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10 Basketball Tips For Players To Get More Playing Time

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1. Ask the coach what you can do to help the team.

   This is probably one of the most important things you can do, because it shows you are committed to do whatever it takes to help the team succeed. If you put the team in front of your personal goals, you will be a player that all coaches and teammates love to have.

   At the end of the season, remember to ask the coach what you need to work on during the off-season to contribute to the team the following year.
   

   Play to your strengths. Not everybody can be the scorer, so do what you're good at. If you try to do things that you are not good at it, you'll find yourself on the bench. If you're great at rebounding and playing defense, do those things when you're on the court. Do what you can do, not what you can't do. Strengthen your strengths and work on your weaknesses in practice. Players have made millions of dollars playing according to this philosophy. Can you say Ben Wallace or Kyle Korver?

   Picture by SD Dirk

   3. Always hustle and work hard.

      Besides helping you improve, a coach will notice this and pick you above somebody else who may not work as hard. Don't be afraid to get your butt on the ground and dive after some loose balls.

   4. Take charges.

      When you take a charge, it provides a defensive stop, gets your team the ball, and puts an additional foul on the opposing team. Not to mention, it can affect the other team psychologically because they will be hesitant to drive the ball in fear of picking up another foul.

   5. Play tough defense.

      If you can shut down opposing players, it doesn't matter if you can shoot or dribble. A coach will often find a reason to get you on the court.

   6. Always box out.

      Nothing will get you to the bench quicker than not boxing out. Coaches understand the importance of rebounding. If you do it well, you'll rapidly increase your chances of playing.

   7. Take good shots.

      A good shot is an open shot that you can make a high-percentage of and nobody else on your team has a better scoring opportunity. If you take bad shots, you'll be on the bench.

   8. Make the extra pass.

      Coaches love it when you make the extra pass. You will also find yourself getting more passes from your teammates, because they recognize and appreciate your unselfishness. Basketball is so much fun when played unselfishly. You also win a lot more games, too.

      Don't be too unselfish. If you have a good shot, you can take it.

   Sprint to the front of the huddle. Any time you get in a huddle, always sprint to the front and make eye contact with the coach while he is talking. The coach will notice this and know that you care. Be a great teammate. If your teammates like you, they will be more likely to play better with you. A coach may notice the chemistry and get you in the game. Why do you think teammates of Kevin Garnett play better?

   Picture by Paul Keleher

   Related Resources and Articles

   Basketball Training Workout App - Developed By NBA Skills Trainer

   Breakthrough Basketball Skill Development Camps

   Importance of Communication With Your Coach

   12 Surefire Basketball Tips for the Off Season - What Should Players Do Between Seasons?

   Basketball Tips: How to Get a Basketball Scholarship

   
   

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37 Basketball Training Tips, Strategies, and Secrets

Effective basketball training is essential for all players.

Whether you're a young player still learning the game, a college athlete attempting to turn pro, or a coach looking to help out their team, you should always be on the search for new basketball training tips to improve your game.

Below I'll share with you 37 important basketball training tips that will help you elevate your game to the next level.

Let's get started...

1.

There is nothing more important than having a plan of what you want to accomplish every time you step in the gym.

This requires that you've spent time evaluating your strengths and weaknesses and you understand what areas of your game you should be focusing on.

• What shooting drills do you want to use?
• How many shots do you want to take?
• Do you need to work on your ball handling?

The answers to all these questions should be clear to anyone who looks at the workout you have planned for the day.

Players can list their workouts on an electronic device like their phone or iPad, or be 'old school' by using traditional printed out paper with a pen to track your results (which I prefer).

Having a plan will allow you to stick to a schedule and be efficient.

You know exactly what to do and you go in and do it.

2.

Similar to how people schedule doctors appointments and work commitments, players must be schedule their basketball training workouts too.

Because if you don't schedule them, they probably won't happen.

Schedule your basketball workouts into your calendar at the start of the week and then hold yourself accountable to going to them.

How many times have you planned on working out but then other stuff just kept popping up?

• A friend asks you to hang out...
• You lose track of time while playing video games...
• You're busy watching on a TV series

And then by the time you look at the clock, it's too late to work out so you just forget about it and say "Oh well. I'll do it tomorrow".

This can't happen if you want to develop as a basketball player.

You have to make workouts a priority if you want to be successful.

3.

Players must understand this.

When you're in the gym, a lot of your workout time must be spent developing your ability to shoot the basketball.

Every other skill is secondary to shooting.

In the type of basketball that is being played today, it's very hard to receive significant minutes on the court at higher levels if you can't knock down an open shot consistently from the perimeter.

Sure, there are players who make it all the way to the NBA or WNBA who aren't great shooters, but they're often either 7 foot tall or have elite athleticism most of us couldn't dream of possessing.

To give yourself the best chance for success, focus on shooting.

Your goal should always be to become the best shooter on the team.

4.

Forget about all the parents on instagram claiming their 12-year-old makes 1,000 shots every single day. ..

Your goal should be 1,500 made shots per week.

Here’s the simple chart I refer to:

• Elite Shooter = 1,500 made shots per week
• Great Shooter = 1,000 made shots per week
• Poor Shooter = 500 made shots per week

“Only 1,500 a week!?” I’ve had a lot of coaches say to me…

If you also think this number is low, I want you to remember how many other commitments players have…

• School
• Homework
• Employment
• Team Practices
• Games
• Other sports
• Friends
• Etc

All the time these commitments require can really add up!

Let’s crunch the numbers to see how much time 1,500 shots a week takes…

Assuming a player makes one game-like shot every fifteen seconds (4 made shots per minute)…

Good - 500 made shots would take 125 minutes = 2 hours and 5 minutes.

Great - 1000 made shots would take 250 minutes = 4 hours and 10 minutes.

Elite - 1,500 made shots would take 375 minutes = 6 hours and 15 minutes.

That doesn’t seem like too much to ask of a player, does it?

5.

I first started advising players to start tracking their made shots after reading a terrific article on shooting coach Dave Hopla.

Dave tracks every single shot he takes… and regularly shoots 98%.

Incredible, right?

In fact, you'll find it hard to find any great shooter that doesn’t meticulously track their makes and misses when working on their shooting.

So why don’t more youth and high school players do it?

I have absolutely no idea!

To me, it’s an absolute must if a player plans on improving their shot.

Here are 5 quick reasons why tracking shots will make you a great shooter:

1. You cannot improve what you don't measure.
2. It makes every single shot important.
3. Players can set shooting goals and commitments.
4. Players will see improvements.
5. Players will find out their weak shooting areas.

6.

As shooting is the most important skill in basketball, it's important for all players to develop a fundamentally sound, consistent, and repeatable shot.

And the sooner a player can develop this, the better.

It's much faster and easier for players to improve when they're using correct shooting technique.

Here are the 10 steps players must follow:

1. Shot preparation
2. Hand placement on the ball
3. Balanced base
4. Feet direction (the turn)
5. Consistent shot pocket
6. Eyes on target
7. Wrinkle the wrist
8. Elbow under the basketball
9. Balance hand
10. Rhythm shot + follow through

For a more in-depth look into each of these steps, check out my full blog post on how to shoot a basketball perfectly.

7.

Players should start every workout close to the hoop working on their shooting technique (hint - the pros already do).

The absolute worst thing you can do is step into the gym and immediately start throwing up shots from behind the three-point line.

Start close to the rim and get into a rhythm of shooting the basketball with good technique first and then gradually extend the range of your shot.

Here's what I recommend:

• 20 makes from 3 feet.
• 15 makes from 5 feet.
• 10 makes from 10 feet.
• 5 makes from 15 feet (free-throw line).

That's all you need to do.

It's simple, it's quick, and you'll lock yourself in for a great workout.

8.

There are stories that occasionally surface on the internet about a kid 'grinding' in the gym for 10 hours a day and shooting 3,000 shots...

This is completely unnecessary (and often harmful).

In fact, if a player is spending that long in the gym, they're most likely doing something wrong.

Remember this quote...

"Time in a gym doesn't make a man a player any more than time in a garage makes him a car. "

A smart and efficient player who goes to the gym for 1 hour can often achieve better results than a careless player who goes to the gym for 10 hours.

"How?"

By having a pre-planned workout and then getting in the gym and executing the workout at game speed and with 100% focus.

9.

While the quality of a workout is more important than quantity, players who want to get better still need to be in the gym multiple times per week.

No matter how effective your pre-planned workouts are, if you're only completing the workout once or twice per week, you're still not going to be able to develop at a significant rate.

You must be in the gym 3 - 5 times per week working on your game.

Any less than that and you simply won't be able to get in enough quality repetitions to give yourself a chance of becoming a great player.

10.

Another reasons to add conditioning to your workouts is that it ensures you'll be practicing under game-like conditions.

Understand this...

During games you're going to be sprinting up and down the floor multiple times before attempting to shoot. You're going to be fatigued physically and mentally.

It's important to practice under these conditions so that you're comfortable executing your skills when faced with these conditions during games.

Here are a few examples of how to add conditioning to workouts:

• Sprint to half-way and back after each shot attempt.
• Complete one suicide after each shooting drill and then practice shooting free-throws.
• Instead of using a basketball shooting machine, rebound the basketball after every shot by yourself.

11.

One of the best things a player can do is sit down with a pen and paper and evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses.

As long as the player is honest with themselves, this exercise will show them a few different things:

a. What areas of their game they need to work on (weaknesses).

b. What to focus on executing during games (strengths).

Understanding this is especially important when players are putting together basketball training workouts to improve their game.

You must be able to look at your game from an outsider's perspective and be objectively critical with yourself.

For example, just because you like shooting three-pointers doesn't make you a three-point shooter (especially if you're only making 17% of your attempts).

Which is why I always recommend getting your coach's thoughts, too...

12.

"Good players take criticism. Great players crave criticism" - Don Meyer

Once you've evaluated your own strengths and weaknesses, ask your coach if they'll spend a few minutes with you sharing their thoughts.

Ask them to be honest with you and to provide feedback.

Ask them what they think your strengths and weaknesses are.

But you must be willing to accept criticism when you do this. Understand that you're putting yourself in a vulnerable position and you must be willing to listen to your coach's advice. This takes mental toughness.

Don't argue with them.

An experienced coach can provide great insight into areas of your game that you might have overlooked.

13.

“I try and go through practice at game speed so it’ll be easier when I step on the floor for a real game” - Kevin Durant

One of the biggest mistakes a player can make during workouts is only putting in 50% effort when practicing.

Instead of sprinting around the court, they jog.

Instead of raising up on each shot, they barely leave the ground.

Being able to shoot casually and being able to shoot after running off a screen and then jumping up high into the air to avoid the defender blocking your shot are completely different skills.

If you want to improve your in-game shooting, you need to be practicing game shots at game speed.

14.

If you don't already have one, developing a consistent free-throw routine that you'll use every time you step to the line is very important.

A consistent routine gives you confidence and a process to focus your attention on when shooting free-throws.

Keep in mind that there isn't a 'right' or a 'wrong' way to do this...

• Steve Nash shoots imaginary shots before receiving the basketball.
• Jeff Hornacek strokes his cheek 3 times (a tribute to his kids)
• Gilbert Arenas circled the basketball around his waist 3 times.
• Jason Kidd blows a kiss before each free-throw (another tribute).

The above examples may seem odd, but the purpose of including them is to show you that anything is possible.

All that matters is that your routine makes you feel comfortable.

Here's a look at my routine:

• Catch the basketball a foot behind the line.
• Spin the basketball back to myself.
• Line up my lead foot with the middle of the rim.
• Other foot slightly behind and pointed at 10 o'clock.
• Bounce 3 times.
• Shoot

Figure out yours and stick with it.

15.

"No fundamental basketball skill has a bigger impact on a close game at any level than the free throw" - Adam Filippi

Once you've developed a consistent free-throw routine, then it's time to make sure you're practicing them enough to become a great free-throw shooter.

If you want to be on the floor during the final few minutes of close games, this is crucial...

Your coach must be able to trust that if you're on the court and you're fouled, you'll be able to step to the line and knock down two clutch free-throws.

Here are some of the percentages players should be aiming for to be an above-average free-throw shooter at each level:

Late Youth - 60%

High School - 70%

College - 80%

For context, the average free-throw percentage from college players has floated around the 67% - 70% mark since 1960. ..

And the average free-throw percentage from NBA players has varied between 73% and 77% since 1955 (source: Chicago Tribune).

Players should be doing much better than that!

16.

Continuing with the free-throw topic...

"When should you be practicing them and how should you do it?"

There are two specific times...

a. Bulk free-throw shooting

The first method involves shooting a large amount of free-throws in a row.

What you're aiming to achieve using this method is to commit your free-throw routine and free-throw technique to muscle memory.

The focus is on getting in a lot of repetitions.

Players can do this by shooting 100 free-throws in their backyard after school or by shooting 50 free-throws to finish a basketball training workout.

b. Fatigued free-throw shooting

While the first method focused on mass repeititions, fatigued free-throw shooting focuses on game-like repetitions.

This means practicing your free-throws while feeling the same type of fatigue a player would experience mid-game.

The best way to incorporate this into your workouts is to shoot two free-throws after each drill during a basketball workout.

For example:

• Mikan layups
• 2 free-throws
• 15 midrange shots
• 2 free-throws
• 10 three-point shots
• 2 free-throws

Both of these methods are important for free-throw shooting development.

17.

Bob Knight (former coach of Indiana) understood the importance of developing a great shot fake...

"I sit and wonder why no one uses the shot fake. The shot fake, when used correctly, can eliminate a defender" - Bobby Knight

"The most neglected and best scoring move in basketball is the shot fake" - Bob Knight

But how many people take the time to work on it?

Not many.

Here are the key points you need to remember:

a. Stay low - If the defender jumps on the shot fake, the offensive player needs to be low to explode past them and attack the rim.

b. Raise the basketball to eye level - Any higher and the offensive player will take too long to make the most of their advantage.

c. Eyes on the rim - To really sell the shot fake, players need to look at the rim. Defenders will often watch the eyes of their opponent.

Once the defender takes the bait, the offensive player can either take one dribble to the left or right and shoot or they can attack the hoop.

Commit to working on your shot fake and improving it.

18.

If you've ever been told by a coach that you should always either 'hop' or 1-2 step' into your shot, don't listen to them.

Truth is...

The 1-2 step is better in some situations.

The hop is better in some situations.

Which one is better will depend on a number of factors:

• How quickly you have to shoot.
• The direction you're facing on the catch.
• The position on the floor.
• How fast you're moving on the catch.
• Personal preference.
• etc.

Which is why it's important that you're practicing your shot using both methods in a range of different situations.

Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you must use one of the methods exclusively no matter what.

19.

There is absolutely no question that a basketball shooting machine can help you become a better player.

A personal rebounder for your entire workout?

Yes please.

A basketball shooting machine will significantly increase the number of shots a player can take in a short amount of time.

Instead of chasing after the rebound after every single shot, a player can stay at a specific spot on the floor and let the machine do all the rebounding while they just focus on shooting.

And if you're looking for one, I highly recommend Dr. Dish.

Not everyone will have access to a shooting machine...

But if you do, take full advantage of it whenever possible.

20.

Once you become a lethal outside shooter, opposition players are going to be forced to defend you closer to prevent the outside shot.

It will also be far more likely that they'll jump on your shot fakes.

This is when you need to attack the rim.

Being able to explode past your opponent and then finish at the rim with a variety of moves is crucial to be a complete scorer.

Here are 7 finishing moves all players should be working on:

1. Regular layups (overhand)
2. Finger Roll (underhand)
3. Floaters
4. Off-foot layups (example: right foot jump, right foot shot)
5. Euro step
6. Reverse layups
7. Jump stop layups

21.

"There's a disposition great defenders have - a genuine pride that scores are a problem, people that score on me is a problem" - Brett Brown

Becoming one of the best defenders on your team is a smart way for any player to stand out and increase their court time.

How many players really want to improve defensively?

Not many.

The best way to improve your one-on-one defense is to compete against a live opponent. Preferably someone better than you.

Here's what to focus on:

• Staying down in defensive stance.
• One arm's length away from your opponent.
• Contain them. Don't allow them to get past.
• Force them into a difficult shot.

Very few players are committed enough to focus on defense - be different.

22.

Being able to catch the basketball in the low post and the score with a variety of moves is a lost art in today's game.

When was the last time you walked into a gym and noticed kids working on their low post moves?

It just doesn't happen much anymore.

Usually kids are too busy shooting off-balance three-pointers.

But let's turn this negative into a positive:

Just as players aren't practicing scoring in the low post, players aren't learning how to defend the low post either. ..

This gives players who are willing to commit time to developing their post moves a big advantage over the competition.

Here are the post moves I recommend working on:

• Jump hook
• Up and under
• Drop step
• Face up shot

To be clear, all players (1 - 5) should be working on these low post moves. Not just the tall players who usually hang around the rim.

You never know who's going to have a mismatch against a smaller or weaker opponent. All players must be prepared to take advantage in the low post.

23.

The exact age that players should start lifting weights is a highly debated topic online and offline.

I'm not a doctor or a medical professional so I won't give advice on when players should start lifting, but one thing's for sure...

Weight training does help players on the basketball court.

Getting stronger will allow a player to pull down more rebounds, fight better for position, nudge off opponents, etc.

The body will also be more resistant to injuries.

As long as a player seeks professional advice and gets a weight lifting program tailored for their goals, increased strength can be a big advantage on the basketball court.

24.

"The better conditioned team will probably win in the long run" - John Wooden

Another fantastic way to improve your basketball training is to incorporate conditioning (sprints, bodyweight exercises) into every workout.

This is important for several reasons, but the one we'll talk about now is the importance of improving your fitness.

Improving your level of fitness will dramatically improve every single area of your game.

You'll be less fatigued while shooting, you'll be able to sprint back harder on defense, free-throws will be easier, much better defense, etc.

It's difficult to be a great player when you're fatigued...

When players are tired, they make mistakes.

And a player who makes mistakes and poor decisions isn't the kind of player that coaches want on the court at the end of games.

I'll show you some examples of ways to add conditioning to your workuots in the next tip...

25.

One of the best things you can do to give yourself an edge over the opponent is to sort out what food you're putting into your body.

And this doesn't just mean before and after games...

It means all the time.

What food are you putting in your body on a day-to-day basis to fuel your basketball and life commitments?

Most people are eating McDonalds and KFC every day and then washing it down with 4 cans of Coca-Cola.

Commit to doing better.

I don't claim to be a nutrition expert, and I'm not expecting players to eat like they're training for a bodybuilding contest, but we all have a general understanding of what food is good and bad.

• Stop having sugar-filled cereal.
• Stop eating fast food.
• Stop drinking soda.
• Start eating more chicken and eggs.
• Start planning your meals.
• Start drinking more water.

Committing to the little things like improving your diet can give you a big advantage over the competition.

26.

With all the individual workouts, team practices, and games that players go through on a weekly basis, putting a high importance on recovery is crucial for long-term development.

Let's be realistic...

At some point you need to rest your body and recharge your mind.

Resting is important both physically and mentally to ensure that you'll be able to continue to play at train at a high level.

Here are a few exercises and tools that can help basketball players with recovery:

Foam Rolling - By foam rolling you can increase your flexibility, improve blood circulation around the body, and it also removes lactic acid post-workout.

Stretching - Daily stretching will prevent tight muscles, improve your range of motion, and can decrease injuries.

Massages - Similar to stretching, massages will prevent tight muscles and assist with preventing injuries.

27.

Definition: "Able to use the right and left hands equally well."

Apart from shooting, the best players are able to perform all basketball skills equally well with both hands.

• They can pass with left and right.
• They can block with left and right.
• They can dribble with left and right.
• They can finish with left and right.

I've watched many young players dominate the game with their preferred hand at a young age. Many are so dominant that they don't even bother working on their opposite hand.

And here's what happens:

When they get to the next level, defenses get smarter.

You'll often hear a coach yell out to 'force him left' which can effectively shut down the player because they don't have the left hand dribbling skills to attack that direction.

It's important to work on both hands so that players are able to take advantage of anything that the defense gives them.

28.

"I dribbled by the hour with my left hand when I was young. I didn’t have full control, but I got so I could move the ball back and forth from one hand to the other without breaking the cadence of my dribble. I wasn’t dribbling behind my back or setting up any trick stuff, but I was laying the groundwork for it" - Bob Cousy

While dribbling is without a doubt the most overused skill in basketball, it is still important to spend time on developing.

This is true for players at all five positions -- not just the guards.

The last few years have shown us that having a tall player who can rebound at a high rate and then immediately push the basketball down the floor is invaluable to a team; so encourage everyone to improve!

There are several ways to improve your ball-handling:

1. Compete against live defenders

Whether it's 5-on-5 or 1-on-1, playing against live defenders is the best way to improve your ball-handling.

The benefit of live competition is that it forces you to learn how to be creative and effective in game-like situations.

There's nothing better!

2. Full-Court Dribbling

If you have a full court available to practice (or a driveway), you can use the entire floor to work on different dribbling moves.

• Crossovers
• Change of pace
• Hesitation dribble
• Behind-the-back
• Through-the-legs
• In-and-out

3. Stationary Ball-Handling

Here's a list of some of 50 stationary ball-handling drills you could be working on at home or when you don't have access to a hoop:

• Pound dribble
• Figure 8
• Body wraps
• Spider dribble
• Scissors
• Kills

29.

Another fantastic way to make the most of the off-season is to improve your vertical jump.

An extra inch or two on your vertical jump can make a big difference during games....

It can be the difference between rising up and blocking an opponent's shot or slapping them on the wrist.

Performing a vertical jump workout program will also improve your speed, agility, and reaction times too.

There are many benefits!

Fortunately, a few years ago I created a free 12-week vertical jump program that has resulted in many success stories.

Use it.

30.

One of the most important things a player can do is have a 'driveway workout' or two ready for when they can't get to the gym.

It's the number one excuse I hear for why players can't train...

"I couldn't get to the gym"

So, what's a 'driveway workout'...

A driveway workout is a basketball training workout that you can complete at home by yourself as long as you have a basketball.

These should be created by each player because the equipment, space to dribble, and whether you have a basketball ring at home or not will vary between each individual.

Here's an example workout for a player who doesn't have a ring at home:

• Pound Dribble - right hand x 20
• Pound Dribble - left hand x 20
• Crossovers - x 30
• Front V-Dribble - right hand x 20
• Front V-Dribble - left hand x 20
• Side V-Dribble - right hand x 20
• Side V-Dribble - left hand x 20
• Spider Dribble - x30
• Creative Wall Passes - x30
• Line Form Shooting - x50

When you have a driveway workout, there should never be any excuse not to work on your game every day.

31.

Competing one-on-one is by far one of the best ways to improve your basketball ability.

This is especially true if you're competing against players who are currently better than you.

Offensively, players learn how to create shot opportunities for themselves and score using a variety of moves.

Defensively, players must learn how to play solid on-ball defense as there is no help defense to back them up if the offensive player gets past them.

Here are 3 tips to make one-on-one more game-like:

1. Start from different positions on the floor

Don't just start at the top of the key every time, change it up...

You have the option to start each possession from a number of different areas on the floor:

• On the wing
• In the corner
• In the low post
• From the elbow
• Off a closeout

2. Limit number of dribbles

Don't dribble the basketball at the top of the key 20 times before looking to attack the defense and score.

One of the most effective 1-on-1 rules is to limit the number of dribbles that a player is allowed to use on each possession.

This forces players to learn how to effectively create a good shot in limited time and limited space.

My recommendation is 2 - 3 dribbles.

3. Confirm each point with a free-throw

This is a great rule to improve shooting free-throws while under pressure.

Each time a player scores a point, they must go to the free-throw line and take one shot (or two for elite players).

If they make the free-throw, they get the point.

But if they miss the free-throw, their point is cancelled and the opposing player receives the ball on the next possession.

32.

Here's a quick tip to make your basketball team significantly better without any extra effort on your part...

Always invite a teammate when you go to the gym.

Even better -- invite all your teammates.

Not only does this give you a partner to shoot and rebound with, you'll be able to teach your teammates how to effectively work out, too.

Hopefully this will encourage your teammates to practice more often and your team will quickly improve. This will also allow you to use basketball drills that require a bigger group.

Unfortunately, there are many players who don't want to do this...

Many players don't want their teammates to improve and challenge them for minutes or their spot in the rotation.

33.

Another way for players to develop is to start watching basketball games like a coach instead of a general fan.

There's a big difference.

The general basketball fan will sit back in their chair and occasionally glance up at the TV screen while scrolling through their phone.

A coach watches with focus and attempts to learn from every game.

Here's a few things to look for:

• How is the defense defending ball-screens?
• How is the offense attacking the ball-screen defense?
• What plays are the offensive team using?
• What defense is the defensive team running?
• How do the star players create space to get an open shot?
• Where are the best defenders positioning themselves on the floor?
• And there are hundreds more!

Watching basketball games with the intent to learn and improve will give players a huge advantage over those who watch just for fun.

34.

Following on with the topic of constant learning, one of the best ways you can increase your basketball knowledge is on Twitter.

I'm constantly amazed by the amount of valuable basketball content that's shared on there each day.

Inspirational quotes, video breakdowns, effective basketball plays, links to interesting articles, etc.

But...

Twitter is only an effective learning tool if you're following the right people.

If you're not, it can quickly fill your days with a flood of pointless and negative garbage as people use their tweets to vent their frustrations.

Here are 5 accounts I highly recommend you follow:

1. @franfraschilla - Fran Fraschilla

2. @coachliamflynn - Liam Flynn

3. @fastmodel - Fast Model Sports

4. @bballimmersion - Chris Oliver

5. @bballcoachmac - Trevor McLean (yours truly)

35.

This is my 'responsible adult advice' tip. ..

It's a warning not to put all of your eggs in one basket.

There are far too many young players who are putting 100% of their hopes and dreams on securing a NBA or WNBA contract.

The reality is, according to NCAA statistics, only 0.02 to 0.03 percent of high school players end up in the NBA or WNBA.

To do the math, that's 2 - 3 out of every 10,000 players.

Those aren't great odds.

Make sure you're studying hard in school and putting enough time into your education so that you have something to fall back on if your basketball dreams don't work out.

36.

I have some great news for you...

Very few players are willing to get in the gym every day.

Very few players are willing to track every shot they take.

Very few players are willing to work on their 1-on-1 defense.

Very few players are willing to shoot 100 free-throws every day.

Very few players are willing to develop their ball-handling.

You see, most players aren't patient.

Unfortunately, most players are looking for the 'secret bullet' that will take them from an average player to a superstar overnight.

And it doesn't exist.

"What does this mean for you?"

If you're willing to commit to consistently improving your game with a lot of hard work, there won't be much competition standing in your way.

37.

This could be the most important tip of all.

If you really want to become a great basketball player, you have to commit to working on your game long-term.

It always amazes me how many kids I see start a basketball training routine full of excitement and looking towards achieving big goals... 

...but then they quit after 1 or 2 weeks because they haven't seen any significant results yet.

You will not see overnight improvements.

In fact, your rate of improvement will be so small that you probably won't even realise it at first.

But this doesn't mean improvement isn't happening...

After a few months of training, you'll be able to look back on your basketball training log and you'll realise just how far you've come and how much better you are now than before.

Small improvements add up remarkably quickly.

Basketball Training Tips Summary:

1. Always have a workout plan.
2. Treat your workouts like doctors appointments.
3. Shooting is the most important skill in basketball.
4. Elite shooters make 1,500 shots per week.
5. Always keep a detailed shooting log.
6. Perfect your shooting technique.
7. Start every workout with form shooting.
8. Workout quality is more important than workout quantity.
9. But quantity of workouts is still important.
10. Practice your skills under game-like conditions.
11. Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses.
12. Talk to your coach about what you need to improve.
13. Always train at game speed.
14. Develop a consistent free-throw routine.
15. Spend more time working on your free-throw shooting.
16. When (and how) to practice your free-throws.
17. Work on your shot fake.
18. Practice both 'The Hop' and '1-2 Step'.
19. If you have access to a shooting machine, use it.
20. Develop a variety of finishes at the rim.
21. Don't forget about defense.
22. Become a beast in the low post.
23. Get in the weight room and improve strength.
24. Improve your fitness level.
25. Upgrade your diet.
26. Understand the importance of rest and recovery.
27. Become ambidextrous.
28. Improve your ability to handle the rock.
29. Improve your vertical jump.
30. Make sure you have a 'driveway workout'.
31. Play more 1-on-1.
32. When you go to the gym, always invite a teammate.
33. Study basketball games (don't just watch them).
34. Follow the best basketball minds on Twitter.
35. Spend time studying, too.
36. There are very few players willing to put in the work.
37. Consistency is key to long-term improvement.

Conclusion:

For players committed to improving, the basketball training tips presented in this blog post will help you become a much better basketball player.

But there's a catch...

Simply reading this blog post won't make you a better player.

You have to take action.

Start scheduling your workouts, keep a training log, sit down and work out your strengths and weaknesses, be more careful with the food you put into your body, develop your shooting technique, commit to training at 100%...

I guaranteed you'll quickly see results on the court.

Basketball for beginners: tips for beginners

Basketball is one of the team sports that continues to be very popular among both teenagers and adults. What are the basic rules for playing basketball?

Whether it's a team game on the school playground or an Olympic sport, basketball has a lot of public interest. Dynamic turns, fierce struggle for points - all this makes a basketball game especially spectacular. To learn more about the situation on the field, see basketball rules below .

Basically, the game is to shoot the ball into the opponent's basket. Points are scored by the team whose player made a successful throw. As in football, the team defends its basket and does everything to prevent the opponent from gaining a points advantage.

Depending on the type of shot, a different number of points can be awarded for it: 1, 2 or 3. Free kicks get the least points, the best result can be obtained by hitting the basket in front of or behind the three-pointer. throw a line. The course of the game is evaluated by the judges on an ongoing basis.

As a beginner, also remember the answer to the question: How many people play basketball? The game is limited in time and divided into four parts, the so-called quarters .

Depending on the region in which games are played, one quarter can be 10 minutes (WNBA rules) or 12 minutes (NBA). At the end of the time, the judge, based on the results obtained by the teams, announces the winner. If the opponents have the same number of points, a draw is made followed by 5 minutes of extra time. There are short 2-minute breaks between each part of the match and one longer 15-minute break in the middle of the game. In each of these periods, the team has 24 seconds from the moment the ball is tackled to take the action resulting in a field goal.

Basketball has two teams, each with 5 players plus 2 substitutes. If necessary, for example, after an injury to a player, they enter the court to replace him. One of the players acts as the team captain - this person represents the team in contact with the judges. Additionally, the coach and his assistant (on the side) participate in the game.

Two teams, a hard-surface field, which is abundant in towns and villages,

The rules define the exact dimensions of the field on which basketball can be played. Its surface must be firm and level, 28 m long and 15 m wide. The playing court is specially divided into sectors with strong and clearly visible lines of uniform color and 5 cm wide. The three-point field goal line is located at a distance of 6.75 m from the center of the ring , and the line of free throws - 4 m. In the center of the site there is a circle with a radius of 1.8 m. M above the playing field.

Basketball stands out from the crowd used in other team sports. The first thing that catches your eye is the orange color. The size of the ball varies considerably depending on whether we are interested in women's or men's games. A slightly smaller ball (size 6) is intended for the fair sex. According to the rules, gentlemen use a larger ball, the circumference of which is up to 780 mm. Therefore, the ball used in women's competitions is also lighter than in men's games.

The ball may be in different states. A live ball is meant when it is in play, especially when the jump ball is legally executed and when it is at the disposal of a teammate. However, he becomes dead when he is accurately thrown through the ring of the basket, when he falls out of the car, after the referee's whistle, or after the sound of the clock signal.

Common errors in basketball include incorrect movement with the ball (so-called dribbling errors, step error), crossing the line (crossing errors) and errors resulting from exceeding the time limit for a given maneuver (expressed in seconds - the aforementioned 24 second rule ).

There are separate categories of illegal play for jump ball errors, outs and fouls. A dropped ball is taken from a circle marked exactly in the center of the court. This is when the referee tosses the ball, thanks to which he returns to the game and the teams begin to fight. In this situation, the contestant cannot catch it. You can bounce off the intercepted ball up to 2 times.

The referee signals that the ball has gone into touch when the ball leaves the designated playing area. Interestingly, if a player bounces off the field and, while still in flight, passes the ball over the line to his partner before he touches the ground, there is no out. On the other hand, a foul is an intentional violation by another player. It is also wrong to throw the ball through the hoop from below and deliberately throw it into your team's basket.

When playing basketball, remember the basic rules of this sport. A summary of the principles learned earlier will also be helpful. Unlike football, here on censorship the ball is in contact with the lower body because you are playing basketball with your hands. It is forbidden to touch the ball with the foot, so intentionally blocking or kicking will be considered a technical fault. It is also forbidden to hit the ball with your fist and move it with your hands across the field (except for two hits). What is a two-act? These are two steps after which you must immediately pass the ball to a partner or throw it into the basket while you are still jumping.

If you're interested in learning more about this topic, bookstores have a lot of interesting basketball publications and stories about famous players. In addition, to start your adventure in this dynamic sport, look for comfortable shoes, professional balls, equipment and other accessories.

Once you have collected all the equipment, all you have to do is exercise regularly and enjoy this unique sport.

Playing defense in basketball

Hello, dear visitors of the website basketball-training.org.ua ! Today I want to share with you my observations and conclusions, which I received as a result of 's desire to improve his game in 's defense.

It so happened that the first few years of playing basketball (mostly on street courts) my defense game consisted of constant attempts to cover the opponent's shot. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t work very well (I ended up either on the opponent’s back or on his head). It's a hell of a defense. A couple of years ago, I reconsidered my vision of playing defense, which I want to share with you.

Basketball Players The first video that gave any hint of developing a basketball player's defensive skills was 's three-minute performance by Bruce Bowen on the TNT Fundamentals series. Then there was a short article on how to play defense against A. Gomelsky. Well, the last, but probably the most important training video was the company's products Better Basketball - Better 1 on 1 Defense . Even after skipping over half of what was said (some because of the language barrier, something because of banal restlessness) and putting even less into practice, I became much better at defending myself.

By the way, in this article everything will be exclusively about personal defense (and not a word about zone defense, although it is also worth writing about). So, I highlight the following stages of defense in basketball:

Stage 1: Defense against player without ball.

The essence of defense is to prevent the opponent from getting the ball . This is probably one of the most difficult stages, but also one of the most effective. Agree, it is difficult to attack without having the ball. So, this stage of defense is incredibly difficult, because you have to give a lot of strength, not to be fooled by movements of the body, head and legs. A good result of such a defense is that the player does not receive the ball throughout the attack. Also a good result if the ball is received, but: in an awkward position (far from the ring; in the corner of the court) or in the last seconds of the attack. Shitty result - the ball is received quickly and conveniently.

Stage 2: Defense against the player who received the ball.

When a player receives the ball, he is in the classic "triple threat position". This means that he can shoot the ring, pass or start the dribble. This means that we will have to confront all three threats at the same time. So, the best option is to take a position that will minimize the range of movement of the enemy. First of all, close its strong side from the passage by sitting a little to the side of it. As an option - from the side of his supporting leg; those. You will know the direction of his movement (he will not step with his supporting foot).

Let's conditionally divide the opponent's body into 2 levels: the first zone - to the waist; the second zone is above the belt. So, in order to start dribbling, the ball must be in the first zone. Both zones are suitable for a pass, and for a throw, the ball must go from the first zone to the second. I hope it's clear for now. So, one hand is playing with the bottom zone (preventing dribbling and low passing), the second is defending against a shot and a pass from the upper zone. Remember about the legs: with bent legs it is much easier and faster to make a jerk. If the legs are straight, then for a jerk they must first be bent.

And one more piece of advice: pull the player all the time with your movements. Let the probability that these "ritual dances" help to knock out the ball will be small, but you will be able to knock the opponent out of his usual rhythm. And it's worth a lot!

Excellent defense: the ball is knocked out. Good defense - loss on pass, inaccurate pass, throw from an uncomfortable position.

Stage 3: Defending against the dribbler.

Assume that previous attempts to get possession of the ball have failed and the opponent has started to dribble. How to defend yourself then?

Let's not consider those situations in which the opponent is obviously weaker than you. It's just not interesting. The opponent is stronger, faster and jumpier than you - that's a good situation. Like I said, close his strong side. But if you don't know its strengths and weaknesses; you don’t know how to hold: from a throw or from a pass - that is, a good solution. We are trying to make sure that you are the leader. One side is obviously closed - and the player is deliberately skipped to the other. So you can not lose in the starting jerk and not guess the direction of movement: it can only go in one direction. Try to push the opponent with the ball to the end line, from where he can no longer comfortably attack the basket. Clamp into a corner, press to the line.

Again: Close one side tightly. Better - if it will be his forte; if you don’t know which one is strong, close your weak side and let defenses under your strong side. And a safety net: sometimes it's better not to let a player throw from an average distance. Allowing him to get under the ring. After all, there will be a safety net in the form of a “big”, which cannot be thrown so easily.

Stage 4: Maintenance completed.

It can be a double step and a throw, a simple throw after a stop, a jump, a pivot (reversal), a series of displays, etc. Let's take a closer look at this.

Double step. Remember: he has 2 steps to complete the attack, and you have 2 steps to hit the ball down, and then another full step to block. I recommend doing this:

• A series of small touches to the ball during a double step (as if you were playing a drum). Thus, you will not knock out the ball, but you will disorientate it accurately. Yes, and in order to keep the ball, you have to make more.
• Trying to hit the ball from below! When hitting from above, there is a very high chance that you will hit your fingers - this is a foul. But from below: few people expect such a blow, few people close the ball from below. And taking the ball up for a throw, he will receive an additional impulse, the push of the ball - throwing it as it was previously thought would not be so easy.

A little tip: after picking up the ball by the opponent, very often the ball goes down, and this is done strongly and abruptly. Just substitute okay from below at the level of the opponent's lower back: he himself will knock the ball against your hand. This is a very cool and often unexpected trick for the opponent.

• If it was a jump stop, or just a stop, then you need to get as close as possible and raise both hands vertically up. Now you can not be afraid of a foul.

Stage 5: Jump Shot.

It's good if you jump high and sharp - then try to block at the moment when the ball leaves the thrower's hand. You can just try to brush it off at the moment when the supporting hand is no longer involved in the throw, and the ball is on the wrist. I will not talk about how to block-shot, this is a topic for a separate article.

Remember that you can block the thrower's vision with your hand: just don't poke it in the eyes, just bring it closer to the thrower's face. A good way (if you have not already jumped out for a block shot, and the throw is being made) is to simulate contact with various organs of the opponent (guys, you understand what I mean). Belly, solar plexus, groin - all this interferes with concentration at the time of the throw. Well, and often on street sites there is a clap of hands: at games they can give a foul, but on the street it can bring down that very concentration.

And finally, I suggest watching the old film , about the individual protection of basketball players, filmed in the USSR. There are some really useful things in there (the movie is old - so turn up the volume).

[youtube]9GMNCBu0Kes[/youtube]

Well, that's all, the main points that will help you defend better without any drastic changes in the game.

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