Have you ever seen the Harlem Globetrotters play live? Or have you ever seen basketball players do tricks with a basketball? They can be really fun to watch and one of the most popular ones is to spin a basketball on your finger. It looks really cool. It’s like the ball is floating or spinning in the air.
One of the great things about this trick is that almost anyone can learn to do it. It may look really hard and it does take some good balance and hand-eye coordination but, using the proper steps and with some practice, you too can be spinning a basketball on your finger like one of the Harlem Globetrotters.
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What Do I Need to Learn to Spin a Basketball on My Finger?
Since spinning a ball could prove difficult initially, you may be apprehensive at first. Don’t worry! Below are steps and a few tips to start you on your ball spinning journey.
In fact, once you start learning how to do it, it becomes addictive. You will find yourself trying to spin any ball that you have in your hands even when you are walking around the house. Just be careful not to lose control and break that expensive vase in your living room.
This trick does not require any special equipment but below is a list of things you should have or consider before you start.
An old basketball – you will want to use an older basketball that is worn and possibly even slick. It will have less grip or friction and it will spin easier on your finger.
A finger – Of course you will need a finger to spin the ball on. Any of them will work but most people start with their index finger or middle finger. If you get really good you can try spinning the ball on other things like your head or your toes.
Trimmed Fingernails – You might want to give your fingernails a trim first. If they are too long it may make it more difficult and even worse, you might bend a fingernail back and that will really hurt.
Space – Make sure you have adequate space, especially when you start learning. The ball is going to be flying all over the place and as I mentioned, fragile objects in your house may not stand a chance.
Patience and Persistence – This trick does take some time to get good at and like any skill it will take repetition to learn. The more you practice, the better you will get and eventually your muscle memory will take over and it will be as easy as dribbling.
How to Spin a Basketball on Your Finger
Spinning a basketball on your finger, like any other skill, is something that you need to learn and then practice. The following are tips and steps to help you but keep in mind that there is always more that one way to learn or do something. The goal of this is to give some advice and direction to help you learn the skill.
Step 1: Preparation
Make sure you have everything in the list above and plenty of space for that trial and error period.
Step 2: Learn how to spin the ball in the air
Before trying to spin the ball on your finger, you first need to learn how to spin the ball well. You want to get a good straight rotation and the faster it spins the better. So, the goal of this step is just to learn to spin the ball in the air.
There are two methods of spinning that I will go over here. The two-handed spin and the one-handed spin. You can use either or both, whichever works best for you.
Method 1: Two-handed spin
This is my personal preferred method. It gives you more control and power and allows you to get more speed on your initial spin.
Holding the ball for the Two-handed spin. Photo by Melissa Medina.
Hold the ball at about chest level on its side with the grips (black lines) vertical. Have one hand with fingertips extended around the bottom of the ball and the other flat on the side.
With a slight upward motion, twist your hands, spinning the ball and releasing it up into the air. Don’t throw it to high in the air.
At this point just work on getting a good feel of how to spin the ball and getting a good constant, stable spin in the air. You should see the stripes moving steadily around in a circle, not wobbling in all different directions.
Once you can get a good steady spin work on getting more speed.
Method 2: One-handed spin
The one-handed spin looks a little cooler and can sometimes be easier to get onto your finger. The only drawback is its harder to get a fast spin, but once you get good you can speed the ball up by slapping it and spinning it more (we will discuss this a little later).
Holding the ball for one-handed spin. Photo by Melissa Medina.
Hold the ball at about chest level in your dominant hand with the stripes vertical. The ball should be resting on your fingertips with your hand at the bottom of the ball. Your thumb should be pointing outward from your body.
In one motion, twist your hand and fingers so that your thumb comes towards your body. This is important because it is much harder to spin the other direction. As you are twisting your hand move your hand slightly up in one motion and release the ball straight up into the air.
At first, don’t worry about the speed. Just try to get a good steady spin on the ball.
Once you have consistent spin, you can try to put more power into it to increase the speed.
Step 3: Spinning Ball on Finger
Once you can get a good consistent spin, it’s time to go for it. Use one of the methods above to spin the ball into the air, be careful not to get too much height on it or it will bounce off of your finger or even hurt your finger.
As you release the ball into the air, extend the index finger of your dominant hand and move it upward along with the ball as it is traveling upward, until your finger comes in contact with the ball. By moving your finger slowly upward with the ball, you can gently contact the ball giving it a soft landing so it does not bounce off. Your finger should contact the ball on the bottom center of the ball.
Once your finger comes into contact with the ball, you may need to adjust the position of your hand slightly back and forth until the spinning ball is balanced on your finger. At that point, the momentum of the spinning ball will help to keep it balanced and you doing it!
See the photos below showing both the two-handed and the one-handed methods.
Spinning using the two-handed method.
Spinning using the one-handed method.
Step 4: Keeping the Momentum
Eventually, the ball will begin to slow down and lose momentum. Once it slows too much it will fall. You can keep the momentum going by slightly slapping or grazing the side of the ball with your free hand to keep it spinning. Make sure you do this lightly or you will knock the ball off of your finger.
Additional Resources
If you want to see a video that uses a similar method to the one above, take a look at this.
Final Words
That’s it! It seems simple, right? It can be for some and for others it may take a while to get the hang of it. It really depends on your level of coordination. If you have trouble at first, don’t get discouraged, keep trying and keep practicing. The more you do it, the better you will get.
Do you know any other cool tricks with a basketball? We’d love to hear from you, so please leave your comments.
Learn How to Spin a Basketball on Your Finger in
I remember back when I first started playing basketball in middle school. One of the older players on our team would spin the basketball with such ease on his finger. I was in complete awe and wished I could spin the ball like him.
Want to learn how to spin a basketball on your finger? Here’s a brief step-by-step tutorial that will get you doing it in just five minutes. With lots of practice, you’ll soon be spinning the ball like one of the Harlem Globetrotters!
Table of Contents
The Basics of Spinning a Basketball on Your Finger
How to Spin a Basketball on Your Finger: 8 Simple Steps (Plus Video Example)
The Basics of Spinning a Basketball on Your Finger
Before we get into the step-by-step tutorial, here are a few basic tips and tricks to keep in mind.
Use Your Dominant Hand: When you’re first learning how to spin a basketball on your finger, make sure to use your dominant hand (if you’re right-handed, spin the ball on your right hand). Your dominant hand is stronger and oftentimes steadier than your non-dominant hand.
Use an Old Basketball: Brand new basketballs may be shiny and nice to look at, but they can be more difficult to spin since they have less grip. Old basketballs have some worn-in grooves that make it easier to balance for beginning spinners.
Trim your fingernails before your first spin practice session! When it comes to spinning a basketball, long nails aren’t helpful. You don’t want to break your fingernail off because it’s painful and will result in you having to end your practice session early.
Proper Spacing: Before starting to spin the ball, make sure you have enough space. The last thing you need is the ball flying off your hand and breaking something in your house.
Forget About Speed: When you’re first starting to learn how to spin, don’t be so concerned with speed. Start slowly and learn to increase momentum once you get more comfortable with the movement.
Do Wrist Exercises: Believe it or not, spinning a basketball requires a great amount of wrist strength. Do some wrist curls or some gripping exercises. This will help you snap your wrist with more centripetal force and create more spin on the ball.
Practice, Practice, Practice! Just like any other endeavor, spinning a basketball requires a lot of practice. Don’t get discouraged if you can’t spin the ball for very long right away! With a little persistence and a lot of repetition, spinning the ball on your finger will become second nature.
How to Spin a Basketball on Your Finger: 8 Simple Steps (Plus Video Example)
1. Warm Up: Perform some simple warm-up stretches to get your wrists, elbows, fingers, and forearms loosened up. Flexibility is a hidden key to spinning a basketball on your finger. These stretches will also help to prevent any muscle or ligament strains.
2. Set the Ball: Move the ball from the palm of your hand and let it rest on your fingertips. Bend your knees slightly to be in a more athletic position. This is the perfect opportunity to get a good feel for the basketball and find out how the grooves feel on your fingertips.
3. Fully Rotate Your Wrist: Get ready for a good first spin by rotating your wrist at maximum capacity. This is where you get ready to snap the ball quickly!
4. Spin and Toss: This is where the magic happens. In one motion, spin the basketball while simultaneously tossing it into the air. This is arguably the most important step since a good spin and toss sets the tone for the rest of the maneuver.
5. Find the Center: As the ball is in the air, try to locate the center of the basketball.
6. Raise Your Finger: Raise your index finger at a slight angle.
7. Catch and Balance: With the center of the ball as your target, catch the ball on your index fingertip and keep it balanced to prolong the spin.
8. Keep The Spin Going: Once the momentum of the spin dies down, you can use your opposite hand to lightly graze the sides of the ball. This will help the ball to continue spinning. Just make sure to do this lightly or it will knock the ball off of your finger.
Bonus Tip: Check out this fabulous six-minute YouTube video from Coach Nick on how to become a master at spinning a basketball on your finger. This guy does a terrific job of breaking down each step of the process.
Mike Noblin
Mike has been involved with basketball for over 30 years as a player, coach, and bettor. He has a degree in Sports Psychology and enjoys following both the NBA and College Basketball on a nightly basis.
How to learn how to spin a basketball on your finger
To skillfully spin a basketball on your finger, you need to learn a few simple techniques, find the ball and set aside 10 minutes of training per day. After a week of practicing your skills, you will master the technique of this trick and show it to your friends. In the step-by-step instructions below, we will show you how to learn how to spin a basketball on your finger.
Tossing the ball correctly
You can train on the sports ground, near the house or even in the apartment, but in any place you need to take into account the environment. For example, when practicing a trick in a room, the ball can bounce and break fragile objects. When a place is found and inventory is prepared, you can begin training. Initially, you need to learn how to properly hold and throw the ball in the air:
Hold the ball with the stripes vertical. Horizontal scrolling looks ineffective and it is very difficult to catch a projectile from this position.
Select throw method:
Two hands. You need to keep the ball not on the sides, but so that 1 hand “looks” at you, and the second from you. Having fixed the object, sharply spread your arms and slightly “throw” the ball up.
With one hand. To throw with one hand, place your fingers along the lines of the ball. It is important that there is free space between the palm and the inventory. Lightly squeeze the ball. Turn the brush outward until it stops, and then gently turn it back. At the last moment, you need to give additional rotation to the ball with your fingertips. But we do not recommend using a large one, because. this will upset the balance and the ball will fly away.
Throw the ball parallel to the floor, do not allow the ball to wobble. It is important that when thrown, the projectile rises above eye level. When its bottom surface is visible, the ball is easier to catch.
These steps must be repeated until fully automatic. Usually it takes two days. When the throws are confident, you can move on to the second level.
Learning to catch the ball
Once you have learned how to throw correctly, try catching the ball with your finger. To do this, remember the following nuances:
You need to catch the projectile on the nail, not the finger itself. In this case, it is important that the brush is turned with the palm towards you.
The finger must be placed strictly in the center, at the junction of the vertical lines, otherwise the ball will slide off.
When your finger touches the ball, gently and smoothly lower your hand down. So you will improve the cushioning, the inventory will not bounce, and you will not damage your finger.
This stage is one of the most difficult and requires patience on the part of the freestyler, athlete and just wanting to master the skill. When you learn how to catch the ball, at first it can control you: jump off and make you “run” after it to keep your balance. Be patient and keep practicing.
Once you are comfortable with a spinning ball, try to keep it spinning and spin it further. To do this, with light flapping movements, move your free hand along a tangent. But remember that strong twists can shift the center of gravity and the projectile will lose balance.
Tips
Here are some helpful tips from the pros:
practice throwing a few times a day before moving on to other stages;
workouts can be quite tiring, so take breaks between sets to give your hands a rest;
use only a well-inflated ball;
when accelerating the rotational movements, do not apply much force, otherwise the ball will slip off the finger;
Trim your nails before practicing, this will increase rotation control;
do not throw the ball very high: you can damage or break the phalanges;
You can reduce the risk of wrist injury by warming up before practicing the exercise.
Knowing how to spin a basketball on your finger and approaching the matter responsibly, in a week you will be able to show a cool trick to friends or sports colleagues.
How to learn to spin a basketball on your finger. Tricks in Basketball
To become a good basketball player, you need to literally become related to the ball. It is important to feel the projectile, to control its every rotation. In this case, tricks with a basketball will help you. The most famous and common of them is the rotation of the ball on the finger. Having studied a few simple techniques, you can devote no more than 10 minutes a day to practicing the trick. And in a week you will masterfully spin a basketball on your finger.
How to learn to spin the ball on your finger?
Basketball tricks can be practiced anywhere, if convenient:
On the sports ground;
Near the house;
In an apartment.
The main thing is not to allow damage to property during the practice of the trick. How to learn how to spin the ball on your finger, we will tell further.
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Tossing the ball
The first step to spinning a basketball on your finger is to hold it correctly and toss it into the air. In this case, the stripes that are applied to the surface of the ball will help a lot. It is difficult to catch a sports equipment with horizontal scrolling. Plus, the rotation itself looks ineffective. Therefore, arrange the stripes of the ball vertically.
Now you need to decide on the method of throwing. It doesn't matter if you throw with one or two hands. The main thing is to follow the technique. If you want to use one hand, place your fingers along the lines of the ball, creating space between your palm and the basketball. Squeeze the sports equipment with a little effort. Make a gentle swirling motion with the brush, giving extra spin with your fingertips. In the process, the thumb is superfluous, as it upsets the balance, and the basketball will eventually fly off to the side.
When both hands are involved, the ball is not taken from the sides, but from the front and back (one palm is directed towards you, the other away from you). When ready, with a sharp movement, spread your arms and direct the projectile perpendicularly upwards in front of you. The toss line should run parallel to the floor and above eye level. The task of catching the ball is made easier when its bottom surface is visible.
Within two days, these movements can be brought to full automatism. You can move on to practicing the next action when the throws are confident.
Catching the ball
The main secret is to catch the ball on the nail. The brush is turned with the palm towards you. Contact with the ball is carried out only in the center where the vertical lines meet. When the ball is already spinning on your finger, gently and smoothly lower your hand down. This improves cushioning, reduces the likelihood of slipping, and protects against injury to the finger.
Basketball tricks require patience. Rotation on the finger including. It is difficult to keep balance and make the ball obey you. But after hard training, the result will not be long in coming. Over time, you can complicate the exercise. Spin the already spinning projectile further.
Don’t throw it to high in the air.
This is important because it is much harder to spin the other direction. As you are twisting your hand move your hand slightly up in one motion and release the ball straight up into the air.
Your finger should contact the ball on the bottom center of the ball.
With lots of practice, you’ll soon be spinning the ball like one of the Harlem Globetrotters!
Just make sure to do this lightly or it will knock the ball off of your finger.
After a week of practicing your skills, you will master the technique of this trick and show it to your friends. In the step-by-step instructions below, we will show you how to learn how to spin a basketball on your finger. 
Having fixed the object, sharply spread your arms and slightly “throw” the ball up. 
To do this, remember the following nuances: 
But remember that strong twists can shift the center of gravity and the projectile will lose balance. 
In this case, the stripes that are applied to the surface of the ball will help a lot. It is difficult to catch a sports equipment with horizontal scrolling. Plus, the rotation itself looks ineffective. Therefore, arrange the stripes of the ball vertically. 
The toss line should run parallel to the floor and above eye level. The task of catching the ball is made easier when its bottom surface is visible. 
