How to start playing basketball

How to Start Playing Basketball

This is a little biased, but basketball is the best sport out there because you need to summon everything to play it. By everything, we mean teamwork, skills, talents, and everything between. And yet, it is a simple enough game that you can learn many things just by watching other people play. For you to figure out the essentials in how to start playing basketball, we will be taking you step-by-step and give you a push in the right direction.

First of all, you need to have the basic skills or the basketball fundamentals to get started. It’s how you make the game more straightforward for you down the road. Doing it this way, not only accelerates the learning process, but it will also add more fun by seeing the small improvements you’ve made along the way. Now let’s get to the very basics of basketball.

When it comes to basketball, all you need to know first are the basic rules and skills. Let’s start with the rules first. Thankfully, they are as straightforward as they come, so there should be no reason not to pick them up the first time. Here they are, in no particular order:

• There are two five-player teams in basketball trying to score by shooting a ball through a hoop hung 10 feet above the ground—the team who scores more wins.
• A basketball game is played in a rectangular-shaped court with the 10-foot hoops attach to both ends. The court is divided in the center by what is called the midcourt line.
• The play begins with the offensive team inbounding the ball on the opponent’s side of the court. They have 10 seconds to cross the midcourt line, or that will be a violation. (It is called a backcourt violation.)
• Once the offensive team goes over the midcourt line, they cannot get the ball back on the other side of the line unless the defensive team taps it away.
• The ball is moved from one position to another by dribbling or passing it to another player for the offense to get the best attempt at a shot. The defense tries to stop them from doing so by stealing the ball, deflecting passes, and rebounding the ball if the offensive team misses.

• There are three ways to score: A field goal anywhere inside the arc (three-point line) is worth two points. Fouling an offensive player in the act of shooting (or the other team is in the penalty), you will be awarded a free throw which is worth one point each. A shot behind the arc is worth three points.
• A basketball game is divided into two halves. In professional basketball, a half is split into two 12-minute quarters. In international competitions, a quarter is 10 minutes long while in the US NCAA, they simply play two 20-minute halves.
• If the game has a tied score at the end of regulation, the game goes into a five-minute overtime.

Basketball has a lot of rules, but that should be enough to get you going. Aside from the rules and regulations, there are also basic skills you need to work on. These are:

• Shooting. Make no mistake about it, shooting is the most important skill in basketball. Unless you’re a threat to score, you’re not going to be needed in a basketball court. Remember, the name of the game is to score more points than your opponent.
• Passing. Passing is the purposeful attempt by two teammates to move the ball. Often, in basketball, the purpose is to arrive at a good, open shot.
• Dribbling. Dribbling is the bouncing of the ball with one hand at a time. This is the primary way to go from point A to point B if you’re holding a basketball. If you carry the ball while moving, that’s called a traveling violation; dribbling the ball with two hands is also a violation.
• Jab Step. A jab step is a basketball move done by a player as he holds onto the ball before dribbling. He makes a jabbing motion forward or sideward in an attempt to test the defender’s stance and weaknesses, so he can exploit any mistakes.
• Screening. A screen is a move done by one of the offensive players. He stands stationary behind or beside a defender to free a teammate to shoot, pass, score, and create. 
• Rebounding. Rebounding is retrieving the ball after a missed shot. If defenders are the ones securing the rebound, it’s called a defensive rebound. If it’s the offense, it’s called an offensive rebound.
• Defense. Defense is all about stopping opponents from scoring. A defense can either be man-to-man (which is pretty self-explanatory) or zone with countless other variations.

Honestly speaking, there is no better way to learn basketball but by playing it yourself. Basketball for beginners should start out by practicing shooting and dribbling alone. This would allow the neophytes to practice more moves without the fear of making mistakes. Of course, practicing alone would only take you so far so you would have to test your skills by playing pickup with friends or strangers. In any case, you can learn basketball by yourself.

It’s never too late or too early to start playing basketball, or any sport for that matter. If you are 30 or 40 and wanted to do a full-body workout, you can start playing basketball. Or if you’re a seven or eight-year-old and interested in doing basketball, then there’s no reason for you to hesitate.

However, players who aspire to be more than a recreational league or pickup game players should start out as young as they can be. That way, they will learn hand-eye coordination, muscle memory, and other physical skills needed to play at a higher level. The younger they are, the better they will become; the more repetitions they will get, and the more natural the game will come to them.

As mentioned, the game of basketball is a game of skills. The more skills you have, the higher your chances of success. But from experience, we would encourage two skills you should work on to get better at basketball. One is dribbling, and another is shooting.

Some coaches suggest that shooting may be practiced later, but we recommend to start early. Start with ballhandling first and couple it with some shooting drills. Ballhandling (or dribbling) is very critical because you the tighter your handles are, the more scoring opportunities you could get, especially off the dribble.

In most cases, you don’t need anything more than a basketball and a hoop to start playing basketball. It is also advisable to warm up and pace yourself– never bite more than you can chew. Here are 7 basketball tips for beginners:

1. Wear the right gear

Don’t go overboard with the headbands and stuff, but it is imperative to choose the right shoes, shorts, and jersey when playing basketball. The more comfortable you are, the better you will play, so don’t underestimate the power of the right basketball gear. We’re written tons of basketball gears, make sure to check them out here.

2. Practice

If we’re talking about basketball for beginners, there is one thing that you should do: practice. Choose a suitable place that has enough space for you to dribble around, try and experiment with some new moves. You will be good at straight dribbling in no time, so don’t be shy to do some crossovers, fakes, jab steps, and everything in between. 

3. Dribbling and finishing with the off hand

We feel this should have its own place outside of No. 2 since getting proficient on either hand in dribbling and finishing could get your game to the next level fast. It will be easier to get a separation or penetrate when your handles are good enough to take you anywhere you want to.

4. Practice shooting from a short distance and practice your way out.

The mistake many new players do when they practice shooting is they start heaving 30 footers right away. Steph Curry or Reggie Miller did not practice that way, okay? They became literally the best shooters in basketball ever by mastering the short distance and working their way out.

5. Be proficient in one skill and move on to others.

The better your skills are, the more joy you get out of the experience. That’s just the way it is. The evolution of the game requires positions 1-5 to work on every single one of these skills. The way to do it, of course, is to make sure you’re comfortable enough to do a move in-game and be successful in it. After that, you can move on to another skill and repeat.

6. Practice on your strengths, work on your weaknesses.

No matter how you work on skills, there will always be one (or two) that you’re going to be good at and a couple more that you won’t be as good. The key is to hone those strengths and focus on those weaknesses. Just because you’re a good shooter and a lousy passer does not mean you should only practice shooting and leave out passing drills. Still, go about your usual shooting routine and after that, work to improve your weaknesses. That’s how you will become a well-rounded basketball player.

7. Rest

As any professional would tell you, rest is a part of the training. If you’re just starting out, don’t overplay; overplaying increases the risk of injuries, so make sure you give your body time to recover. 

Many want to start playing basketball and may worry if it’s a little too late, but it’s never too late to have a good time, especially if “good time” means playing sports. It helps you to be fit while enjoying and relieving stress. What’s not to like?

However, you may need to be reminded of a few things in our basketball for beginners guide. That includes basketball fundamentals and the basic rules of basketball. The fundamentals are the skills that you’ll need to play the game. These are dribbling, shooting, passing, defense, and others.

Basketball does have a lot of rules, but they are quite intuitive. Most of these rules are enforced in an organized game, so you don’t have to worry about it much when you’re starting. However, you are also encouraged to watch a basketball game to increase your knowledge and feel, so you still have to be familiar with these rules. That includes fouls, length of regulation time, violations, and everything in between.

Last but not least, our 7 tips on how to get better at basketball should serve you well if you’re just starting out. Another key that would help you through the ups and downs of learning how to play basketball is discipline. Rome was not built in a day, and neither are your basketball skills. Just stay on the course and follow up. Only then will you reap the benefits.

Did you enjoy this post? Then you’ll love the other commonly asked questions about basketball. Check them out below:

> How to Start Playing Basketball Again: Making a Return

> What is a Basketball Scrimmage?

> What Should Every Basketball Player Be Able to Do?

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How Beginners Learn to Player Basketball

Are you a complete novice who wants to study basketball but is unsure where to begin?

Basketball is among the most difficult, entertaining, and thrilling sports in the world. The game is often conducted on a four-sided court.

Playing this sport is not tough. You only need to learn the fundamentals with a lot of dedication to understand how this game works.

You will be ready to become a pro player if you are able to grasp the key rules and the fundamentals. Dribbling, defending, jump stops, and shooting are all skills you’ll need. This will make your learning experience more enjoyable.

I’ll walk you through the basketball fundamentals that every novice should know in the piece below.

Starting off as a beginner might be tough if you don’t understand the basics of the game. As a result, you must start with the fundamentals, such as dribbling, passing, and shooting. Basketball features a modest number of activities designed to help you master the offensive and defensive fundamentals quickly as a complete novice.

Practicing these drills will help you learn to shoot baskets faster. And this will eventually assist you in quickly improving and perfecting your general basketball talents. As a trainee, you’ll need to know the following four skills:

Read more: Top Ways to Avoid Basketball Burnout

The way you control the ball is the very first ability. Trying to dribble the ball around the floor is the most important part of basketball. As a result, you’ll need to master certain basic motions to become used to handling the ball.

Dribble tags, stationary exercises, and tight chairs allow you to carry the ball correctly throughout your practice session.

Dribble tags-this one would be done with the assistance of other basketball players. All the other players must avoid getting tagged by someone who has the ball while you dribble it. You must maintain a steady dribble.

Stationary drills-drooling in a circular manner around your legs at various heights is the goal of stationary drills. You may also train without dribbling around the court by dribbling the ball through your legs.

You must know how to shoot to be capable of scoring marks in this port. This talent, as well as the other shooting styles, are required for all novices.

The box drill and the air-ball drill are two options.

There must be multiple participants in the air-ball drill, each with its own ball. You all get into an offensive stance, lowering your elbows, leaping, and firing from the highest places possible.

The box drill is done with only one ball and participants on both the right and left sides of the court. The right-hand person takes a jump shot to the backyard, whereas the competitors on the left side race up to retrieve the rebound and make their own shoot.

Read more: Top Reasons Why Basketball is so Popular

This is the most important step. You must pass the ball to your teammates.

As a beginner, you must be able to make quality passes at all times during the game. You should work on some chest passes with your fellow trainers. Furthermore, overhead passes are permitted in this sport, so understanding how to execute them is essential. Hold the ball directly over your head at all times.

Basketball relies heavily on bounce passes. As you pass the ball, aim about three-quarters of the way down the floor between you and your partner.

Learning to be either an offender or a defender is necessary. There will be a lot of game switches during this sport, so you’ll need to rehearse offensive and defensive exercises.

An offensive drill: Players are separated and queued up below each basket in this contest. Both teams’ first players dribble at high speed to the opposing baskets, while the following players prepare to get the rebound and restart the exercise.

A defensive drill: To do this, you’ll need two players to stand between the ball and you. The first is defensive, whereas the second is attacking. The defensive player utilizes his or her placement after the signal to prevent the other player from receiving the ball.

Read more: WHAT MOTIVATES ATHLETES TO SUCCEED?

How to learn to play basketball from scratch

"School 2. 0" - the best educational project in the history of Russian basketball, has collected in one material all the basic skills that are needed for those who want to jump like Michael Jordan and throw a three-pointer like Steph Curry . We literally chew on you how to play basketball and become cool. Lots of videos are included.

Passion for basketball usually begins with the ball hitting the basket. Do not deprive yourself of this pleasure, learn to score from under the basket, then from two steps ... But after that, you should think about what elements to master in order to become a “correct” basketball player. We won't let you get bored - we won't fill all basketball practice with boring stops and turns. But in general, you can’t do without it, because the correct work of the legs, the habit of standing firmly, not mincing, not taking extra steps, quickly and correctly changing the direction of movement is an absolute must for a basketball player. Plus, of course, dribbling and passing.

In general, to start the basketball path, “School 2.0” recommends exercises to develop the following skills during basketball training:

1. Throw
2. Footwork
3. Transmission
4. Maintaining

Do two or three dozen workouts, combining the exercises from the following list, and you will notice real progress. Start each workout with 2-4 minutes of quiet running and such a joint warm-up:

Exercises are performed one after the other without stopping.

1. Shoulder warm-up. Stand up straight and stretch your arms out to the sides. Make circular movements with straight arms 10 times forward, then 10 times back.
2. Pelvic warm-up. Put your hands on your belt, feet shoulder-width apart. Perform rotations in the hip joint, as if twisting a hoop, 10 times in each direction.
3. Back workout. Bend your elbows and press to your chest, feet shoulder-width apart. Do rotations in the lower back 5-10 times in each direction.
4. Knee warm-up. Stand up straight, feet together. Squat down a bit and put your hands on your knees. Then perform rotational movements with your knees, helping yourself with your hands. Do 10 times in each direction.
5. Ankle warm-up. Put your hands on your belt. Place one foot on the toe slightly behind you. Resting on your toes, do 10 rotations in the ankle joint in each direction, then change legs.
6. Squats. At the end, do 5 deep squats, keeping your heels on the floor and extending your arms in front of you.

Throwing

Get used to throwing correctly right away - with one hand (the other can only hold the ball), with reverse spin. The forearm is perpendicular to the floor, the arm straightens completely, the hand “closes”. Listen to how the ball blows up the net - it's a thrill.

1. Shooting stand

1. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, ball in hand.
2. At the signal, take a throwing stance, and at the next signal, return to the starting position.
3. Ready to throw: legs bent, back straight, slightly tilted forward. Throwing hand behind the ball (not sideways!), the second hand holds the ball in front-side.
4. Raise the ball to shoulder level.
5. Repeat 10 times with right and left hand.

2. Single handed throw on the spot

1. Get into the throwing position. The ball lies in one hand at the level of the head, the elbow is directed forward, the second hand does not help.
2. Squat down a little and with the simultaneous extension of the legs and elbow, throw the ball up in front of you. Stay in the final position until the ball hits the floor.
3. Repeat 10 times with right and left hand.

3. Throw with one hand into the hoop from one meter

1. Stand under the hoop with the ball in your hand at shoulder height. The other hand does not help!
2. Squat down and at the same time extend your legs and arms, make a throw around the ring. Keep the final position of the straightened arm and closed hand until the ball hits the floor.
3. Try to hit the ball in the corner of the rectangle drawn on the shield, then the ball will be in the ring.
4. Throw from different positions. 10 times with the right and left hand.

4. Medium throw

1. Stand at a distance of 3-4 meters from the ring and take a throwing stance. Sit down and with the simultaneous extension of the legs and arms, make a throw around the ring. Keep the final position of the straightened arm and closed hand until the ball hits the floor.
2. Throw from different positions.

1. Stand a few meters from the ring. Make yourself an autopass, take a small jump forward, catch the ball, take a shooting stance, and hit the basket.
2. Perform the exercise 10 times with your stronger arm.

5. Two steps - throw

1. Stand three meters from the ring. Take two steps from the spot and throw the ring.

1. Get on the three-point line. Take a couple of hits with the ball, then two steps and throw the ring.

1. From the three-point line, make yourself an autopass. Then catch the ball, take two steps and shoot the ring.
2. Try to hit the ball in the corner of the rectangle drawn on the shield.
3. Repeat 10 times with right and left hand.

6. Two steps - low shot

1. Get on the three-point line. Take a couple of hits with the ball, then two steps and throw from the bottom of the ring.

1. Stand three meters from the ring. Take two steps from the spot and throw the ring from below.

1. From the three-point line, make yourself an autopass. Then catch the ball, take two steps and shoot the ring.
2. Try to hit the ball in the corner of the rectangle drawn on the shield.
3. Repeat 10 times with right and left hand.

Footwork

Glue your feet to the floor. No extra steps! Otherwise - "jog", whistle, give the ball to the opponents.

1. Jump stop

1. The exercise is performed on the spot. Make yourself an autopass, catch the ball with two hands and at the same time do a two-foot jump into a basketball stance.
2. Determine the axial (supporting) leg and perform turns on this leg forward and backward.
3. Then imitate the following sequence of actions:
   take the ball in your hands, being completely in the air;
   land on both (!) feet at the same time;
   do turns around the same (!) leg.
4. Repeat the exercise 10 times: 5 times turning on the right foot and 5 times on the left.

2. Step stop

1. The exercise is performed on the spot. Make yourself an autopass, catch the ball with both hands and stop at the same time with two steps into the basketball stance.
2. The axial (supporting) leg will be the one with which you took the first step - on this leg, perform turns forward and backward.
3. Repeat the exercise 10 times: turning 5 times on the right foot and 5 times on the left.

3. Zigzag without a ball with a jump stop

All changes in the direction of movement are made by a clear turn around the near leg - even through the “face”, even through the “back”. This is very important in basketball!

4. Zigzag without a ball with a stop in steps

It is performed in the same way as the previous exercise, but the stop at the cone is one-two, not a jump.

Transmission

Mastering the culture of passing will not only earn you the respect of your playmates, but it will also give you a lot of fun. Maybe even more than hitting the ring.

1. Passing with two hands into the wall

1. Stand 3-5 meters from the wall. Pass the ball into the wall with both hands from the chest.
2. Hold the ball with both hands from the sides and direct it to the wall with a wrist movement. As a result, the arms at the elbows should straighten, and the hands should “close”.

1. Move further back to make longer passes. At the moment of such a transfer, one leg takes a step forward. Catch such a transmission from the floor.
2. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times.

2. Passing with one hand into the wall

1. Stand 3-5 meters from the wall. Pass the ball into the wall with one hand from the shoulder.
2. Hand behind the ball, thumbs up. Carpal movement.
3. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times for each hand.

3. Lying One-Hand Pass

1. Lying on your back, pass with one hand up.
2. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times for each hand.

Dribbling

Great basketball dribbling is the key to all doors. Not to mention how effective it is.

1. Palms on the ball

1. Take the ball in your hands and move it from hand to hand, hitting it with your palms.
2. Start slowly and then speed up. 15 seconds slow, 15 fast.
3. Repeat 1-2 times.

2. Ball on fingers

1. Quickly toss the ball with your fingertips from one hand to the other: raise and lower in front of you;
   sit down and get up;
   raise and lower in motion.
2. Perform each exercise 2-3 times for 15 seconds.

3. Ball around the body

1. Move the ball from one hand to the other as quickly as possible: around the body;
   around the head;
   in the round-leg basketball stance;
   in a basketball stance figure eight around the legs.
2. Do 5 reps each side.

4. Low dribbling on the spot

Low ball dribbling in different positions:

1. Basketball stance, feet parallel. Dribble to the side of your foot. Free hand in defense position.
2. Sit on the floor and dribble the ball from your side, bringing the ball closer or further away.
3. Repeat 15 times with each hand. Do 2-3 sets.

5. Medium dribbling in motion

1. Medium dribbling of the ball (height - to the waist) in motion. Do it at speed.
2. Make a turn leaving the ball in place and picking it up with your other hand.
3. Dribble two courts with each hand.

6. V-dribbling in front of you

1. Stand in a basketball stance.
2. Dribble with one hand in front of you in a V, with your right and left hands in turn.
3. Repeat 15 times with each hand. Do 2-3 sets.

7. Crossover

1. Move the ball in place in front of you from one hand to the other.
2. First do the exercise for each stroke.
3. Then - for every third hit.
4. After translation, touch the floor with your free hand.
5. Repeat 15 times with each hand. Do 2-3 sets.

8. Underfoot transfers

1. Transfer the ball between the legs from one hand to the other.
2. Translate every third hit with the ball.
3. After translation, touch the floor with your free hand.
4. Repeat 15 times with each hand. Do 2-3 sets.

That's it for starters. Of course, it would be nice to learn how to fly - in the sense of jumping high without a trampoline. But that's another story. If you only jump, you are a jumper. And if you have mastered these exercises, you are almost a basketball player. Then you can already learn to play in a team, in real contact conditions.

Why Andrey Kirilenko created School 2.0:

And remember,

"School 2.0"

will introduce you to people who you want to follow an example from: winners in whom at first no one believed; music and film stars going crazy about basketball; heroes who, thanks to sports, managed to overcome themselves.

School 2.0 will recommend movies and books, and they will help you move mountains. With us you will be in trend and understand that success breeds success.

School 2.0 has no entrance exams. Do you want to be beautiful, healthy and smart?

You are already accepted.

BTW, WE ARE DOING FREE OPEN TRAININGS TOGETHER WITH THE GREATEST GROUND #HARDCOURT. ON THIS WEDNESDAY, FOR EXAMPLE, VICTOR CHEIRU WILL TEACH EVERYBODY TO THROW THE BALL.

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How can I learn to play basketball on my own?