instead. basketball players do not run up and down the court in games, they sprint up and down the court.

I agree with crossovers+layups, and 10 minutes a day of just ball handling. If you are lazy like me learn to shoot. but ball handling is always a priority, once you are good at that you can keep playing pickup games.

^^^
Don't agree with that at all. You need to have pretty damn good cardio to play basketball at a high level. I've always incorporated running into my training (as have all of my coaches and trainers). I don't train like I would for a marathon, but doing some extra 30 or 40 minute runs has always helped my basketball. Doing sprints is great training as well, but to tell someone to not run is pretty ridiculous. Watch an NBA game or college game. Unless its a fast break, they aren't sprinting.


Also, some general tips for better basketball (some of these might have been covered already..):
On defence:
-Force your man in the direction of his weak hand when he drives
-Watch his chest or stomach when he has the ball (you won't get caught with head fakes or ball fakes)
-Instead of trying to block the ball, try to block his vision when he's shooting.
-BOX OUT WHEN SOMEONE SHOOTS - then go after the rebound
-Never forget help side defence - if your teammate get beat, closest guy rotates over, and everyone else adjusts.
-Call screens and bump the cutter


On offence:
-Move without the ball - things like going to the corner when someone drives baseline can make the difference between a turnover and an open jump shot.
-Set screens
-Go after every rebound unless you're the last guy back
-Don't force bad shots. Take whats open, but if it's not there, find the open guy.

Training:
-Take a lot of shots, but take them at game speed. Shooting practice should be at the same speed/intensity as game situations.
-Practice dribbling - stationary dribbling, crossovers back and forth down the court, two ball dribbling, dribbling while sprinting, etc, etc.
-Eat well, get lots of rest, and lift weights (you could go into great detail about weights/plyos/etc, but at this point, just getting out and playing is more important. Being a bit faster, or jumping an inch higher won't help if you can't shoot or dribble).
-Play 1 on 1 to work on your skills. Try to play someone better than you so you can learn from them.
-Play as often as you can.


Again, sorry if some of this has been covered already. Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[rents]

You just have to practice. It doesnt have to be in game situations, games like horse, 21 or american are all good IMO.

When I was younger I had a big kids ball and everytime I was home I would constantly be dribbling it. If I was doing homework I would be dribbling it, if I was watching tv I would be dribbling it. Then when I went out to play ball a normal basketball seemed so much easier to dribbled and I think that helped my dribbling a great deal.

 

[eg1]

Originally Posted by Verno Inferno

Sorry if this is stuff you already know, but I've played plenty of pick-up games with experienced players who just don't get this stuff. There are very few things you can do to make you better other than playing all the time with the purpose of improving. Here are things you can improve immediately so that when you are playing with others, you are a valuable asset to the team:

Play like Dennis Rodman. On offense, admit to yourself that you're terrible with the ball in your hands. If you're having trouble with layups, don't even try to score on offense. Your job should be figuring out how to affect the outcome of the game without attempting to score. Here are some pointers:

Move without the ball: When you play pick-up games, it's really annoying that people don't move without the ball. Everyone's in a man-to-man and nobody's cutting and it's irritating for people who play a lot of basketball. So when you are on offense, run to a corner. Let the guy guarding you catch up to you. Now run to the other corner. He won't know where your headed, so you'll always be a step ahead of him. Do this running with your hands out like you're calling for the ball. You're not the offensive juggernaut, so you won't get it probably, but you'll freak out the lazy pick-up game defense.

Set picks for the guy with the ball: you can be the worst player in the history of basketball and set picks to help the good player score all day. Pick-up game defenders are poor at making switches when it's appropriate. So good guy on your team has the ball. You run from your corner up to the guy with the ball and set a pick on the guy who's guarding him. One of two things will happen: your best player will get free of the fellow guarding him and will have a nice scoring advantage and can make something happen on offense. Or, they'll switch defenders so that he doesn't get a step on his man. So now you have another ideal scenario: the guy guarding you (probably not their best player if you are a weak offensive threat) will now be guarding your teams best player and their best athlete is probably guarding you.

Set picks for the guy without the ball: maybe a really good player doesn't have the ball. Run over to that fella and set a pick on the guy guarding him. Same benefits as before: he's either going to be wide open for a pass and easy bucket, or they have to switch defenders.

Box-Out: notice I didn't say rebound. You can try to rebound, of course, but the best thing you can do on offense is that when a shot goes up, put your butt on somebody and box him out so that he can't rebound. Either you or someone more athletic on your team will grab the board if everyone's boxing out. A pick-up team that has 5 players who actually box-out is a team I'll put money on because they are the team that's going to get second and third shots. So if you catch yourself watching someone's shot without boxing out, make a mental note that you won't be so lazy next time.

So that's a lot of words for simply: (1) make cuts without the ball; (2) set picks; (3) box-out.

That's how you become a better team asset instantly when you don't really have any offensive or defensive skills. None of that requires actual basketball skill or even any athletecism. And don't worry about plays. Once you learn the efficacy of setting picks, then you can move on to learning the pick and roll and maybe you can start getting some open looks of your own.

Heh -- you've just described pretty much the totality of my game, such as it was, with one exception. Sprint from end to end (unless playing half-court) to create/prevent fast break opportunities.

To the OP, find a basket you can use by yourself (or with a partner) every day. Develop a routine which features "moves" (cross-over, hesitation, inside-out, etc.) lay-ups and shooting off the dribble interspersed with foul shooting. Make sure you practice the moves and lay-ups with both hands from either side of the basket. Have a target for shots put up or shots made. Over time you will develop a comfort level with using specific moves from certain spots on the floor, or certain spots from where you feel good about shooting -- in games, only take shots from those spots when the opportunity arises; otherwise pass. This is what is meant by "letting the game come to you".

 

[Verno Inferno]

Originally Posted by eg1

Heh -- you've just described pretty much the totality of my game, such as it was, with one exception. Sprint from end to end (unless playing half-court) to create/prevent fast break opportunities.

Me too, except I can play position defense and hit open midrange shots. But I want no part of unnecessary sprinting in pick-up games, so I enjoy avoiding fast break opportunities under the guise of Setting Up Our Non-Existent Offense.

 

[christinedaae]

If you really suck do these drills until you puke


1. Take two basketballs and dribble them up and downt he court at the same time with both hands. x 30 you should get to hte point where you can RUN while doing this. that's when you know you can handle the basketball

2. Get in a defensive stance and slide from the out of bonds corner to the tip of the freethrow line, to the half court out of bounds line, to the tip of the other free throw line to the out of bounds line. You play defense with your feet not your hands, and this helps you learn how to keep yourself in front of your player while still playing defense. keep your back straight, dont' swipe at the ball x 30

3.Free throws x100

4. layup drills with both hands. x 50

6. Fast Break practice. Take the ball dribble up court full speed, pull up at the freethrow line and shoot a pull up jumper. you need to learn how to shoot on the run and not just be a spot up shooter. x100

If you really want to get good.. Put a Chair in front of where you want to stop at. you need to stop on a dime and land where you jump so you don't catch a charge and you get a better shot off

7. Line Drills. Take the ball, do basically the same thing as the defensive drill execpt dribble. Alwyas keep the ball to our side, never put the ball in front of you, use your out arm to protect the ball. When you get to the tip of the floop cross over and go the other way. x100


DO NOT LOOK DOWN WHEN YOU DRIBBLE. EVER. KEEP YOUR EYES UP COURT. if you lose the ball you just lose the ball.
YOU HANDLING THE BALL SHOULD BECOME AN AFTERTHOUGHT.



you aren't playing competitive ball. that is more than enough. when I played i would do about 30 minutes of sprints on top of this 6 days a week.

i can do that in under 2 hours

If you do all this full tilt i asure you that you will not need to do any cardiok you should be puking.

 

[mkm88414]

training your skill set is going to be the most helpful for you.

for the extra edge beyond skills you should train your athleticism.

look up various crossfit programs, they do some pretty grueling conditioning and mix in olympic lifts (explosiveness) and gymnastics (strength and coordination)

 

[Baron]

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[Stokely]

Play. Play. Play.

Go to Chapel Hill, NC and play on local courts. Or local courts anywhere.

 

[AFG34]

Play with people better than you.

Always work on some part of your game during a pickup or w-e, don't 'just play'

 

[Night Owl]

Originally Posted by Monaco

Read up on rules, and play pick up games at your local park/basketball court, don't be shy just keep playing, thats the only way to get better. Try not to play with the same people on a consistent basis, you get too comfortable and won't get any better.

definitely, the rule book is a must read if you want to be a better basketball palyer

call every foul, travel, carry, 3 seconds, 5 seconds, over the back, etc

 

[otlums]

play as often as possible. i agree, play with different opponents every time and practice dribbling skills.

 

[JG000]

As an avid basketball player, I can give you plenty of advice: Dribbling - Work on dexterity (dribbling with both hands) - FINGERTIPS FINGERTIPS FINGERTIPS - Practice practice practice. Magic Johsnon and "Pistol" Pete Maravich (2 of the best ball-handlers EVER) were ALWAYS dribbling wherever they went as kids. Walking to the store, lounging around the house, to and from the court, etc. Pistol even got kicked out of a movie theater one time for dribbling a ball. Bottom line: The best ballhandlers have a ball in their hands more often than not - Do every day activities with your "off-hand" (i.e. brush your teeth lefty if you're right-handed) - Do figure 8 drills () - Do advanced 2-ball drills once you get a respectable handle () - Head up when you dribble (I know easier said than done) - Do a youtube search on "Gannon Baker", "Micah Lancaster", "Jason Otter" and "Superhandles". - They all have excellent advanced ball handling videos and tutorials. I've bought a few of their DVDs, you should too. Jumpshot - Your jumpshot should be mostly leg movement. Once your legs are in it, you will add an incredible amount of distance and accuracy to your shot (look no further than a Ray Allen video for textbook jumpshooting legs) - Hand in the cookie jar when you release - An excellent jumpshot is more or less muscle memory. Repetition and practice really is the most important key - Leave your off-hand to the side of the ball ( <- check that guy's entire youtube channel, tons of great MJ tutorial videos) - Don't overthink it, because you'll miss every time - Look at the basket when you're shooting, no where else - When you first step on the court, start with lay-ups and 2-footers. From there 5 and 10-footers. Keep moving back until you miss. Great way to build confidence and range That's all I've got for now, but I'll post plenty more later. I can talk bball for HOURS

 

[terrataylor]

training training training hard

 

[chenc]

If not already mentioned, there are some Jordan and some NBA players instruction stuff on Youtube.