A great knowledge base can help you with anything you do. From changing a tire to playing basketball, you have to understand the situation to do it right. When it comes to the latter, there is nothing better than reading the tips you will find below and then using them yourself.

While focusing on offense is fun, you must also make sure you focus on defense. Victory requires the ability to play defense. Even though everyone loves to watch offense, defense is what wins you most games.

When you are practicing your shooting, take the practice shots you would attempt during the game. You are rarely going to be open for long enough to get your feet planted and line up the shot, so shoot on the move. Practice off dribble and shooting while moving for better results at game time.

When shooting a basketball, it is important to follow through. This means that you extend your arms out completely and flick your wrists as you release the ball. This give the ball extra force and speed. This force and speed allows you to make long distance shots that you normally wouldn’t be able to make.

Never pass the ball and stand still. This is a mistake most often made by those new to the game of basketball. Once you’ve passed the ball, you need to work to get into the best position possible to be passed to again or to grab a rebound from a shot.

Work on becoming a more clever basketball player, rather than trying to master a few clever plays. Your opponents will eventually figure out your plays, but will have difficulty if they cannot anticipate your overall playing ability. Learn to be surprising, quick thinking and more agile in your ability to get the ball and work the court.

Stay low when playing defense. Keep your shoulders lower than the offensive player you are guarding will give you a better chance of moving more quickly. A lower stance will help you play the ball as well. Try to remain about an arm’s length away. When you get too far away, the other player can shoot easily.

When dealing with high school basketball players, make sure that they get enough sleep every night. The workouts involved for basketball players are pretty strenuous. That is why it is very important that they get enough rest so that their bodies can recover. They should try to sleep about seven hours each night.

It can help you when you pass through your legs. You can practice this technique by stepping forward or backward and bouncing the ball with force between your legs. When you’ve mastered this step, you will be at a great advantage.

Now that you know what it takes to better your game, start using these ideas as you play basketball. As you become a great player, you will be pleased that you took the time to read this article. With every win, you will feel great accomplishment, pride and a sense of joy.