Basketball is one of the most popular sports around the world. It is easy to understand, does not cost a lot to play, and helps create friendships from teammates. To guarantee success while playing, there are some things you want to keep in mind. Here are four things to remember when beginning to play basketball whether you want to play college basketball, at a basketball academy, or in AAU basketball tournaments.
1. Don't just shoot
Shot selection is key at any level of basketball. If you shot the ball every time someone passed it to you, you could be perceived as a selfish player. This perception hurts the relationship with your teammates and could cause you to stop being passed the ball or be overlooked in recruiting, especially if you're missing your shots. If you have a good shot, shoot. To be prepared when you do have the shot, you want to know proper shooting techniques. Basketball camps can help build strong fundamentals and develop these skills and muscle memory.
2. Keep and Defend the basketball
When dribbling a basketball, you want to keep the ball close to your body and below your knee. Having the ball far out and high leaves the ball vulnerable to steal, hard to control and easy be called a carry or walk. A helpful tip is to keep a ball with you and dribble as you walk throughout the day. As you improve your coordination and become familiar with the ball, you improve your ball control and overall game in the process.
3. Pace yourself
As your game develops, you are going to hear the term “play with pace”. This often refers to playing quickly or with speed, but requires a balance. Often players start the game excited to play and try to move fast without control. This is when they are susceptible to make mistakes. Knowing when to slow the game down and when to play quick is a hard skill to develop but can be learned through watching basketball and reminding yourself to play quick but controlled during the game.
4. Be a team player
Basketball is a TEAM sport and so cooperation among you and your teammates is essential for success. You need to communicate amongst yourselves and bring out the best in each other. Share the ball, give direction and offer support and guidance as much as possible. You also need to be open to constructive criticism. Your teammates are going to give you support and guidance as well, including things you could improve on. You want to show that you're receptive to feedback. The best teammates aren't ones who avoid criticism, instead they deliver criticism in a way that is beneficial to everyone.
Remembering these four tips when playing basketball will help you improve and develop a passion for the game. To get used to all playing with these changes, it's best to practice on your own and try to implement / pay attention to them in trainings and camps. When it comes time to play a game, you should be able to impress your team and perform in competitive AAU basketball tournaments.
