The Top 5 Basketball Skills To Sharpen Even If You Are A Pro

Basketball is a sport with millions of fans. According to the Statista report, in the USA, participation in basketball remained high over the last decade, with over 20 million people playing the game every year and showcasing their basketball skills.

According to the “Welcome to the United Nations” site, 450 million people play basketball across the globe. We know you want to become one of them and show your talent on the court. This is why we list the most essential skills of a basketball player. Let’s learn a bit more about this sport before moving to the basketball skills you need to learn to excel in the sport. If you wish, you can skip this section.

History of Basketball

Basketball was invented by a Canadian physical education instructor, James Naismith, in 1894. The 31-year-old Naismith, from Springfield, Massachusetts, created this sport to keep athletes indoors during winter. It’s a fact not many people know, but earlier, this game was played in an area of 1800 square feet with five players on each side.

Basketball Skills Breakdown

We learned a bit about the history of basketball. Now, let’s jump straight to the skills. If you want to train yourself and become a professional, search for “basketball skills training near me” on Google and join a training academy.

1- Shooting Skill

The first skill is shooting, and it’s a big deal to make precise shots. It requires combining technique, power and accuracy to make a point-scoring shoot. Depending on the situation, you will need to make different types of shots, like free throws and three-point shots.

To improve your shooting, you should engage in basketball drills that replicate game-like scenarios. Techniques like balancing stance, focusing on the target, and following through with the shooting hand improve accuracy and enhance shooting skill.

2- Passing Skill

Passing is next among the basketball skills. During a basketball match, there are several situations when an opponent team blocks you and can’t shoot the ball for points. Only decent passes help you at this time. Vision, timing, the ability to foresee a play, and delivering the ball are precisely the soul of passing. There are different types of passes like chest, overhead, and bounce passes. To improve your passes, you need to follow basketball drills that trigger your decision-making, accuracy, and ability to read situations.

3- Dribbling Skill

Without dribbling, one of the fundamental basketball skills, this game doesn’t exist. You must know this, but you may not know that dribbling is more than just keeping the ball in motion. It’s the ability to control the ball while maintaining agility. Dribbling includes different techniques like crossover dribbles, behind-the-back moves, etc.

To improve your dribbling, you need to focus on hand-eye coordination, balance, and speed in the basketball drills. You also need to develop reflexes and agility.

4- Footwork

Footwork is one of the most important basketball skills, not only for basketball but also for other sports, like Badminton, Boxing, etc. It serves as the foundation of other skills like dribbling, passing, and even shooting.

To improve your footwork for the game, you can perform basketball drills like four-step run, two up, one back, inside hopscotch, etc.

5- Rebounding Skill

Rebounding occurs when a player retrieves the ball after a missed basket attempt. Successful rebounding relies on a player’s ability to predict where the ball will land, position themselves as best they can, and secure the ball. Rebounding, one of the major skills of basketball, requires an understanding of angles, a keen sense of timing, strength and agility.

If you find a training academy by searching “basketball skills training near me” and want to master rebounding, ask the instructor to add basketball drills for that, and they will help.

Dominating the Court

Here, we discussed the 5 most important skills to dominate basketball. There are a few other skills, too, like layup, jumping, running, defence, etc. You want to become as famous as renowned NBA players and show the world what you are made of on the court. Master the skills mentioned in this blog and it will help you achieve your dream.