Shooting and more..

4. REBOUNDING

The last thing I am going to talk about in this article is actually the easiest basketball skill to learn. Rebounding is not about size, agility or leaping ability although those qualities help. It is about desire and ambition. If you are short, don't just give up a rebound because there are some giants in the paint. And if you are one of those giants, don't get too cocky; everyone else is going after the ball too.

Rebounding Tips

1. Keep moving - A good rebounding position is where you can effectively compete for a missed shot. That position, nonetheless, always changes as the predicted shooter dribbles left and right, or passes the ball to a teammate. The best rebounders, therefore, are the ones who keep moving.
2. Box out - While a missed shot is in the air, make contact with your opponent. Reach out and touch him, preferably with your forearm to his chest and our rear end to his thighs. It is an effective way to stop your opponent's momentum toward the ball.
3. Try to predict where the ball might go - To be a good rebounder, you've got to know where a missed shot is likely to land. Here are some tips for rebounding sleuths: 1.) Missed shots from a corner usually end up on the other side of the basket. 2.) Shots taken from the middle of the court usually return to the middle. But if it's left or right by just a little bit, it is likely to catch the inside of the rim, then hit the backboard and fall near the basket. 3.) Longer shots often mean longer rebounds. Since they are made with more force, they are more likely to produce a crazy bounce.
4. Two and two - Jump off both feet and grab the ball with both hands. With two hands, it is easier to catch the ball. With two feet, you can jump higher, for you use twice as much muscle to create the oomph.
5. Don't let them steal the ball back - After getting a rebound, your opponents will certainly try to poke the ball away from you. Here is what you can do to secure your possession of the ball. After rebounding, land on the floor with your legs slightly wider than your shoulders so that no one can knock you off-balance. Place your hands on the side of the ball. Keep your forearms parallel to the floor and your elbows out. Hold the ball firmly against your chest, just a bit below your chin. If a defensive player tries to slap the ball away from the side, he will risk fouling you on the arm. If he tries to tie you up for a jump ball, just pivot away, keeping your elbows wide. It is okay to pivot with your elbows wide, but keep in mind; don't swing them back and forth like weapons. You may get a technical foul.

A couple final words: Keep practicing!

3. SHOOTING

Shooting is probably the most fun thing about basketball for the fans and the most difficult thing for the players. Sometimes when you see an NBA player shoot the ball and miss, this question may come to your mind: "How could he miss that? He's so tall." The truth is a player's height has nothing to do with his capability as a shooter. Look at Shaq, for example. Despite playing in the NBA for so many years and being 7-foot tall, he still can't shoot free throws right. A successful shot is all in the techniques.

LeBron James

Must-Know Shooting Tips

1. Stance - Your knees must be bent slightly. Make sure your feet point at the basket. Bent knees help create the right arc on your shot.
2. Grip - Put your dominant hand in the center of the ball; your fingers should be spread and your palm should not touch the ball. Special trick: Use the air valve. It is not just a meaningless rubber dot, but a built-in guide for ball shooters. The air valve is at the center of the basketball, so putting the center of your hand on the air valve helps the ball go straight.
3. Release - Thrust your fingers up and forward toward the hoop. While making a free throw, try to arc the ball 3 - 4 feet above the basket. (Shaq's free throws don't usually arc; that's why he has been failing as a free thrower.)
4. Follow-Through - Your fingers should point downward after you release the ball. Leave your hand up there for at least a second to make sure you don't pull your hand back too soon.
5. Balance - You should feel your body going just slightly toward the basket. If it's a jump shot, you should land on both feet at the same time.
6. Layup - When you do a layup, keep your eye on the basket all the time. For a right-handed layup, jump off your left foot. For a left-handed layup, jump off your right foot. This allows you to get maximum height and best shields from the defense.
7. Free Throw - Keep your dominant foot slightly in front. As you straighten your knees, release the ball. Finish with your heels off the floor and shift your weight on your toes. Your strong hand must follow through. Use your weak hand as a guide, but don't let it affect the shot.

Basketball Tricks

Basketball, like many other things, can be self-taught. Michael Jordan's phenomenal success is partly attributed to his great coaches and trainers, but the person who deserves most credit for his accomplishment is Mr. Jordan himself. Despite having his blessed talent, Jordan never slacked off his practice or overlooked its importance. Consistent practicing is by far the most crucial key to becoming an excellent basketball player.

Featured in this article are some cool tips and clean tricks on ballhandling, passing, shooting and rebounding that you need to know in order to enhance your basketball skills. Some complicated tricks in this article are demonstrated by famous NBA players such as Michael Jordan, Yao Ming and Dwyane Wade, which makes it even more fun and easier to learn.

1. BALLHANDLING

First, you need to learn how to handle the ball effectively or in other words, how to dribble well. Dribbling a basketball may seem easy, but to dribble smartly and give your defender a hard time, you've got to learn some special tricks and practice diligently.

Allen Iverson (The Dribble Master)

Basic Tips: Dribbling Dos and Don'ts

Use your fingertips, NOT your palm

At the end of practice, check your hand. If your palm is clean and your fingers are dirty, it means you're dribbling correctly.

Do not overdribble

Do not keep dribbling until you are no longer guarded. You should pass the ball as soon as you see a teammate become open. If you keep dribbling, your teammates will stop trying to get open after a while, as they know they won't get the ball from you.

Dribble by feel

Learn to dribble by feel so that you can always keep your head up to spot defenders and open teammates.

Push the ball hard and keep your hand low

Quick defenders have plenty of time to steal the ball, from the moment you push the ball to the floor until it bounces back to your fingertips. Hard dribbles shorten the time that you have no control over the ball and accordingly, minimize the risk of losing the ball to your defender.

Trick #2

The Spin

When you are in the open court and the defender has your path to the basket cut off, a spin dribble could be a smart solution. To execute a spin move (presuming you are right-handed), dribble hard with your right hand toward the defender, then stop with your left foot forward and planted. Make a swift 180-degree pivot off your left foot. Switch hands half-way through the rotation and dribble with your left hand instead. As soon as your back faces the defender, do another 180-degree pivot off your right foot and you will be facing the hoop again.

The downsides of this move: 1.) While spinning, you momentarily can't see the basket or cutting teammates. 2.) Other defenders may be able to read your spin and double team you in your blind spot. 3.) Doing a spin move too fast can throw you off-balance quite easily.

Trick #1

The Sweep

Imagine you are in triple threat position on the wing, and the defender has his left foot forward, which takes away your right-hand dribble. Now what would you do?

Here is where the sweep comes in. Quickly shift your weight from right to left. Sweep the ball across your belly, then move your right foot outside of the defender's right foot, blocking him off. Then do a hard left-hand dribble or two, and you're on your way to the hoop!

But be careful not to hold the ball too far away from your body, for it will likely be poked away by the defender. When you become more proficient on this move, try throwing in a head fake to the right so that the defender may go off-balance and you can get even more room.

Spin Dribble Demonstration

The animated player in this video (Ben Wallace) is left-handed, so he does his spin move the other way around.