Do you know the origin of basketball?

The origins of the game of basketball can be traced back to a gentleman by the name of Dr. James Naismith. In 1861, Naismith was born in Almonte, Ontario, Canada. During his early school days, Naismith would play a game called duck on a rock whereby the child would endeavor to knock the duck off the top of the rock with a toss of another rock.

Later on, Naismith would go on to McGill University in Montreal and would later become McGill University’s Athletic Director. He would subsequently move on to YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts and in 1891, the game of basketball began.

Given the cold Massachusetts winters, Naismith needed to find a recreational activity that could be played indoors and he preferred a sport that would develop skill and one that was not exclusively relying on strength. The first game was played with two peach baskets for goals and a soccer ball.

Further to his credit, Naismith became a medical doctor specializing in sports physiology and a Presbyterian minister. Naismith was able to see his beloved sport of basketball, gain acceptance in numerous countries through the YMCA since 1893. As well, the sport of basketball was brought forth at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. As we speak, the game of basketball has become a very popular professional sport.

Basketball remains one of the most revered games played today. The jerseys sported by players on court actually assume a very significant shape in the lives of the NBA fans, who sport pro-cut uniforms of their favorite teams in a bid to show their love for the same. A typical basketball uniform consists of sleeveless upper halves, shorts, knee caps and head bands. There are a lot of factors considered before selecting basketball uniforms and today, we’re just going to take a look at what those factors are.

Comfort

Yes! At the heart of the selection of these jerseys is comfort and there are so many things that needed to be taken care of in order to ensure comfort. The right fit and fabric are the two most important factors that need to be taken into account here. A tighter upper half might hinder mobility in a major way, while a fabric unable to absorb sweat is not really fit for humid conditions. So, a choice needs to be made in accordance.

Convenience

A manufacturer selling the entire ensemble is more likely to be preferred by the buyers instead of those selling only the upper halves or the lower halves-firstly because, the former offer products within a more affordable price bracket and secondly because it is generally more convenient to get your needs fulfilled by only one manufacturer instead of hunting several suppliers at the same time. It’s a matter of double the research or double the groundwork. You have to conduct background research and price comparisons for every other product differently.

Team consensus

Team uniforms (irrespective of whether they’re sported by cricketers, soccer players, basketball players and so on) are generally selected after securing common consensus. The jersey designs and colors are only zeroed in on after all team members put forward their opinions regarding suitability. A team is known by its jersey. As basketball fans, we understand how important our favorite team jerseys are for us. Every other team is driven by different sensibilities as far as their passion, overall team outlook, and their approach towards their game are concerned. The team jersey thus selected serves to reflect different sensibilities in a major way. A team, for instance, which is new in the circuit and are known for their rawness might as well have the color red present dominantly in their team uniform or in patches.

You need to find a credentialed manufacturer in a bid to get your hands on quality stuff. Be sure enough to consult manufacturers that are actually known for providing custom team jerseys that are the right combination of affordability and quality. Plus, they should be able to deliver orders before within the desirable timeframe. The use of advanced machinery ensures that jerseys are crafted fast without compromising on the quality.

Seek recommendations from peers and browse through the plethora of online reviews in order to find out how different manufacturers have been rated and reviewed.

Hope this primer will help you in your quest for the right team uniform.

Successful free throw shooting requires confidence, sound mechanics, a routine, relaxation, rhythm and concentration. Routine, relaxation, and rhythm contribute to concentration and confidence.

Confidence

Think positively. You always shoot from the same place on the line. No one is guarding you. The basket is big. Three and a half balls can fit in the rim. With confidence – and sound mechanics – you cannot miss.

Stand a few feet behind the free throw line until the official hands you the ball. You will stay more relaxed there. If you hear negative remarks from the crowd or recognize your own negative thoughts, interrupt them with the word stop. Take a deep breath and let go of the negative thoughts as you exhale. Replace them with a positive statement of affirmation such as I am a shooter! Nothing but net! or Count it!

Routine

Develop a sound routine for your free throw.. A routine helps you relax, focus, and shoot with rhythm. Most important, using a routine will enhance your confidence. The routine can include dribbling a set number of times, checking one or two mechanics, using visualization to practice your free throw mentally just before shooting it, and taking a deep breath to relax. Adopt a sound routine and stay with it; it is a mistake to copy fads or repeatedly change your routine.

Here is a sample routine that you can adjust to fit you. Once you receive the ball, position your feet, making certain to line up the ball (not your head) with the middle of the basket. Use the small indentation mark in the floor at the exact middle of the free throw line that marks the free throw circle. Set your shooting foot slightly outside this mark, lining up the ball with the middle of the basket.

Most players use the one-hand shot for a free throw taking the time to control each of the basic mechanics: balance, hand position, elbow in alignment, sight (focus), rhythm, and follow-through.

Set up in a balanced stance. Some players bounce the ball a certain number of times to help them relax. When you bounce the ball, keep your shooting hand on top. This helps you to have your shooting hand facing the basket when you set the high in position to shoot. Use a relaxed hand position, and line up your index finger with the valve on the ball. Next, check your elbow in alignment. Some players do not have the flexibility to have the hand facing the basket and the elbow in. It is more important to have your shooting hand face the basket than having your elbow in completely. If your hand tends to turn to the side when you bring your elbow in, allow your elbow to be out a little.

Relaxation

Learn to relax when shooting free throws. You have more time to think with free throws than with other shots. Trying too hard may cause undue physical or emotional tension. Use deep breathing to relax your mind and body. For a free throw, you should particularly relax your shoulders; take a deep breath and let your shoulders drop and loosen. Do the same for your arms, hands, and fingers. Learn to relax other parts of your body. Controlling your breathing and relaxing your muscles are especially useful in a free throw routine.

Concentration

Before shooting, visualize a successful shot. Visualization just before you shoot can produce a more free-flowing, smooth, continuous rhythm and increase confidence. Just before shooting, concentrate on your target just over the front of the rim. Keep your focus on the target as you shoot.

Rhythm

Start your shot high and use the down-and-up motion of your legs for rhythm rather than lowering the ball for rhythm. The down-and-up motion of your legs provides momentum for your shot and is particularly helpful when shooting late in the game when your legs are tired. By starting the ball high and using your legs for rhythm, you will lessen the chance for error that can come with lowering the ball.

Shoot the free throw with a smooth, free-flowing rhythm. Use personalized key words to help establish a smooth, sequential rhythm for free throw shooting. Say your words in the rhythm of your shot. For example, if your trigger words are legs and through and your anchor word is yes, put them together – Legs-through-yes! – in rhythm with your shot, from the start of your shot until the ball is released. Using personalized key words this way establishes your rhythm, enhances your mechanics, and builds confidence.

Act Like a Shooter

Exaggerate your follow-through, keeping your eyes on the target and your shooting arm up until the ball reaches the basket. Holding your follow-through is not only good mechanically, but more importantly you look and act like a shooter.

Common Error

You feel tense before and during your free throw.

Correction

Use deep breathing to relax your mind and body. Breathe in deeply and exhale fully. Relax your shoulders, letting them drop and loosen. Do the same for your arms, hands, and fingers. Learn to relax other parts of your body as necessary.

Free Throw Drills

1. Daily Free Throw Practice

Shoot a set number of free throws each day. Practice sets of 10 free throws after other drills. Because a player rarely shoots more than two free throws in a row during a game, when doing this drill, never take more than two successive free throws without moving off the line.

Practice under pressure. Use imagination, and compete against yourself. For example, imagine that time is out and that making the free throw will win the game. Record the number of free throws made out of every 100 attempts. Constantly challenge your own record. Do the same with consecutive free throws.

Be confident. Use positive affirmation statements before you go to the line, and visualize a successful shot just before shooting. Having a routine helps build confidence for free throws. Use deep breathing and muscle relaxation techniques.

Focus. The final step before shooting is to eliminate all distractions and focus on the basket. Say your personalized key words in rhythm from the start of your free throw to the release of the ball. If you miss, visualize a successful free throw with good form, again saying your key words.

Shoot 100 free throws. Score yourself based on the total number of free throws made. Record your score. Also record the highest number of consecutive free throws. Challenge your record every time you perform the drill.

2. Eyes Open and Eyes Closed Free Throw Shooting

Combining free throw practice with eyes closed and free throw practice with eyes open has been shown by research to improve shooting more than free throw practice with eyes open alone. Shooting with eyes closed removes vision as your dominant sense, heightening your other senses, particularly the kinesthetic sense (feel of body movement) and touch.

Visualize a successful shot and focus on the basket immediately before closing your eyes. Shoot a free throw with your eyes closed.

Start the drill by shooting 5 free throws with your eyes open. Have a partner rebound each shot and keep track of how many shots you make out of 5 and how many consecutive shots you make.

After shooting 5 free throws with your eyes open, shoot 5 free throws with your eyes closed. Have a partner rebound the ball and give you feedback on each shot, including the reaction of the ball on the rim. Use this feedback and your kinesthetic and tactile senses to adjust your shot as necessary.

Complete the drill by shooting 5 free throws with your eyes open. Have a partner rebound each shot and keep track of how many shots you make out of 5 and how many consecutive shots you make.

Score yourself based on the total number of free throws made. Record your score. Also record the highest number of consecutive free throws. Challenge your record every time you perform the drill.

Every year, new fresh pros are drafted. There is no reason why you shouldn’t make it too and be one of the most successful on the pitch. You should start polishing your skills at shooting, defense, and team play. You could easily become the best in the game. All that is needed is a lot of practice and dedication. Once you get the hang of it, you will be ready to stand counted among the best in the world.

Skills

You need to learn all the rules of the game very clearly. When you know the sport well, you will be able to play and understand it. You should learn the things that are to be expected as well as potential problems that you could face. Talk to people who are good in the game or go through websites. Talking to coaches and most especially joining a team can help you to a great extent. Basketball is not only physical, but mental too. If you lack in any of the areas, then you will fail miserably.

Physical shape

You need to be in the best shape physically. You should get to the gym and work out. You can shine on the court if you are able to outrun even the best players. The best players happen to be the best scorers, the best defensive players, and the best team players. To make it in all the categories, you should be in the best physical shape. Do your pushups; do core workouts, jump rope, and jump to increase the vertical leap, and so on.

Dribble

There are coaches that will tell you to only dribble using the fingertips. However, if you are keen about the greatest players today, you will notice that they make use of the whole hand as well. When doing moves that are more advanced during the game, you can find out what works for you and what does not and therefore you will be able to concentrate more on that.

Shooting skills

This is something that you really need to do. The best shooters in the game should be emulated and then you need to model the actions that they engage in. Shooting skills are best practiced with some music on. You do not have to be standing for this; you can lie down and simply shoot in the air. You also need to do some free throws until you have perfected it.

When shooting, you should use BEEF. This simply means:

B: balance. Ensure that you are well balanced and then shoot.

E: eyes. The eyes need to be on the basket as you shoot

E: elbow. The elbow should be towards the body as you shoot

F: follow through. Make sure that you do follow through with the shot. The shooting hand should be like one reaching into a jar.

Concentrate as you shoot too. You need to focus on the area where the ball is meant to go. Do not concentrate too much on the people around you. This goes hand in hand with awareness. When you are aware of the other players and the options as well as plays that are possible, you will be very precise when you shoot.

Some people say that if you want to become the best player you need to use the best equipment. Is this true? Eh not necessarily. However, having good equipment could absolutely help. With that being said you need to find the right stuff to use. So now you’re looking for a product to increase your basketball skills, how do you find it? If you look on the web there are hundreds of different options, so how do you know which one to pick? Well luckily you have come to the right place and have a basketball expert who has personal knowledge and experience with best products. Below I review my top recommendations.

SKLZ Official Weight Control Training Basketball is a great basic product you can get and has multiple uses. This is a basketball that is regulation size and costs between thirty and forty dollars. The difference between this basketball and a normal one is the weight. This basketball weight more than a normal basketball. On the court we just called these “heavy balls” and they really were heavy. The benefits of this product are that they increase the amount of work needed to move the ball. When dribbling the ball it forces the player to push harder, which increases muscle memory. It can also be used for passing drills. This will make passes with a normal ball faster. After using this ball for 30 minutes, when you grab a normal basketball it will actually feel like a feather. You will find dribbling and passing to be extremely easy. It is a great product for high school players and up who are looking for a competitive advantage.

The “Shooter” Ring is a great product for increasing a players shooting percentage. Most people would agree that it might be hard enough to get the ball in the hoop, by this attachment really makes the rim smaller. This increases the accuracy needed to make a shot. This is good to use during any type of shooting drill, we usually used it for anything but layups and it was pretty impressive when people made baskets, because it was really hard to make. Another use you can get from the “Shooter” Ring is actually for rebounding drills. Due to the small amount of make shots, it creates a perfect environment for working on rebounds. The ball will always bounce in a pretty unpredictable manor and makes the players really work on their boxing out skills if they want to get the rebound.

SKLZ Kick-Out 360 Degree Ball Return System is another great product to help young players work on their shooting. I have use a various of this product but I have not used this exact one. However, their purposes are essentially the same. This attaches to the rim and creates a chute that the ball can roll down so you do not need to get your own rebound. It is easy to install and they are usually durable enough to last a few seasons. My family put ours on a basketball hoops outside and left it on their for about a year and it cause no problems what so ever. So I would say these are good products that you can plan on using for awhile. The most beneficial part of this product, to me, is that it makes shooting hoops by yourself a lot easier. With the Kick Out you are able to get up a lot more shots in a shorter period of time because you are not chasing down all of your shots they just come straight back to you. Plus, this one is adaptable so it can give you rebounds in a direction you set it to.

The Shoot Sleeve – this last product recommendation is not a product that is used in practice. This is an equipment recommendation. The shooting sleeve has become a very common piece of equipment that is worn by players of all ages. I know a lot of people who criticized the sleeve but once they actually tried it on they found that they enjoyed it and no longer liked playing without one. The first benefit is that it compresses your arm muscles. This is good for keeping your muscles warm and ready to go. With arms that are ready and warm you will possible have a better time shooting, dribbling and passing the basketball. The sleeves also can come with padding on the elbow. This is helpful to the player so they do not hurt that part of the body, and honestly if someone accidentally hit another player with an elbow, getting hit with a padded elbow would be way more preferred (at least in my opinion) Also, I have had teammates who like wearing it strictly because they think it looks cool and makes them feel good. And you know how the saying good “Look good, Feel good, Play good.” As silly as it may sound I personally think it is a completely understandable reason. Some players wear one, some players wear two, some even wear leg sleeves. It is all up to the preference of the player. Another equipment recommendation I would have is ankle braces. I didn’t wear these for the longest time until… yeah you guessed it, I hurt my ankle. This injury really set me back and I wish I was wearing the braces because I never would have been in that situation if I did. When it comes to buying the right ones, I recommend going to a sporting store and talking to someone there who sells them day in and day out. They will have the most information on what is new and what people are buying.

Overall, there are a lot of great basketball products out there right now. And I am sure they will get even better and more effective as time goes on. Before buying a product make sure you do you research and find a product that will fit you specific basketball needs. Either way, just make sure you are working hard and having fun while you do it!

People, who are fitness freak, always opt for the best exercises for the basketball. Most of the people out there think that you must focus on ball handling skills to improve your basketball game. The most exceptional activities for the basketball are the right kind of combination of weighted squats and plyometrics. Squats must be done with the weight, which you push up quickly and you need to keep the repetitions low. While being able to control the ball is quite significant, this is not the most substantial part of the game. Being able to jump higher than everyone is the ultimate key to being the best player on the court. If you can jump high, then you can block shots and dunk on people.

Workout 3 Times per Week

For the players to gain the muscle mass and increase explosive strength, you should exercise no sooner than three times per week. This is to let sufficient rest between your workouts for your muscles to repair themselves and grow. This is one of the basketball training exercises that can help you a lot to improve your game. Numerous players are there who make the mistake of thinking that more time at the gym means faster muscle gains.

While it might be true of enhancing the ball handling and shooting skills the same cannot be said of just building muscle and strength. Try to give your body the rest it needs, and you will be richly rewarded. The basketball training exercises should be all-body workouts, as just opposed to splitting upper body and lower onto separate days. If you want to make your body well-toned, you have to make sure that you choose the proper workouts as well.

Train No Longer Than 60 Minutes

Besides, your workout must last no longer than 60 minutes. If it does, then you are either spending too much time in there or just not performing the entire drills with enough intensity. Try to make sure that the weight training for the game workouts is quite high intensity offers you along with the exclusive benefits:

• You can enhance the stamina and then endurance while building muscle
• You can reduce the entire workout time making this absolutely simpler to follow the regular schedule predominantly if you have classes or work commitments.

When first starting your workout for this specific game, you would surely ignore doing that on game days as you will feel quite fatigued and may underperform. Though as time goes on and you get used to your routine, you can probably do so.

Focus on Compound Exercises

You can see emphasis efficiently on the Compound Exercises for Functional and Explosive Power as well. The key to understanding the right kind of success along with your weight training for the gaming workout is making sure this offers you along with functional muscle mass that is strong and explosive. The proper workouts that actually work for multiple muscle group at the same time and it contains things such as deadlifts, bench press, bent over rows and squats as well.

Through my experiences as a volunteer basketball Coach at the Special Olympics New Jersey Sports Complex and working at various camps and clinics, I have encountered life changing practices through the teaching of developmental basketball. Many people assume that children with autism or other disabilities do not need to learn the necessary skills and concepts associated with basketball. However, I have discovered that it is essential to teach autistic children the same skillsets and concepts as children without disabilities but in a modified manner. As an aspiring College Basketball Coach, I focus on individual skill development, teamwork, and communication when volunteering. These three aspects of basketball are a few keys to success when coaching sports and are important to teach to children at a young age. As a volunteer, I was able to learn new and innovative ways to teach individual skill development, teamwork, and communication that will help children with autism develop their basketball skills and gain confidence and abilities that will help in the overall spectrum of living a healthy life.

Individual skill development is the foundation of becoming a better basketball player and players can improve by working on their weaknesses and expand on their strengths through individual skill development. When working with autistic children, I have experienced, as with some children without a disability, that the players are more incline to focus mainly on their strengths and are less interested in identifying a weakness. Furthermore, the players are usually reluctant to work on skills that could use more development. To overcome this developmental issue, I utilize a principle called “quick transition” to help children improve on weaknesses or areas where they aren’t as competent. The “quick transition” principle focuses on the child’s strength while quickly transitioning to a new task that needs more development and finally back to the player’s comfort zone. Getting a child with autism to get out of their comfort zone is a challenge and is exciting for me when it occurs. I have been successful with implementing this principle and would suggest to anyone, whose challenge is to motivate children with autism to work on their basketball weakness as well as strengths, to use the principle of “quick transition”. Individual skill development is an important element and is a much needed skill to facilitate the use of teamwork.

Teamwork is the backbone of basketball and all other team sports. Although it is important to have players improve on their individual skills, they must all play as a team in order to achieve one overall goal. Teamwork is the most challenging aspect of teaching children with autism but it can be done. The key here is to begin by introducing a basic concept of two individuals cooperating together to make a pass, score a basket, get a defensive stop, or any other concept of the sport. Once the players are comfortable with achieving a common goal as two people, appropriately transition them into a small group by adding another person into the equation. Once they become competent in this area, continue with adding other players until you reach the goal of five players on the team contributing to the conception of the overall objective. Coach Mike Krzyzewski, the head men’s basketball Coach at Duke University has a quote that reads, “Two is better than one, only if two acts as one.” This quote epitomizes teamwork and encourages players to understand the concept that working and cooperating as a team will get the job done more effectively and efficiently which is essential to get children with autism to learn. While teamwork is essential, teamwork needs to be cemented in communications.

Communication in basketball is one of the things that can separate a good team from being a great team. Communication is the voice that wills a team to victory because it creates energy, and provides structure and order. Children with autism may have different types of communication deficiencies. For example, I have coached children who communicated well with me using short precise words and sentences, and others who did not verbally express themselves at all. When communicating with children with autism, I’ve learned to keep my instructions direct, precise, and also to be repetitive and demonstrate exactly what it is I want them to perform. The act of demonstrating a specific skill or concept helps tremendously in the development of the players skills and they seem to enjoy being able to have a leader to mirror and imitate after. Of the three keys to success when coaching basketball to children with autism, communication seems most important in developing a great team and great players.

In conclusion, as an aspiring College Basketball Coach, I am constantly trying to teach and learn new and innovative ways to help players develop. Additionally, I am committed to helping athletes become socially conscientious and solid citizens of society. Children with autism need the same love and care as children without disabilities and need to be able to participate in physical activities if they desire to do so. Basketball is a great way to introduce the concepts of individual skill improvement, teamwork, and communication and will help with achieving an overall goal. The most interesting and fascinating element in coaching is the satisfaction of being able to coach and help diverse players. As I help these players from different background and abilities, they ultimately help me become a better coach, teacher, mentor, and leader. I hope that this article has introduced a few key concepts in coaching basketball to children with autism that you can implement into your playbook.

In order to be an offensive threat you must be able to elude your guard whether you have the ball or not. A fake is an act designed to throw your guard off balance, so you can drive past him or free yourself for a shot. Do this by faking with your head, eyes, feet, shoulders, and body. The fake drive-and-shot is designed to throw the defensive player off balance and force him back to make room for the shot. Feint a dribble around the guard, using the front foot to force him back. The offensive player then comes up to position for the shot. Any feint will produce some recoiling action on the guard’s part. The fake shot-and-drive is a maneuver in which the player with the ball fakes a shot at the basket to draw the guard close to him so he can dribble around him. When you are faking, keep the ball protected and in position for the dribble. The first stride should be a long one with the right foot if going right, placing the ball well out in front while driving by the guard. A double fake is executed by faking a drive with a deep step to the right, causing the guard to drop back a little. The offensive man then moves his front foot a bit back and poises for a set shot. As the guard comes up on his toes to stop the shot, the offensive man lowers his body and drives off his front foot, placing the ball well out ahead and drives in for the goal. To go to the right side, the deep step is faked to the left with the right foot. The shot is faked, then comes the drive to the right. A left-handed player will use his left foot as the forward foot and follow the same technique as above.

In starting a fake, a player never knows whether it will be a single or a double fake. This will depend on the action of the guard. Sometimes a guard commits himself on the first fake. If he is not fooled on the first fake, then try the double fake. A common fault of many players executing feints is that they do not allow enough time for the defensive player to “fall for” the deception. Shooting or driving too soon simply means that the deception is wasted. Dribble Tips:

1. Do not take a one-bounce dribble when you first get the ball. This robs you of the opportunity to move with it.

2. Keep your head up and eyes ahead so you can get a good view of what the other players are doing.

3. Do not try to dribble in congested areas.

4. Do not slap at the ball-push it to the floor with your fingertips.

5. When advancing to your front court with the high dribble, be sure that there are no opponents nearby who may steal the ball.

6. Learn to keep your body between your man and the ball.

7. Use a high dribble for speed and a low dribble for control and deception.

8. Fake with your eyes, head and body when dribbling. This will add defensive pressure on your man.

9. Dribble only when necessary. Over-dribbling is a waste of time. Passing will advance the ball more quickly than dribbling.

Moving without the ball Players often do not know how to act offensively when they do not have the ball. In my coaching experience I have found this to be especially true of young players. Too frequently they do nothing. They stand around watching the man with the ball, waving their arms for a pass even though he is closely guarded. The easiest man to guard is the player who stands around and moves slowly and aimlessly. Basketball is a team game and all five players must work as a unit to get the best results.

A player without the ball can do the following:

1. Move at all times to prevent the defense from double teaming a teammate.

2. Keep the middle of the court open to permit plays down the middle.

3. Set up a screen for teammates.

4. Be alert to cut in for a possible play.

Situations change with every pass of the ball. Watch for weaknesses in the defense so you may take advantage of them. It is important to know what you intend to do. Indiscriminate running will only tire you out. Never run straight or in circles. An opponent can easily guard you. Deception and change of pace will help you elude your guard. Learn how to cut. A few of the cutting movements will be described and illustrated here. The “L” cut is a straight cut down the sideline with a 90 degree change of direction. The “L” cut is used for squaring the corners in the fast break.

1. “L” cut right.

2. “L” cut left.

The “buttonhook” is used primarily in cutting for the basket, but it can also be used when meeting a press. The player drives for the basket, stops, then comes out to meet the pass.

1. Buttonhook right.

2. Buttonhook left.

The “S” cut is started by cutting in one direction and then cutting back to the original position. “S” cut. This cut can be used on either side. Slicing off a post man is another means of freeing yourself for a shot. 1 passes the ball to 2 and immediately cuts off him. 2 times his cut to drive off l’s back and uses 3 as a block. Breaking out from the corner toward the outer half of the free-throw circle is an offensive set-up play. If a pass is received, the corner man can jump-shoot or pivot on the right foot and drive in for a lay-up or set up a post position. 1 breaks out of corner, goes right and left.

The “V” cut is used to change direction and cut for the basket. It is used a great deal in cutting from the corners.

1. “V” cut.

2. “V” cut left

Want to be “the man” every time you step on the basketball court?

Let me reveal the secrets of becoming an elite basketball player.

Do The Beneficial Things You Don’t Want To Do

Whatever you don’t want to do is exactly what you need to do.

Is it easy to pass up a free honey bun?

Is it easy to drink water when your refrigerator is full of soda?

The path with the most resistance is usually the path with the most benefits.

Don’t seek comfort, seek beneficial discomfort. For example, nobody wants to get up at 5:00 A.M. to do ball handling and shooting drills, but that might be exactly what you need to do.

Doing what’s comfortable won’t separate you from the competition. Anyone can do what is comfortable but only the best of the best are willing to do what’s uncomfortable in order to become and stay great.

Improve On The 8 Aspects Of Basketball

Basketball IQ – Increase your understanding of the game of basketball. How do you do this? You can increase your basketball IQ by playing basketball daily, watching film of great basketball players, and reading books about basketball skill development and performance.

Shooting – You need to work on improving your jump shot daily. You can never become too good of a shooter.

Ball Handling – If you can’t handle the basketball, you will never reach your full potential. When you’re confident in your ball handling ability, you will be able to raise your game and focus on scoring instead of how to keep the basketball from getting stolen.

Defense – Defense is just as important if not more important than offense. Work on your foot speed, your ability to hustle for loose balls, and your ability to stay in front of your offensive matchup.

Conditioning – If you’re not in basketball condition, it will show on the basketball court. I don’t care how good you’re, once you get tired, you will start to play like a scrub.

Vertical Jump – Increasing your vertical jump just makes everything so much easier. You will be able to pull-off more athletic moves, you will get more blocks, more rebounds, and you will get more respect from the other athletes.

Strength – Strength allows you to bully your opponents and score at will. The combination of strength, skill, and athleticism, makes for a deadly basketball player. Just look at what Lebron James has been able to accomplish on the basketball court.

Speed and Quickness – Speed and quickness will allow you to get past your defender with one simple crossover or hesitation move. When you’re quick on your feet you will also be able to defend good players who are craft with the basketball.

Don’t Take Days Off

Be a self-disciplined athlete. Don’t make excuses for yourself, you know you need to practice daily. Every minute you’re relaxing, there is somebody out there training and getting better than you.

Make sacrifices; don’t watch as much T.V. and don’t play as much video games. Be selfish about your basketball improvement. Don’t let life’s troubles get in the way of your basketball success.

Solve Your Shooting Problem

“You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.” – Michael Jordan

When it comes to someone who is working on their shot, I think this quote is a great way to explain why the fundamentals are so important. Michael Jordan is the best player to ever play the game of basketball. He has nothing but respect for the game and want players to achieve success the right way. With that being said there are several different aspects to shooting the ball and all must be done correctly if a player is to become a great shooting. The perfect formula when teaching the art of shooting has to do with BEEF. Let me explain…

BEEF is an acronym that stands for balance, eyes, elbow, follow-through. This is a strategy used everywhere to teach good shoot form and is an extremely effective strategy.

B – Balance

Balance is extremely important when shooting the basketball. A player’s feet should be shoulder width apart when they prepare to shoot. This gives the perfect amount of balance on each side of the body. With the knees bent, one foot should be a little in front of the other. The foot that should be in front is the one that is one the same side as the player’s shooting hand. (If you shoot right handed, your right foot should be a little in front) Not only is this good for your aiming but it gives you a good aspect of where your feet should be pointing, at the basket! From here you should be balance and bent down ready to move on to the next step.

E – Eyes

Bent in position holding the ball, you know need to use to eyes to look at the basket. Yes, this seems like it should go without explanation, however there is a little more to it than that. The eyes are your greatest tool for aiming the ball and you would think most people know they should look at the basket when the shoot, but it needs to be more specific than that. Players who are great shooters do not just aim at that orange ring up on the backboard, they pick an even smaller part on the rim to look at. This results in a more precise aim and results in more accurate shots. I have always been taught to shoot at the inside of the rim right in the middle, I know some people who are taught to aim at the front of the rim. I do not really agree with that because if you aim at the front of the rim you will hit the front of the rim and it won’t go it. With that being said I recommend aiming at the inside back of it.

E- Elbow

At this point you are balanced and looking at the right part of the rim. Now it is time to start shooting. The most common mistake for players who have bad shots is they do not keep their shooting elbow in. The reason for this is because keeping your elbow in takes a little bit more of an effort (at least at the beginning, until you get used to it). However, people who do take the time to be conscious about it will see that they are able to get more power in their shot because they have more muscle pushing the ball. While you jump off of both feet, tucking your elbow in you want to push the ball in the air toward the rim, don’t forget to keep your eyes on the rim!!

F – Follow Through

Almost done with your shot but there is still one last part… the follow through. This was the part I had the most trouble with when I played. It is important that your hand points to the rim when you are releasing the ball. Not only do you want it to point at the rim, but you want your arm to be extended and your hand to stay high up in the air. At the end of your shot your aim should be basically straight up and down. My problem was that after my shot my arm would be pointed toward the rim, instead of straight up. This importance of having your hand straight up is because it affects the arch on your shot. You want to have a high arch on your shot because it creates a better chance of your shot going in the basket if it is coming from higher up. Holding your follow through a few seconds after each shot is important because it is a good way to assess how you are shooting and to ensure you are following though the right way.