| 1. Shoot, Shoot, and Then Shoot Some More | | | | to become a good basketball player, then you must |
| "The weakest part of Michael's (Jordan's) game on the | | | | become a good ball handler. |
| offensive end was his shooting and so he obviously | | | | Dribbling is one of the core basketball skills. It is also |
| mastered something everyone said he couldn't do...and | | | | one of the funnest skills to practice and learn. Dribbling |
| he did by shooting and shooting and shooting and | | | | is also very simple to become good at it. All you have |
| shooting consistently. This guy said what are my | | | | to do is start dribbling! Then Bingo in a short time you |
| weaknesses and how do I make them my strengths | | | | will become a much better player. |
| and he did it." | | | | The thing I also love about dribbling is that you get to |
| -Phil Jackson, on Michael Jordan's shooting success. | | | | spend more time with the ball. Any activity you can do |
| If I could only give you only one piece of advice this | | | | where you spend time with the ball doing multiple |
| would be it: | | | | repetitions is going to make you a better player. |
| Become a good shooter! | | | | The other great thing about dribbling is that you can |
| In my opinion, becoming a good shooter is the most | | | | practice it almost anywhere. All you need to do is |
| important thing you could ever do in order to become | | | | break out your ball and start dribbling. It only takes a |
| a successful basketball player. | | | | few minutes a day to practice and soon you will see |
| Every NBA super star, every great college player, | | | | quick improvements in your game. |
| every playground legend...can pretty much attribute | | | | 6. Finish Strong |
| their success to one thing...their ability to shoot. | | | | One of the big mistakes I see a lot of players make is |
| Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Allen | | | | they learn to make spectacular moves, but then fail to |
| Iverson, Larry Bird, Lebron James, Carmello Anthony, | | | | finish the play and make the basket! |
| Reggie Miller, J.J. Redick, Ray Allen, Vince Carter, Dirk | | | | Developing moves and learning skills to get past your |
| Nowitzki and virtually all the other great players, are all | | | | opponent is very important, but it doesn't do you any |
| exceptional shooters. Sure they have great athletic | | | | good if you can't make the basket at the end! |
| ability, but so do a lot of other guys. However their | | | | One of the main things that college and pro scouts |
| ability to put the ball in the basket is what separates | | | | look for is a player's ability to finish the play. They |
| them from others. | | | | know that it doesn't do any good to make a great |
| Being able to shoot a basketball is almost a license to | | | | move and then miss the basket. |
| be super successful and have lots of fun playing the | | | | To train players to become good finishers I tell them to |
| game of basketball. | | | | think about any move in two parts. First is the "move" |
| If you want to become a better basketball player, | | | | part where they separate themselves from the |
| practice your shooting. Learn how to shoot the ball | | | | defender and then, second is the "finish" where they |
| correctly. Learn how to catch and release the ball with | | | | concentrate on making the basket. When practicing, it's |
| proper motion. Learn how to follow through. Learn by | | | | often a good idea to practice them separately first |
| watching the pro's and learning from coaches. I | | | | and then bring them together. For example, if you |
| guarantee it will be the most important basketball skill | | | | were working on a behind-the-back dribble move you |
| you ever learn! | | | | would practice the behind-the-back part first. |
| 2. Be In Great Physical Condition | | | | Repeating it over and over again, without shooting. |
| When, I work with athlete's through my Maximum | | | | Then once you got it down you would start adding the |
| Results Fitness programs, I am always shocked at | | | | "finishing" part, where you start adding the shooting |
| how out of shape most athletes are. I see so many | | | | part. Then you can see what part you need more |
| athlete's that lack the basic strength and conditioning | | | | development on, the "move" or the "finish". |
| they need in order to perform at a high level. | | | | Remember, that if you don't make the basket, it wasn't |
| Basketball is all about conditioning. The better physical | | | | a successful move! |
| condition you are in, the easier it is to perform and | | | | 7. Fake Your Way To Success |
| learn the basic fundamental skills that will make you a | | | | Want to make your moves twice as effective? |
| successful player. | | | | Then add simple fakes to your game! Faking is a very |
| Many players come to me asking me for tips on how | | | | powerful way to get opponents off balance before |
| they can become a better shooter or a better ball | | | | you even start your move. Lot's of times a quick and |
| handler, but are shocked when I tell them, that their | | | | simple fake is all you need to get wide open for the |
| biggest problem really lays in their lack of conditioning. | | | | shoot! |
| I am a firm believer that you're only going to be as | | | | The great thing about faking though, is you can use |
| good as your body will take you. I often see players | | | | them in almost every part of the game. In shooting, you |
| with tremendous talent struggle, simply because they | | | | can use pump fakes. When dribbling, you can use foot |
| can't run up and down the floor without losing their | | | | fakes. When passing you can give "no look passes". |
| breath. It doesn't matter how talented you are, if you're | | | | I really recommend that you start trying to add as |
| not in the right shape, you're going to struggle. | | | | many fakes as you can to different parts of your |
| With many of my programs, I teach what I call the | | | | game. Once you do you will soon realize how |
| Forth Quarter Principle. That is you want to be as | | | | effective they can be. After you keep practicing them |
| good at something in the forth quarter as you do from | | | | and using them when your playing they will become so |
| the very first play of the game. The only difference | | | | natural you won't even know that you are using them! |
| between the first play of the game and the last is the | | | | 8. Move Without The Ball |
| physical excursion that takes place in between. | | | | Let's face it, having the ball in your hands is fun. It's fun |
| If you want to become a great player and if you want | | | | to catch and pass and shoot and dribble. We all like to |
| to maximize your skill potential focuses on your | | | | touch the ball as much as possible, because it makes |
| conditioning. Good conditioning is a fundamental of | | | | us feel that we are more involved with the game. |
| basketball success. | | | | However, if you really want to become a better player |
| 3. A Little Practice Goes Along Long Way | | | | it is very important that you learn to play without the |
| One of the biggest misconceptions about becoming a | | | | ball. To become a complete player, this is a must. |
| better player is that you have to spend mega hours | | | | In most games you will only have the ball in your hands |
| practicing and training. I am here to tell you that this | | | | about 10% of the time. That means the other 90% of |
| simply isn't true. | | | | the time you won't have the ball! That 90% of the time |
| Obviously, if you want to become better at something | | | | can be spent doing other important things. |
| it helps if you practice a lot. But, many times people | | | | Learning to play without the ball can also give you the |
| misplace quantity for quality. I know a lot of players are | | | | mental edge that you need when you have the ball. |
| under the misconception that to get better they are | | | | Many times players get frustrated, when they haven't |
| going to have to practice long hours before they start | | | | touched the ball in awhile. It's important for you as a |
| to see the results they are looking for. | | | | player to realize that it isn't how much you touch the |
| The truth is results will s come quickly if you prepare in | | | | ball what, but what you do with it when you have it. Or |
| the right way. It's much more important to have a | | | | in most cases what you do when you DON'T have |
| consistent, high quality practice schedule or workout | | | | the ball. Doing this will add confidence to your game |
| routine than it is to try and learn everything in one day. | | | | and make your complete game more effective. |
| Practicing only 20 minutes everyday will help you more | | | | 9. Get The Right Mentality |
| than spending two hours once a week. With | | | | Having the right attitude is essential if you want to |
| consistency, familiarity will start to develop. What you | | | | become a better basketball player. Many times players |
| worked on yesterday will come easier tomorrow and | | | | will fail to reach their goals, not because they lack the |
| even easier the day after that. When there is a large | | | | right skills, but because they lack the right attitude. |
| space between practice times or workout sessions, it | | | | Many times things are not going to go how you would |
| is much more difficult to pick up where you left off. | | | | like them to go out on the basketball court. The best |
| You often have to re-learn what you already know. | | | | thing to do is not get frustrated. Instead, focus on what |
| This wastes valuable time, when you could be making | | | | things you can do to have a positive result on the next |
| progress. | | | | play or series of plays. |
| Remember a little bit of practice today, makes | | | | One of the best examples of this is when players get |
| success not too far away! | | | | fouled and it doesn't get called. They often get so |
| 4. Know Your Footwork | | | | focused on the fact that a foul wasn't called that they |
| One of the things that is really under taught and under | | | | then lose their focus and start making mistakes. Then |
| empathized is proper footwork. | | | | those mistakes start to lead to frustration. |
| I define proper footwork as three things: | | | | Don't focus on negative things, instead immediately |
| 1. Being able to pivot. | | | | start to focus on a what you can do to make positive |
| 2. Being able to stay on balance. | | | | things happen. Don't worry about the foul that wasn't |
| 3. Being able to push off quickly (for running and | | | | called or the mistake you made. Try to think about |
| jumping). | | | | how you can get a rebound or a steal, or what you |
| Pivoting is probably one of the most fundamental parts | | | | are going to do next time to make sure you get the |
| of the game. Being able to keep one foot planted while | | | | call. |
| maneuvering with the other foot is extremely | | | | Just a slight change in your mentality can make a big |
| important. Being able to pivot properly will help you play | | | | difference. |
| all parts of the game better. The more you practice | | | | 10. Learn As Much As You Can |
| this the more it will become habit and it will help you | | | | The game of basketball is a wonderful sport and |
| develop a smoother flow to your game. | | | | becoming good at it is a lot of fun. No matter what |
| When pivoting it is also important to stay on balance | | | | level of play you are at, you can always become |
| and keep your body weight properly distributed at all | | | | better. That's why I encourage you to learn as much |
| times. When you combine balance with good pivoting | | | | as you can about the game. Whether it's watching |
| ability you will become stronger and faster. | | | | games on TV or playing by yourself out on the |
| Good pivoting and good balance will ultimately allow | | | | playground, there is always a new move or a new |
| you more explosive jumping ability and greater | | | | technique to be discovered that will give you that extra |
| quickness. When you start to combine your pivot with | | | | edge. |
| good balance your footwork for skills like shooting and | | | | The more you learn, the better you will get. Always |
| dribbling will become easier and help your game | | | | have a thirst to learn more and become better. |
| develop more quickly. | | | | Learning is the Ultimate Success Secret. |
| 5. Dribble, Dribble, Dribble | | | | I hope that this report has given you some valuable |
| The Cross-Over, Behind-The-back, Between-The | | | | information that you can use to become a better |
| Legs, all of these moves have one thing in common. | | | | player. I am sure that if you apply these tips, all your |
| They all come from mastering the dribble! If you want | | | | basketball dreams will come true! |