Ways to Become a Better Basketball Player

Basketball, in my personal opinion, is probably the greatest team sports ever invented! Having played competitively since middle school, I truly enjoy everything that the game offers such as: teamwork in order to succeed, discipline, sharing, rewards of effort, rewards of hard work, and last but not least fun! Here are a few ways to become a better basketball player, along with continuous effort and determination.

Conditioning is extremely important, no matter the sport. Nine times out of ten, the better conditioned team will win regardless of talent. As one quote put it best, "Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard." As a varsity basketball player in high school, our first month of practice didn't consist of a basketball or even a court. Increasing our strength and endurance was the focus of our head coach. Although we may not have enjoyed the process, the end results were well worth it. Running wind sprints, stadiums, and at least three miles a day all factored into success on the basketball court.

After outside conditioning, the very first skill addressed should be defense. Again at this point, no basketball has been included in drills. Plenty of teams dedicate time to offensive drills and plays but not many want to put the effort into playing defense. Effort is exactly what it takes! A proper defensive stance includes: feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, arms spread out, and eyes focused on your opponent and whoever has the ball. When the person your guarding has the ball, it's imperative that you stay between your person and the basket. Defensive slide drills, not crossing your feet, are an excellent way to teach successful team defense.

The next emphasis is on dribbling. A very important skill in basketball, as this is the way teams move the ball up and down the court. Daily dribbling at a young age can increase ball handling skills tremendously. I am especially fond of making games out of the dribbling drills, to keep the players moving and incorporate fun at the same time. Try to split the players up in even relay lines, as close as you can. Each player will dribble down the court with their right hand, while looking up, and then come back dribbling with their left hand. As the players get better, you will notice an increase in speed and less out of control dribbling.

After dribbling, a good basketball player must be able to find an open teammate who might have a better shot. There are two types of passes: chest passes and bounce passes. Have your team pair up with a partner and line up across from each other approximately ten feet away. Chest passes should be on a direct line from the passer's chest to the receiver's chest. Younger players will try to loft the ball, so be patient and reinforce the direct pass. Bounce passes should bounce about three quarters of the way to the receiver and should be received from the waist to the chest. Once the players get better, the distance between the partners should be increased.

So far we've covered defense, dribbling, and passing. Now we come to the favorite part of everyone on a basketball team... SHOOTING!! Proper form is the key to a correct shot. Here are a couple of ideas for beginning players. Again, fundamentals are essential to becoming a successful basketball player. Have each player grab a basketball and face the wall. Feet should be shoulder width apart and square to the basket, or in this case, a target spot on the wall. Once in shooting position, the arm should form a "L" shape and the ball should be positioned in the palm of the hand with fingers spread out evenly. Bend at the knees, pushing the ball up, and following through the shot completely. The pointer finger should be the last finger to touch the ball.

Last but not least, we address rebounding. Let's face it, no matter how talented the players, everyone misses. Knowing this, being in the proper rebounding position when a shot is taken will give you an advantage over your opponent. I like to use a "box out" drill to increase foot speed, positioning, and pursuit of the basketball. Using the Coach or a number of Coaches as shooters, I recommend assigning three players on offense of different talent levels and three players on defense of different talent levels. This way the match-ups are as even as possible. Have the Coach shoot the basketball and miss on purpose causing a rebound attempt. As soon as the shot is taken, the defensive players should locate their particular opponent, "box out", and then go get the loose basketball as quickly as possible. The defense should stay on the court until they get three consecutive rebounds. Rotate offense to defense using the same rules. Again, increase the difficulty once you see the players skill level getting better.

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