How to Dribble and Shoot a Basketball

For all of those kids out there that hope to some day be as good as Kobe Bryant or Lebron James, it all starts with the basic fundamentals of basketball. You have to know how to play the game and how the game is played before you can actually play for yourself. I would like to go over some of the basic fundamentals used to teach kids how to play basketball.

For starters, basketball was invented in 1891 by a Canadian man named James Naismith. Things started with people running up and down a court dribbling a soccer ball shooting into an iron circle with a net made of hammock material. Now you got your NBA with today's new style courts and basketballs made of rubber. The game has evolved into a world loved sport.

For those who actually play basketball, it's not just a game they play to win. It's life; it's how they make their living. You have to be good at basketball in order to even get looked at now days. Ok, now that you know you have to be good to have a chance, how do you get good at basketball?

Start out with dribbling the ball. For a couple hours a day go out and just dribble the ball with your right and left hand. Get use to the feeling and moving with the ball. Practice dribbling the ball every day for as long as it takes. When you've finally gained some skill you should be able to dribble and switch from dribbling with your right hand to dribbling with your left hand without looking. Now that you got the basics of dribbling down you can try dribbling through your legs or behind the back. Bounce the ball nice and steady through your leg and have your other hand in position to receive it once it has gone through your legs. Keep practicing this as well as going behind your back and in no time you will have dribbling skills like no other.

You can dribble but can you shoot? Shooting is a key part of basketball. If you can't do anything right but you can shoot like a pro then I'm sure someone will find a spot for you on their team. Shooting the ball is rather simple actually. You just need to have the right form and it becomes sort of natural. Grab a ball and put both hands on it. If you're right handed put your right hand on the ball right in front of you and then put your left hand on the left side of the ball. The left hand is more like a guide. The right hand is the hand you will be shooting will. Now that you have the ball in your hand you need to take your right elbow and push it in towards your left arm so that looking at your right arm it is straight. For those who are left handed everything I mentioned would be opposite. Your left elbow will be pushed in. Take a shot; make sure to put some arch on your shot. Don't try to shoot directly to the rim. Shoot it soft and up. Also as you are shooting you should be kind of flicking your wrist. Don't try to just use all arm to shoot the ball. Elbows in, arch your shot and at the peak of your shot, right before you let it go, flick your wrist a bit.

If you can dribble and shoot then you will have no problem playing basketball for any association. Take time and practice your dribbling and shooting and in no time you will have the skill you desire. Remember you get out of it what you put in it.