basketball

[Jay-X]

hi guys! my worst moments as a don juan are when i'm playing basketball... i'm not talking about getting girls here, but about the whole "feeling good about yourself" thing...

here's why:

usually, on saturday afternoons, i go play streetball with my brother and some friends. everybody (also other people we meet at the playground) plays basketball, besides me. i'm not bad or unathletic (considering that i don't play any sport), but i don't have much cohordination, plus they all play, so i'm at disadvantage.


that's why they sometimes poke fun at me or, even when they don't, i feel inferior to them


moreover, since i can't ball and dribble as good as them, i always want to play as a pivot... the big issue here is that i'm just 5'9, while everyone else is everywhere between 5'11 and 6'3... now, i jump more than almost everybody (sometimes i can touch the rim), but obviously i cannot grab many balls, since i'm short and i have far less experience than them


after all this elucubration, i tell you why i opened this thread


i want everybody to post some advice about how to improve your game... either drills, tactical suggestions, mindsets, advice on what parts of the body work out more... everything...


thanks to everyone whom collaborates

 

[kanye10]

Hey man

To be honest, all I do in my free time is play ball. Practice, practice, practice.....

Go shoot around by yourself on your free time to improve your jumpshot.

The way I improved my handle (dribble) is everytime I had somewhere to go or I would go on a walk I would just take my basketball with me and dribble the whole way.

Just like anything else, practice makes perfect man.... good luck

 

[texmex23]

well if you want to improve on your dribbling, just dribble the ball from side to side, bending over a little(keeping your elbow almost locked and lifting your whole arm when the ball gets there) , and its better if the ball spins in your hands . cause its easier to switch it to your other hand...then as you work on that, try walkign and dribbling the ball between your legs at the same time...
and for drills to get your shot better, try where another person throws you the ball and you shoot it...and as you start making them, get the other person to run at you....
and just dont get nervous and youll be fine....cause i get nervous like when i play for the school and stuff but when i play on the court i can Jay everyone up...i have no idea why that happens

 

[FunnyCide]

Basketball thread is a great idea... I've been playing ball as far back as I can remember. I know you've heard this before but it's all about confidence. Where do you get confindence? From hours and hours of practice in the gym. Shooting jumpshots, dribbling, footwork, postmoves, hookshots, foul shots, sprints, fastbreak layups, etc. There are way too many drills to name them all. Do a google search and you'll be able to find some.

I'd say the first move is to decide what kind of player you want to be then develop the moves that'll compliment what you want to do. But here as some basic drills that I tend to run a lot of...

Shooting Form Drill: Stand about a step or two in front of the rim and shot the basketball into the hoop but don't hit the rim. Concentrate on the form of your shot. It should be the same everytime. Try and hit ten shots in a row without hitting the net do 5 - 10 sets of these while taking a step small step back after every set. You last ten shots should be foul shots (it's really hard to just no hit rim in 10 consecutive shots at the line).

Dribbling: This isn't my forte but there's tons of drills out there... they mainly just rotate between different dirbbles till you get used to it.

Passing: Pick two vertical rows of six dots on a wall. The top point should be above head height then chest height then just above waist height. Learn to hit the high dots with an overhead pass, chest dots with a chest pass (remember to hit the left dots with a left handed pass and vice versa), bounce pass with the low dots.
This drill sounds sound a little confusing to me but it really helps. Remember to pass from your side since there'll usually be a defender in front of you.

I have got to go to the gym right now but there are so many drills to list but I'll get back to you with more. Till then keep playing...

 

[Tidus88]

well,if since you r not tt tall,it would be be better to play a shooting position.Train your shooting by shooting from all areas of the court and find out urs comfort zone.(the area where most of your shots go in)Also it would be gd to have a friend who is gd in basketball to help u improve urs game.Basically you just have to practice and have the confidence tt you can improve and become better.

 

[Jay-X]

thanks to everybody who has posted so far.
what position do you suggest that i should play?

i would be a pivot (jump a lot, good rebounder, but lack of passing and handling skills), if i weren't just 5'9... with my friends, i can usually grab lots of rebounds, but when i go play with my brother's teammates, i obviously can, since it's plenty of guys who are 10 years older than me, 8" taller and 50lbs heavier...


anyway, here's what i saw some days ago:


i was playing not just with my friends, but also with other guys who we met there. there was this guy who was 20 year old and was stealing rebounds even at 25-year-old 6"5 tall guys... guess what? he was just as tall as me... he was pretty muscular and ripped, so maybe it's that too... but it was really incredible... well, at the end of the match, i saw him throwing the ball in the air and alley-hopp dunking it into the basket! at 5'9!!! plus, he scored like 50 triples and defeated bigger and more experienced guys than him, but that's not the part i'm interestend into. i'd like to know... is jumping that high just due to genetic or it's attainable?

i mean, i would spend the rest of my life training my vertical, if this led me to auto-alley hoop a basketball at the height of 5'9...

what do you think?

 

[Unregistered]

Vertical leap can obviously be improved with exercises and training, but there is a large genetic factor involved. But still, working out the legs with calf raises, squats, jump rope exercises, etc. will help. Strenghtening upper body also helps, interestingly.

Another thing you might want to consider is ankle weights. I used to wear those for an hour or two before games, and also during jump rope exercises. They will make you much quicker and build up leg strength.

As far as position, 5'9 is pretty small for a post player, but if you are playing pickup basketball you might be able to be effective there. Remember, strength and quickness can be just as important as size in rebounding. Those two factors can allow you to establish superior positioning. Not very many people block out too well.

I'd suggest working on ballhandling and shooting skills. The key to developing a nice outside shot is first perfecting your form, (this means constant repitition) to the point where you are not thinking about your shot at all. It has to become automatic. Remember, good arch, backspin, try to keep your elbow in but stay relaxed.

Really, shooting and dribbling are about practice. Some have more ability than others, but both of these skills can be obtained with the right effort.

 

[Unregistered]

The way I improved my handle (dribble) is everytime I had somewhere to go or I would go on a walk I would just take my basketball with me and dribble the whole way.

I second this advice. Pistol Pete Maravich used tosleep with his basketball when he was a kid. You don't need to do anything that drastic, especially if you've got a girl in your bed, but handling a basketball as much as possible will give you a good "feel" for the ball, helping shooting as well as dribbling.

 

[GrimPhallic]

Alright I will give you some good advice... I have played bball my whole life, including varsity team in high school my freshman and sophmore year (by the way I am 5'9'' 150 lbs and white). My friend JP played football in high school and never really played basketball, but I always take him to the YMCA with me to play adult leage open gym because he is good enough to play with us and he produces #s. He has virtually no bball skills... but he has a good jumpshot. he is also 5'9'' and he gets mad rebounds and plays a great post. He can dribble decently... the main thing he has is confidence. When he jumps for the ball over guys 6'3'' he KNOWS he CAN get the ball. When he gets a pass down low and dribbles once or twice and then drop steps or spins and shoots, he KNOWS that he CAN make the shot. Dood fvck being intemidated by other guys... that should NEVER happen, especially when you are supposed to be having fun. The game is played for fun anyway so who cares what they think yo. Also practice of course will help. I suggest playing and practicing with one friend who is really good. That is how I learned to play. I actually grew up with JJ Sullinger from OSUs team. We both went to Franklin Alternative middle school and played on the team together. It helps alot when you play with someone really good... they wil beat you over and over again, but as time passes you will notice that you score more and more on them every time... K Im out...

 

[FunnyCide]

Originally posted by GrimPhallic
Alright I will give you some good advice... I have played bball my whole life, including varsity team in high school my freshman and sophmore year (by the way I am 5'9'' 150 lbs and white). My friend JP played football in high school and never really played basketball, but I always take him to the YMCA with me to play adult leage open gym because he is good enough to play with us and he produces #s. He has virtually no bball skills... but he has a good jumpshot. he is also 5'9'' and he gets mad rebounds and plays a great post. He can dribble decently... the main thing he has is confidence. When he jumps for the ball over guys 6'3'' he KNOWS he CAN get the ball. When he gets a pass down low and dribbles once or twice and then drop steps or spins and shoots, he KNOWS that he CAN make the shot. Dood fvck being intemidated by other guys... that should NEVER happen, especially when you are supposed to be having fun. The game is played for fun anyway so who cares what they think yo. Also practice of course will help. I suggest playing and practicing with one friend who is really good. That is how I learned to play. I actually grew up with JJ Sullinger from OSUs team. We both went to Franklin Alternative middle school and played on the team together. It helps alot when you play with someone really good... they wil beat you over and over again, but as time passes you will notice that you score more and more on them every time... K Im out...

Yo yo...homeboy's right...he got mad game yo

 

[Oxide]

As long as we are braggin a bit...

I got taught how to play D from a guy who was Steve Francis's backup at Maryland. The guy was something like 5"5 and would outplay 6"6 guys in games.

When you are small, quickness is your factor.

Here are some pointers:

Learn correct form on a shot. Tons of players are guilty of having their legs fly all over when shooting, and most of them miss when they do this. Square up, jump with both feet, eyes on the basket and follow through with your wrist.

WHen warming up, stand close to the basket. Make a basket twice, move 1 foot back. Make it 2 more times, move another foot. THis will prepare you for longer shots, where dude who get in the gym and start shooting 3's usually clank them.


Basketball is also a lot about luck i've found. Some games everything goes your way, others you cant make layups.. just enjoy it and instead of being shy cause people poke fun at you, ask them for tips to imporve your game.

 

[cinephile]

To repeat what everyone else said

It is all about practice. I played at the High school and College level ( San Jacinto Jr. College, home of Sam Cassel and Steve Francis). While I was not physical gifted by any means, I shoot the ball really, really well. I got that way by basically taking anywhere from 300 to 600 shots a day in practice. Don't neglect the basics either. I always cringe when I see NBA players miss open layups or shoot free throws under 70%. That is just not right.

 

[Basketba1100]

Thanks for making a post about me!!!

Remember that basketball is 90% Mental and 10% Phyiscal, and have fun when you go play ball and don't be to up tight. If you turn the ball over or miss all your shots, don't worry about that just keep playing and you learn from every mistake. Remember you don't have to be able to dunk or be a great shooter just to play basketball, you can do other things on the court to win games like defense and other things.

I'm not a good bringing the ball up and down the court, I just pass the ball when I get it and cut (getting open) and run around to get open for the easy shot or lay-up.

You can help your game by watching NBA games also. Just focus on one player and watch what he do the whole game, and add some of his style to your game.

Most guys on the courts have big ass egos, and think they the ****. They going talk a lot of trash about you and your game but remember this, they are not in the NBA, so they are nothin, they are on the same level as you. Don't let no one bring you down, play as if it your last game.

pCe - Basketba1100

 

[AmazingTricks]

dont look at the ball when you're practicing dribbling. you don't want to do it in a real game do you?

"i know _____ from ______"

we all know these people, but have you played any of them?.......

 

[Jay-X]

Originally posted by AmazingTricks


"i know _____ from ______"

we all know these people, but have you played any of them?.......

what do you mean?

 

[FunnyCide]

I think he means that we all know the NBA players everyone is talking about but have those people actually played these players they mention. I don't think that playing with someone qualifies how good a basketball player you are.

I agree that basket ball is alot mental but no way is it 90%. If your totally out of shape and can't run up and down the court to keep up with the game doesn't really matter if you think your the best player does it? Your body must be able to carry out what your mind thinks or the mental factor means nothing.

Another thing to keep in mind when you play is to know your teammates and your own role on the team. Try and make the player around you better by accenting their strength. Like pass the ball to the shooter when their open or pass it low to someone that has good post game or different things like that.

Lastly, just play your hardest. If you go out there and give it 100% then people usually don't ***** at you because they see that you're hussling.

 

[Oxide]

GReat point about giving the 100%.

I got a buddy who likes to say "yeah, but i wasnt trying so i was giving my opponent shots and lay ups becuase i thought they werent skilled"

Well..that same guy lost 1vs1 to a redneck from a small town who knows sh1t about basketball...

ALWAYS try. Never slow down becuase you are "not in the mood" or "think you dont have the energy"

when i get the ball, it is like i drank 100 red bulls. I am invincible..


watch jordan.. fukker played an amazing game in the finals with a 102 temp.



And for Amazing tricks.. my father is Kevin Garnett...



Haha, kidding, but that would fukking rule

 

[GrimPhallic]

FunnyCide I wasnt bragging, I dont do that. You didnt have to burn me that was just mean I was just trying to give jay some good advice, and it just so happens to be a subject I can give advice on because of experience dood, jeez. Anyway sounds like to me the usual AFC can be found in sports as well - this would be the guy who is intimidated by ther other guys and has little or no confidence. Think DJ even when yer playing bball or football or what ever else you do. Dont end up like FunnyCide ( :cheer: ) when it comes to basketball... Sorry I had to burn you back

Grim

 

[FunnyCide]

Originally posted by GrimPhallic
FunnyCide I wasnt bragging, I dont do that. You didnt have to burn me that was just mean I was just trying to give jay some good advice, and it just so happens to be a subject I can give advice on because of experience dood, jeez. Anyway sounds like to me the usual AFC can be found in sports as well - this would be the guy who is intimidated by ther other guys and has little or no confidence. Think DJ even when yer playing bball or football or what ever else you do. Dont end up like FunnyCide ( :cheer: ) when it comes to basketball... Sorry I had to burn you back

Grim

I wasn't burning you about bragging, you just sounded like you were black which was what I was poking fun at. Take it as you will...I really don't take jokes too seriously. But basketball is all about confidence as you were mentioning. You can compare hitting jump shots to picking up girls....If you know you can hit it than you usually do and vice versa. But you can't just think it you have to believe it so much that you don't even think about it. So be a DJ on the court (and off) and you'll rise above all the AFC ballers around you.

 

[GrimPhallic]

Oh okay dood. So Jay just practice your shot... That will build your confidence man. It all starts with the shot. I dont know what your form looks like but that really makes a difference so if you already have good form ignore this, if not use it... Stand in a three point stance (slightly bent over, ball at opposite side from shooting arm close to your hip, shooting side foot forward) and quickly move the ball to your shooting position and shoot. This also helps with your release time and VERY IMPORTANT - when you shoot make sure your fingers on your shooting hand are spread out as much as possible (almost like you are trying to grip the ball, but dont actually try to grip it). This is cool because when you get good you can feel if you threw up a nice shot or not, and when you are good, usually nice shots go in. Anyway what I mean is concentrate on the rim mostly, but pay a little attention to what fingers had pressure on the ball when you shot. You will feel what I mean when you try this... When you shoot every finger should have an even amount of pressure on the ball. usually people put too much pressure on their ring and small fingers. That is a bad form shot and will be less accurate than if you put pressure on all fingers evenly. Anyone who didnt know this, try it. And if you practice it, you can know almost every time when your shot will go in or not, and depending on which fingers had more shot pressure, determine where your rebound will be (side of hand with more pressure is usually = same side of rim the ball will hit). Also remember to keep elbow of shooting arm in as much as possible. That will enable your pressure from fingers to be even. Everyone try this it works...