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Thread: Basketball

  1. #1
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    Basketball

    Hey everyone, this is BDL's son. I've got a quick question... I'm a sophomore in high school, and recently I've decided that I want to try to get really good at basketball. I know I'm starting too late to have any chance of really ever doing anything with it (college ball or whatever), but I think it would be a lot of fun if I really knew what I was doing. I've been working on my shot for awhile now, and I can really drain three's when I am by myself. However, when I get in a real game, I will airball or brick just about every shot. I'm assuming that this is just a confidence issue and I just need to keep shooting in games and I'll get better, but is there any way to work on this aspect of confidence outside of a real game? Second, I am awful at dribbling. What are the best ways to practice dribbling by yourself (anyone know some drills?). Finally, I was considering getting a private coach once a week (if that is possible)... Do you all think that this would be worthwhile, or should I just keep practicing in my driveway/pick-up games when I have the chance? Thanks
    I gots the jacket with the blue fox fur

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by BigDaddyLionfish View Post
    Hey everyone, this is BDL's son. I've got a quick question... I'm a sophomore in high school, and recently I've decided that I want to try to get really good at basketball. I know I'm starting too late to have any chance of really ever doing anything with it (college ball or whatever), but I think it would be a lot of fun if I really knew what I was doing. I've been working on my shot for awhile now, and I can really drain three's when I am by myself. However, when I get in a real game, I will airball or brick just about every shot. I'm assuming that this is just a confidence issue and I just need to keep shooting in games and I'll get better, but is there any way to work on this aspect of confidence outside of a real game? Second, I am awful at dribbling. What are the best ways to practice dribbling by yourself (anyone know some drills?). Finally, I was considering getting a private coach once a week (if that is possible)... Do you all think that this would be worthwhile, or should I just keep practicing in my driveway/pick-up games when I have the chance? Thanks

    get your opposite hand good at dribbling (if you're a righty, dribble with your left alot). the crossover is going to be your best asset one on one. Just dribble in your driveway with your opposite hand alot. Even like a week of it everyday, you will see vast impovement. I wouldnt worry about shooting the ball as much as id be looking for the open guy. Keep practicing your shot, but look to pass first always, then shoot. Also, defense is key to confidence. When you get steals or blocked shots, you dont even think about the shot. You just run down there and fire it or find the open guy. Basketball is alot more fun if you are involved in every aspect of the game. Blocking a shot or getting a steal is just as rewarding as bagging a jumper. I especially liked giving a good pass. Guys who played with me for years knew that if they cut to the basket or get good position down low, theyll get the ball. Those standing around out in 3 point land werent getting it from me. I can take those myself, hehe.

  3. #3
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    If you don't have access to coaching, at least get in as many pickup games as you can to get more comfortable with competition. And there must be tons of drills available for free on youtube. But what do I know? I played every day from age 10 to 24 and I never stopped sucking.

    Actually, I could D-up pretty well and work for position to rebound. I could dribble and pass ok but I could never put the ball in the basket unless it was an uncontested layup.

    I boiled my thermometer, and sure enough, this spot, which purported to be two thousand feet higher than the locality of the hotel, turned out to be nine thousand feet LOWER. Thus the fact was clearly demonstrated that, ABOVE A CERTAIN POINT, THE HIGHER A POINT SEEMS TO BE, THE LOWER IT ACTUALLY IS. Our ascent itself was a great achievement, but this contribution to science was an inconceivably greater matter.

    --MT--

  4. #4
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    Step 1: "shoot the j, shoot it".

    Step 2: pancakes

  5. #5
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    Dribbling...put on a visor upside down and position it around your nose. You should be able to see the underside of the brim. Then start practicing dribbling around cones. First with right hand only, then left, then eventually you will switch so that the hand outside the cone will control the ball. In a game, the defender is the cone, so then you are able to dribble looking at your teammates, not at the ball.
    Good Luck JONGMORE.

  6. #6
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    If you really want to do it, take the ball with you everywhere you walk. Everywhere. Use that thing as footrest when you are seated. Dribble everywhere. People will call you out on it, whoever you live with will think yo are odd, but if you want to get a handle on the ball, nothing compares. Even your jumper will improve as your hands get really, I mean REALLY, used to the ball.

    Get in every game you can; you will get your shit handed to you, but it will make you better, just like anything else in life. The only way to get used to knocking down Js with a man checking you is to shoot ad nauseum with a guy checking you. The ball will start to go down after a while. You are young so it will probably start to fall sooner than later.

    Cramer is right though, if you defend a little and can find the open guy with a nice bounce pass on the break, people will love playing with you and you will enjoy it more.

    Then the pancakes at Prince's...............

  7. #7
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    keep your eyes up too

  8. #8
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    Work on conditioning. Some of your trouble shooting in games might be from your legs being tired from the course of the game. Some good advice above. Just find the things that you aren't good at and force yourself to do that more often. If you already have a good shot, don't work on having an even better shot, try to improve on your weaknesses, not your strengths.

  9. #9
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    dribble a lot by yourself. and as said before with your opposite hand.

    everything else really only comes from playing the game. join a rec league, get in as many pickup games as possible, etc. try to play about every day, and it will come

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by geomorph View Post
    Work on conditioning. Some of your trouble shooting in games might be from your legs being tired from the course of the game. Some good advice above. Just find the things that you aren't good at and force yourself to do that more often. If you already have a good shot, don't work on having an even better shot, try to improve on your weaknesses, not your strengths.
    Great point there on conditioning. That comes from playing everyday. I played pickup ball at the local courts for years. You'll find playing D is what wears you out. But thats a good thing. Also, when you are doing great on D, distributing the ball, guys will find ways to get you the ball and yelling at you to shoot it. If you dont shoot much, guys will stop guarding you and you'll have some wide open jumpers you can take your time on. Nothing wrong with 2 points, 4 assists, a steal and a blocked shot in a game to 11. One thing i took pride in is you never found me cherry picking and not playing D. If someone got a steal, i was that guy running down there to block his shot or foul his ass trying to block it. I never let someone have an uncontested shot. When you play hard like that, i assure you, you will get better. just DONT be that guy that fouls someone on every shot. I had buddies like that and they'd piss me off to no end.

  11. #11
    advres Guest
    BDL lets you use his account? Mind=BLOWN

  12. #12
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    You can do eet! I was a mediocre freshman, but over a summer I got better, started every game rest of high school and then played 2 years at a Div II college. Here's what I did to get better on offense. Note: this takes 1.5-2 hours a day for about 4 months:

    6:45 am - 20 minute run w/basketball. If you have cones, great, use them. Constant movement/change direction: cross-overs, change of speed/height of dribble; run fast, crouch low, spins, forward/back crab dribble, through the legs, hesitation L and R, dribble with two balls in different rhythms/heights while looking at the hoop. Pass the ball every once in a while off a wall aiming for specific dot on wall. All this takes is a street and a ball. If you have a hoop near a wall, so much the better.
    7:05-7:15 - shoot free throws for form; never let ball touch ground if you miss; get rebound and make tips/layups; shoot layups/touch backboard
    Shower, eat breakfast, go to summer school/work, etc.
    Weekend? Do the AM routine, then play 1.5-2 hours pick up with guys who are better.
    Weekday? Evening - city league/pick up game 1-2x/week. Otherwise, play 1 on 1 or work on moves solo for 45 mins that you can use in a game - incorporate ball handling/moves with at least 2 dribbles; stay on balance; shoot mid-range/elbow jumpers going L/R, floaters, act as if you're coming off screens, shoot lay-ups either hand/either side of hoop; go strong. Practice the moves your favorite player makes (that you can actually pull off, see, e.g. someone old school like Richard Hamilton).
    study - watch good players to see what they do.
    Take 1 day a week off to rest and good luck!

  13. #13
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    Always have a basketball in your hands
    Play as many pickup games as possible and Join a rec league
    Go talk to the high school coach and see if he has a JV or developmental team.

    Oh and its definitely not too late to try to pa at the college level. It will depend on one thing only and thats how hard you work at it. Period.
    Goals for the season: -Try and pick up a sponsor.--Phill

    But whatever scares you most... --Rip'nStick

  14. #14
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    Pigment transplant, and/or grow a filthy moustache.
    As a snowboarder... i fucking hate snowboarders in general. -advres

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by WrongWay View Post
    Step 1: "shoot the j, shoot it".

    Step 2: pancakes
    Quote Originally Posted by bythelake View Post
    Then the pancakes at Prince's...............
    Good advice, but don't forget the blouse, because you're gonna sound silly announcing your victory without it.
    Quote Originally Posted by Tippster View Post
    Sometimes I think you guys are some of the smartest people on the web, other times I wonder if you were shaken as babies.

  16. #16
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    Make sure you've got decent shooting form & release (see Ray Allen); all the shooting practice won't help if your form is erratic. Plenty of tips on you-tube. Repeat, repeat, repeat until it feels/comes naturally.

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