Q&A for How to Improve at Basketball

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  • Question
    How can I start dunking in basketball?
    Ryan Tremblay
    Basketball Coach
    Ryan Tremblay is a Basketball Coach and the Owner of National Sports ID and STACK Basketball. With over 30 years of experience, Ryan specializes in basketball coaching, social media marketing, and website design. Ryan created the National Sports ID as a platform to verify the age/grade of youth athletes and STACK Basketball to inspire young athletes to grow into mature individuals and basketball players. Ryan was a First Team All-Decade basketball player in Bergen County and finished in the top 20 all-time leading scorers in the county’s history with 1,730 points. He went on to Caldwell University on a basketball scholarship where he was part of three championship teams. Ryan was a two-time All-Metropolitan, All-State, and All-Conference point guard and the all-time three-point leader in the school’s history, landing him in the Caldwell University Athletic Hall of Fame.
    Basketball Coach
    Expert Answer
    You really want to build up your calf muscles, your quads, and your glutes so you can jump higher. Weightlifting, squats, plyometrics, sprinting, high knees, and butt kicks all can help with that.
  • Question
    How do I get better at shooting reverse layups?
    Ryan Tremblay
    Basketball Coach
    Ryan Tremblay is a Basketball Coach and the Owner of National Sports ID and STACK Basketball. With over 30 years of experience, Ryan specializes in basketball coaching, social media marketing, and website design. Ryan created the National Sports ID as a platform to verify the age/grade of youth athletes and STACK Basketball to inspire young athletes to grow into mature individuals and basketball players. Ryan was a First Team All-Decade basketball player in Bergen County and finished in the top 20 all-time leading scorers in the county’s history with 1,730 points. He went on to Caldwell University on a basketball scholarship where he was part of three championship teams. Ryan was a two-time All-Metropolitan, All-State, and All-Conference point guard and the all-time three-point leader in the school’s history, landing him in the Caldwell University Athletic Hall of Fame.
    Basketball Coach
    Expert Answer
    Reverse layups take a lot of concentration, technique, and practice. Learning where the ball should hit the backboard when you take the reverse layup is the most important part and that takes practice. It is also important to learn when to do a reverse layup and not just do it for looks.
  • Question
    How can I improve my rebounding skills?
    Ryan Tremblay
    Basketball Coach
    Ryan Tremblay is a Basketball Coach and the Owner of National Sports ID and STACK Basketball. With over 30 years of experience, Ryan specializes in basketball coaching, social media marketing, and website design. Ryan created the National Sports ID as a platform to verify the age/grade of youth athletes and STACK Basketball to inspire young athletes to grow into mature individuals and basketball players. Ryan was a First Team All-Decade basketball player in Bergen County and finished in the top 20 all-time leading scorers in the county’s history with 1,730 points. He went on to Caldwell University on a basketball scholarship where he was part of three championship teams. Ryan was a two-time All-Metropolitan, All-State, and All-Conference point guard and the all-time three-point leader in the school’s history, landing him in the Caldwell University Athletic Hall of Fame.
    Basketball Coach
    Expert Answer
    Learning the proper way to box out is the best way to improve as a rebounder. You can also learn the timing of when the ball hits the rim and how to anticipate where the ball will go after it hits the rim. It is a skill to be able to anticipate where the ball will go after it hits the rim. You also must have the will to want the ball more than everyone else on the court.
  • Question
    What are the best drills to get better at basketball?
    Ryan Tremblay
    Basketball Coach
    Ryan Tremblay is a Basketball Coach and the Owner of National Sports ID and STACK Basketball. With over 30 years of experience, Ryan specializes in basketball coaching, social media marketing, and website design. Ryan created the National Sports ID as a platform to verify the age/grade of youth athletes and STACK Basketball to inspire young athletes to grow into mature individuals and basketball players. Ryan was a First Team All-Decade basketball player in Bergen County and finished in the top 20 all-time leading scorers in the county’s history with 1,730 points. He went on to Caldwell University on a basketball scholarship where he was part of three championship teams. Ryan was a two-time All-Metropolitan, All-State, and All-Conference point guard and the all-time three-point leader in the school’s history, landing him in the Caldwell University Athletic Hall of Fame.
    Basketball Coach
    Expert Answer
    You can never get enough of the basic fundamentals. I'm a big believer in doing things over and over until they become a habit. Also, add in all the different variations of that skill that you're working on, whether it's shooting, passing, or dribbling.
  • Question
    What is a simple way to get my handles up?
    Community Answer
    Definitely practice your moves every day. Do crossovers, between-the-legs, behind-the-back, and figure-eights between your legs. If you dedicate as little as 10 minutes every day, your handles will get better.
  • Question
    I'm a girl. How can I get on the team if no one thinks I play?
    Community Answer
    Bring a ball to the court. Dribble and take some shots in front of them; if you can play they will notice.
  • Question
    How much do I have to practice?
    Community Answer
    Every chance you get. If you want to be as good as possible, practice as much as you can.
  • Question
    Will your chances of being MVP die if you aren't a good shooter?
    Community Answer
    Not at all. As long as you can defend well or pass perfectly, and be a good sport, you should be fine in short form. Just try to help out your team as well as you can, and practice lots.
  • Question
    Do you have to be tall to play basketball?
    Community Answer
    No, many professional basketball players are of average height or slightly taller than average. A shorter person can often move the ball across the court faster and more efficiently than a taller person. It also doesn't matter when it comes to shooting. The famous example is Nate Robinson, who can still dunk it at 5 feet 9 inches. You may have to train a little harder at jumping and shooting than a tall player would, but you'll have other advantages working in your favor.
  • Question
    Will I get better at basketball if I practice a lot?
    Community Answer
    Of course. Sometimes it can be very time-consuming, but the more you practice, the better you will be.
  • Question
    Do I need to be tall in order to shoot a basket when I'm far away from the net?
    Community Answer
    No, but you do need to work on strengthening your arms and abdominal muscles to throw the ball harder and farther. This applies for anyone, not just shorter players.
  • Question
    How can you practice without a hoop?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Practice ball-handling, dribbling, passing, fast breaks, inbounding, screening, stealing, shot-blocking, running offensive plays, guarding, jump balls, rebounding and blocking out.
  • Question
    How do you shoot 3-pointers better without a lot of practice?
    Community Answer
    You really can't improve at it without practice. But since basketball and shooting hoops require good eye-hand coordination skills, you could try tossing rings around bottles or something that helps eye-hand coordination skills. Specific shooting practice is best though. This wikiHow article on how to become a better basketball shooter might help.
  • Question
    What will help with my layups?
    Community Answer
    If you use the backboard, aim for the upper near corner of the rectangle above the basket.
  • Question
    Any time I defend, I end up fouling, how can I stop?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Back off a little. Keep practicing. There's no shortcut to becoming a great player.
  • Question
    I'm afraid that when I drive, I will either get blocked or have the ball stolen. What can I do to make sure that won't happen?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Keep the ball away from your defender. Practice your quickness. The quicker you are, the harder it is to block you or steal from you.
  • Question
    What if I don't have enough time to practice?
    Community Answer
    Try to find some time in which to practice. If you are really serious about basketball, you could consider spending less time on other hobbies or extracurricular activities (ie: playing video games). Even a little bit of practice (5 to 10 minutes) each day is better than no practice at all.
  • Question
    I love playing basketball but I hate playing in front of other people because I worry they will judge me. What can I do?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    If you truly love playing the game, you'll just have to forget about any spectators and play for the fun of it. Keep practicing and your game will improve.
  • Question
    I have 7 months to get better. If I do the suggestions in this article, will I become better or good?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Seven more months of serious practice will definitely make you better.
  • Question
    How do I get a better vertical?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Strengthen your legs with all sorts of exercises (particularly for the thighs). Jump over and over, trying to touch something high off the ground (like a hoop).
  • Question
    If I practice shooting on an eight foot basketball hoop, will my shooting become better on a ten foot basketball hoop?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    It's possible that using an eight-foot hoop will ''hurt'' you for a ten-footer. If you get used to an eight-footer, you are likely re-calibrating your shot to suit it. Try practicing a bit on a ten-foot hoop before you have a game.
  • Question
    I'm a center but not that tall. How do I box out taller centers?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Boxing out is more a matter of quickness than height. Just get to the floor position before your opponent does.
  • Question
    When you are not tall keep getting your shots blocked?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Practice your dribbling and faking skills so you can dribble away from the defender and have an open shot.
  • Question
    Sometimes when I catch the ball, one of my fingers gets a painful sensation. How can I catch the ball while avoiding that?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    If you're talking about a jammed finger, keep your fingers curled a little until the ball gets to you. You can't jam a curled or relaxed finger.
  • Question
    What should I do to get on a basketball team?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Practice a lot, and then try out for the team.
  • Question
    Do you have to be a guy to play basketball?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    No. Many girls and women play basketball at all levels, even professionally, throughout the world.
  • Question
    How do I become an unstoppable scorer in basketball?
    Tyrese Johnson
    Community Answer
    Practice a lot and watch highlights of college or NBA players to see how they score and what makes them unstoppable. Then try to mimic aspects of their game.
  • Question
    Should I do pushups in order to improve my shooting skills?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Any arm-strengthening exercises will help your shooting by allowing you to shoot from farther out, thereby expanding your shooting range.
  • Question
    What does it mean when my body gets sore from practicing basketball? How can I start off passing the ball between my legs if I'm a beginner?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    It means you haven't practiced enough yet. Your body needs time to adjust to using the muscles required for basketball. And don't get too fancy as a beginner. Work on fundamentals. Passing between your legs is not a fundamental.
  • Question
    How can you succeed in basketball when nobody thinks you can?
    Community Answer
    You have to be determined and work hard. You have to believe in yourself.
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