Check out 8 great basketball tips to help your young basketball player improve his skills. From drills to more effective ball control, to endurance-building workouts that will take his game to a whole new level.
Small changes, big improvements: 8 tips to improve your basketball skills
Is your child passionate about basketball to the point where he/she wants to become a professional basketball player and compete in the world biggest tournaments in the future?
Of course, this kind of success requires a lot of training in exceptional technique. This time on the Grosbasket blog, we’ve put together a mini guide with 8 tips to improve your basketball skills, so your young basketball enthusiast can get started today – from small changes to big improvements!
Check out the tips below, from exercises to control the ball more effectively to the best workouts to build endurance.
The focus of the exercises should be on controlling the basketball
Developing stronger dribbling skills is the easiest way to make your child a better basketball player. The key to ball control is balance: keep the body static while tapping the ball around the body. The ball should be directed from the left to the right hip, while maintaining a bounce height that extends between the knee and the hip.
Tackling at this appropriate height presents the ultimate opportunity for a shot, which helps you to shoot the basket more efficiently. The more focus you put into your daily ball management, the more control you will have over the ball.
During daily exercise, practise tapping the basketball with both hands. We also recommend that you practice the three basic ball-handling movements: crossing, tapping between the legs and tapping behind the back. Once you have built a solid foundation with these moves, you can create combination dribbles that you can use during the game to outsmart your opponent.
Improving your weak points
If your basketball player wants to become a better player, she needs to focus on working on improving her weak points. For example, if she has problems at the free throw line, then this should be the main focus of her training. Have you checked how she is doing tapping with her non-dominant hand?
If she is still learning, then use the ball handling exercises mentioned above to improve her ball. If she wants to become an elite player, she will initially need to identify and correct her weaknesses in order to improve her skills in all aspects of the game.
Do you practice guiding the ball at the speed of the actual game?
Every basketball player can develop good form and speed when dribbling the ball on his own or when shooting, but sometimes it’s hard to maintain that speed during the game when the pressure is high and the fans are screaming from the stands.
If your child excels in day-to-day training, but is less good at driving the ball and shooting the basketball in games, chances are he or she is not training at the pace of the game.
You can help by pretending to be a defensive player and running towards the basket with your aspiring basketball player – or you can play the role of the opponent and give him no time to gather his focus for a shot at the basket. Get him used to moving at the speed of game and you’ll really see a big improvement!
Does he have good quality basketball equipment?
Without good quality and appropriate basketball equipment, such as basketball shoes, his progress can be significantly slowed down and you risk long-term injuries if he does not wear the right basketball shoes. Quality shoes are the most important investment for a successful basketball player as they will bring comfort, confidence, agility and speed.
Of course, a trendy basketball jersey of his favourite player will also motivate him immensely, both during training and during the actual game – and motivation is the key to success. One of your biggest tasks as a parent is to support him in his dreams and teach him the importance of mindset for success.
Improving overall fitness
Basketball players need good stamina to run around the court for the whole game. Even if your daughter has mastered the basic skills of basketball, she cannot help her team with these skills if she does not have the right level of fitness.
We recommend light jogging, lifting weights to build muscle, and daily sprinting exercises. Introducing these endurance-building exercises into her daily routine will increase her stamina on the court. The added muscle mass will allow her to become a more aggressive player and take her fitness to a higher level.
Watch college basketball games alongside NBA games
The NBA is exciting and fun to watch, but young players who tune in hoping to learn more about the game of basketball won’t find much in the NBA that they can use to play on their own team.
The NBA uses a short 24-second shot timer, which provides little time to make offensive plays, and players instead rely more on individual athleticism than teamwork.
We recommend watching college basketball games, which have a longer shot clock and mimic the more traditional style of play used by high school and youth teams. To study the fundamentals of team basketball, observe how college basketball teams move the ball down the court and create scoring opportunities.
Quality sleep and proper nutrition – unfortunately, you can’t go without it!
While almost all teenagers like to eat unhealthy food, we would really recommend those who want to improve their basketball skills to stick to a healthy and balanced diet to ensure a strong and solid body.
Kids, parents and coaches can read a book or two on nutrition and incorporate what they’ve learnt into their training. Proper nutrition gives a young player peak energy and strength, which will show on the court. Your child may resist at first, but if you tell them that it’s how Luka Dončić got better, they’ll probably listen!
Most people also don’t want to hear about the need to get enough sleep, which is the key difference between being slow on the pitch and outpacing your opponents. Children who get at least eight hours of sleep a night have much more energy when they lace up their basketball shoes and head out on the court.
Postavite si oprijemljive cilje
The best way to improve your skills is by repeating the drills every day; as in many things, the saying ‘practice makes perfect’ is also true in basketball.
However, repeating the same workouts can get a bit boring if we don’t set ourselves tangible goals. For example, have a young basketball player set a goal for each day: 100 free throws made. Then try to reach that target every day – this will motivate the youngsters in the off-season and give them the edge over their peers.
You really need to exercise every day!
Talent is not the decisive factor for someone to become a better basketball player. Celebrities like Michael Jordan or LeBron James or our own Teja Oblak also train very intensively to master skills and apply them during games. If your child really wants to become a leading basketball player, they should make time to practice every day and they will quickly notice their progress.
