How to become a better basketball player at home

How to become a better basketball player, according to NBA legends

You play pickup ball with your friends each week, but you can’t seem to keep up.

You’ve been working hard in the gym, hitting the weights to boost your fitness, but nothing seems to be working. The best way to sharpen your skills on the court? By picking up tips, tricks, and training suggestions from some of the best professionals in the sport.

Whether it’s boosting your speed, stamina, shooting, or mental toughness, we have some options for you to help your pickup skills.

Here’s your basketball training guide:

Jason Kidd – former NBA point guard, Milwaukee Bucks head coach

Back when he was age 34, Jason Kidd had one of his best seasons, joining greats Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson as the only players to average at least 13 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds per game. Kidd shares some tips on how to deliver pinpoint passes and achieve your personal triple-double: strength, speed, and endurance.

Passing Skills

“I always felt passing isn’t so much working on passing as it is anticipation: What does the eye see, and can the mind relay that to my body? What does this guy like to do? Does he like to go right or left? If I see somebody is going backdoor, can I get it to him in stride so that he can catch and finish?”

Hand-Eye Coordination

“How do you work on sight and passing? Try to throw a strikeout in the [batter’s] box. If you are playing strikeout with a buddy, if you see he doesn’t like the ball inside, can you throw on the inside corner on the plate consistently? I think this is good for anybody with a son or daughter—can you throw pitches to an 8-year-old consistently where you know he or she can hit it? Can you throw the ball so it is in their sweet spot? That isn’t a very easy thing to do.”

In the Gym

“I do a lot of leg work—stepups with 30-pound dumbbells, leg press, calves and calfraises—and I do situps in between each set. I’m a big fan of Pilates for maintaining your strength. I can go an hour or 30 minutes to stretch and work on my flexibility and my abs. I don’t run a lot, but I do try to swim five times a week. I also play one-on-one with a good friend not so much to beatng him but more to chase him, stay in front of him, andmove my feet.”

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Kobe Bryant – Retired NBA legend, Los Angeles Lakers

When he was at his peak, Bryant was the NBA’s best overall scorer. Over the years Bryant bulked up with a regimen that combined Olympic lifts with track work. He shared his secrets for playing with the same intensity each time you hit the court.

Conditioning

“You want to make sure you go into the upcoming season in tip-top shape. My conditioning comes from running, whether it’s on a track, on a field, or on the court itself just doing suicides or sprints. Whatever your program is, the key is to push yourself to a level where you’re hurting. You can’t gain conditioning without going through it. You’re going to have to feel some pain, you’re going to have to feel like your lungs are burning, that sort of thing.”

Consistency

“If you watch me train, it doesn’t look like I’m overexerting myself. It’s an everyday thing. You have to abide by your program religiously.”

In the Gym

“During the season, I focus a lot on weight training, building up my strength level as the season progresses. Clean pulls, deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, back squats, things of that nature. In the off-season, it’s about getting stronger as well as more agile. Then, obviously, you want to get on the court and work on your skills. I shoot between 750 and 1,000 makes a day.”

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Cuttino Mobley – Former Houston Rockets, L.

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Warm-Up

“Start in at the rim, almost like a layup with jump-shot form, and shoot about 100 shots inside, then start moving farther out. It’ll just become muscle memory from repetition.”

Proper Form

“Tuck your elbow and line it up with your knee, and don’t shoot at the rim, shoot up over it. Put some air under the ball so you give it a chance to go in. Pretend you’re picking an apple out of the basket. Reach up, go inside the basket with your release, andfollow through with your index and middle fingers. That’s what your form should be: up, pick the apple out of the basket, then back down. You don’t want to be leaning back when you shoot, either; you just want to go straight up and come down on the same spot.”

In the Gym

“Do as many pushups pullups, and dips as you can. Your jump shot comes from your triceps and your wrist strength. You don’t have to be lifting all those weights to shoot.”

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Leandro Barbosa – Phoenix Suns guard

Leandro Barbosa, “the Brazilian Blur,” previously won the Sixth Man Award earlier in his career, partly because he’s proven himself to be faster than just about anybody in the NBA. His experience will help improve your speed.

Take Up Soccer

“When I was a kid, I used to play soccer without shoes on the street. I don’t have a lot of ball-handling skills like Steve Nash, but my thing is just to get the ball down the court and score. Soccer really helped me develop my quick feet.”

In the Gym

“I don’t do a lot of upper-body stuff, but I do leg presses, Romanian deadlifts, and some other lower-body work every day. I also try to do exercises while I’m wearing a weighted shirt. People say it can be bad for your knees, but I do a lot of exercises with it on to keep my legs strong. Sometimes, I’ll just walk around the locker room with it on. Then, when I take it off, I can really feel the difference.”

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Gilbert Arenas – Former Washington Wizards guard

“Basketball is all mental,” says eccentric guard Gilbert Arenas. “Everyone’s talent is the same, but the mental aspect separates stars from superstars.” Heed his advice and be as tough upstairs as this former clutch shooter.

Redirect Your Energy

“My confidence got hurt coming into the league [Arenas was drafted 31st overall in the second round; he expected to go higher], but after seeing an old highlight tape, I realized that it’s just basketball. I put all my frustration and energy into basketball for two weeks. I did it, and I got to play, and I just decided that [my intensity] is what got me on [the team], and this is what’s going to keep me on it. ”

Find a Training Partner

“You need someone to challenge you, because it keeps you motivated. He’s going to make you work hard for what you do. You need somebody like that.”

The Psychology of Game Winners

“When we play pickup games, I won’t shoot the ball until it’s the last shot,” says Arenas. “I’m the only one who’s going to take it all the way until we lose or we win. I’ve been doing that for the last three years. You have to have that mind-set: If you don’t make it, you have to live with it. As many shots as Michael Jordan’s made, he’s missed three times as many.”

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A Complete Guide On How To Get Better At Basketball Fast

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Playing basketball is not a skill that you can master in an instant. Even professional basketball players have to spend a lot of time practicing every day.

However, if you are a novice or young basketball player and want to master the basic steps to improve your skills, Scott Fujita will guide you in the article below.

How to get better at basketball at home? Let’s read on to discover!

Detailed steps to get better at basketball

Contents

To be able to play basketball well, you need to know some basic basketball skills. The first step is always the most important to understand the movements often used in competition.

Related: 

• Basic skills of basketball
• How to become a basketball coach
• How to shoot a basketball

1. Master Your Ball Handling Skills

To become a better player, the first thing you need to do is develop strong basketball dribbling skills. Start with simple dribbling drills and work your way up to mastery.

It would help if you started practicing with a centered athletic position. Keep your nose behind your toes and loaded hips, so you will not lean forward. Balance is the key to effective basketball handling.

Start moving the ball around your body in a static and athletic position. Don’t hesitate to dribble forcefully to the side of your foot when handling the ball.

You should maintain a bounce height between your knees and hips for the best control. Practice a few times in that sweet spot and then start dribbling. It ensures to keep the ball within your range to score better.

To gain more ball control, you need to put more force in after each dribble. We recommend practicing two-handed dribbling every day until your dribbling skills become proficient.

Also, pay attention to the three basic basketball skills: midfoot, back, and crossovers.

You will need to combine or create new dribbles based on these basic moves in a basketball game. It is vital to make sure you understand this step well before moving on to the other steps.

Check out this video to get an ultimate guide on how to get better at basketball dribbling.

Once you’ve played basketball for a while, you’ll have a clear understanding of your abilities. Set aside a certain amount of time each day to self-assess your performance. Usually, it will take you five to ten minutes to think about and list all of your strengths and weaknesses on paper.

Finding out your weaknesses will help you determine which basketball drills you should practice. For example, if you have trouble at the free-throw line, increase your free throws practice next time.

To become an elite basketball court player, you need to identify and eliminate your flaws to perfect every game aspect.

Most basketball players perform better in solo practice than they do in basketball games. The main reason for this drop in form is that the pressure of time and the game’s fast pace sometimes overwhelms you.

If you tend to shine in practice games but are poor at shooting and dribbling in real matches, chances are you haven’t kept up with game speed. When practicing or playing one on one, imagine defensive players covering you. It will help you a lot in keeping up with the actual game speed.

Opponent defenders won’t wait until you’ve completed a dribble or tried to find the best throw distance to the basketball hoop. If you want to practice shooting, let’s assume there are a lot of opponents around you. Those who hesitate to practice will not be able to perform well in actual conditions. It would be best if you remembered that.

You will not be able to improve your basketball skills if you are not physically fit. Whether you’re a defense or offensive player, fitness is essential to keep a basketball player competitive.

To be able to run across the field, you need to build endurance. Even if you’ve mastered basic skills like dribbling and passing skills, you won’t be able to keep up with your teammates if you’re quickly exhausted after five minutes of running. The best exercises for building endurance include endurance running, sprinting, or weight training to build muscle.

Power dribble before each game to warm up is also an excellent way to get used to the tempo of practice. Do these routines daily to increase your stamina. As muscle mass increases, it will help you become more aggressive to elevate you.

You need to practice shooting basketball frequently

You need to take some shooting drills to build the foundation for your shots. The lower body is the starting point for every shot that can score points. So, you need to focus on training and training your lower body.

Start by pointing your toes in the same direction, first placing them perpendicular to the rim. During practice, try to find the most natural position for your body. If you push the arch of your foot into the floor to load your lower body, it will give you strength and consistency.

Keep your knees behind your toes and focus on letting energy and power flow from your feet to your hips and buttocks. Finally, stroke your toes, knees, hips, and shoulders. Don’t forget to flex your legs after each shot.

You can also use the hand-eye coordination method to make your shooting arm stronger. If you want to practice at home, stand in front of a mirror without a ball in hand.

For a consistent ball feel, optimize your hand positioning. It affects the proper spin, feel connection, and controllability through which you fire. To find the correct hand position is to place the index finger of your dominant hand on the air valve of the ball. You can practice a shooting drill to get used to the feel of the ball in your hand.

When facing a defensive player, choose a high release point to make it harder for them to block. Keep your wrists and elbows in line with the basket. Extend your arms entirely so that your elbows end above the eye at the point of the shot.

For beginners, watching other basketball players play is also an excellent way to learn. Not only with basketball but also other sports. You can see how people play defense as well as set up attack tactics accordingly.

Professional games like the NBA are often thrilling but not suitable for learning. They usually pay attention to individual skills or highlights of the players. In contrast, high school and college tournaments use longer shot clocks. It is more suitable for the way teenagers play.

Observe and save skills that can be useful to bolster your offensive and defensive game. You won’t be able to practice defensive drills without help from other players. So this would be a good way to learn.

Don’t forget to play one on one with a defender

Playing defense is difficult if you practice alone. Most of our exercises will revolve around attacking and scoring. So how can you master the shooting and scoring?

A helpful tip is to observe defensive players’ feet, hands, and noses. They will help you roughly determine their standing position to predict their next move. Make quick judgments and create space with jabs or jumps.

When creating space from a tight defender, you need to achieve three goals. These include breaking balance, keeping the ball close, and creating a lane to the basket.

We recommend that you combine watching the video tutorials below to get the best results.

For you to become a better basketball player, talent is not the deciding factor. Famous stars like Michael Jordan or LeBron James also have a hard time practicing to master skills and apply them flexibly during competition. Take time to practice every day, and you will quickly realize your progress.

Thank you for reading!

How can a basketball player develop without access to the gym?

4 tips to become a better player, athlete and personality

It happens to everyone that you want to train, move forward, progress, but there is no access to the court and the gym. This article contains 4 recommendations for this case. Read and apply.

1. Start monitoring your nutrition and sleep

One of the most important components of progress and development on the site is recovery, and nutrition and sleep are its foundation. Without this, stretching, contrast showers and everything else make little sense.

So you can not sit if you sleep 4 hours a day

2. Work on your body

This does not always require a basketball hall or even a gym. Charging, yoga and stretching, some other recovery procedures (only with a really heavy load), core is the minimum that can be done at home.

In fact, at the initial stage, it is possible to exercise effectively and beneficially for the body at home. Add this and you will already become the best around, because you will train more.

Images from our online school where you can train at home

3. Analyze matches

This will help you better understand the game and increase your basketball IQ. Analyze your game and the game of professionals you want to be like, analyze your opponent. And always pay attention to details.

Kobe Bryant was a crazy basketball player down to the last detail. He watched the matches and noticed the details so much that he knew how his opponent would act in any situation. In his book, he described a moment where, thanks to analysis, Kobe dunked through the center opponent, because he knew how he would put his hand to resist, and was able to remove it.

Curry said that when he watches his games, he pauses and notes what decisions he can make. Then he chooses the best and turns on the tape to test himself in the game. You can do that too.

You can also look at professionals. You turn on the match of a player you are similar in style to and follow his every move.

Kobe does not waste time and watches the game during the flight

4. Learn

Read books, watch educational and useful videos, be interested in something else. You may not become a professional basketball player, but you can always become a good person.

To be successful in the game, it is necessary not only to have good athleticism and skills. Knowledge in psychology will help you better understand the actions of opponents. Communication skills will help build better relationships with teammates. Good time management will allow you to use your time more efficiently. A successful career consists not only of playing on the court, but also of acting outside of it.

We add material and tools to the online school that help not only in basketball, but also in life. Some guys start to study better and do more things in a day, because they become more disciplined and learn a lot of new things. This is important because life does not end with basketball.

LeBron has been using the slogan "More than an athlete" for several years now. Because basketball goes beyond the sport where everything ends in the hall. Now this is life.

Nikita of coachmen

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