Improving your skills takes hard work and practice, practice, practice!
Improving Your And 1 Accuracy
Count It, and the Foul!
Becoming a great offensive basketball player is not easy and it is not pain free. If you watch watch basketball games these days there is one constant thing you will observe if you look closely; basketball players complaining to the referees that they missed the shot because they were fouled.
If you want to be an effective offensive basketball player, you can not be afraid of contact, and you can not drive into the paint expecting a foul. You must change your mentality to welcome the contact, to thrive off the contact, and not use getting hit as an excuse to not complete the play.
There are a few things that you can do as a developing basketball player to improve your and 1 accuracy. In the next few paragraphs we are doing to discuss ways on how to do so.
Play 1-on-1 Without Any Fouls Being Called
Invite a good friend of yours, one that your trust, to play a game of 1-on-1 up to 11 or 15 points and make a rule that there are no fouls to be called. You will instantly notice how this will change your mindset to try and make every basket, even after you are fouled. It will improve your concentration and focus to not give up on the play when you feel contact. If you play enough of these physical 1-on-1 games you will notice a drastic difference in your ability to convert shots will being fouled and your mentality will change to the point where you will expect to make your shots, even when you are hacked.
The purpose of this game is not to try and hurt or injure your opponent, but it is an effective way of training with a trusted partner, ultimately increasing your effectiveness as an offensive player.
Contact Is Part Of the Game, Don’t Run From It
Improving and Learning to get hit without getting rattled on a consistent basis will improve your focus and concentration. Many basketball players are thrown off their games if an opposing player is being too physical. If you learn to accept contact and use it to your advantage, you will excel in all areas of the game.
If you study effective offensive players, you will notice many of them have tricks that they use to create separation and space with their defenders.
For instance, especially with a guard trying to get off a floater in the lane, sometimes you might need to use your off-arm or shoulder to create enough space so the defender does not block your shot. Obviously, you do not want to commit an offensive foul, but learning how to use your own body will help get the defender into foul trouble and increase your chances of converting the basket and going to the free throw line.
Basketball is a graceful and athletic game, but there is also a physical element of the game which you must conquer.
Don’t be afraid of contact. Build your confidence to the point where you believe that the defender cannot stop you from scoring, even if they are hanging all over you and fouling. Remember, that the only person who can stop you from being successful is yourself, and the ultimate goal as an offensive player is to be able to get in the zone where you feel like you are out on the court all by yourself and everything is moving in slow motion, won’ and when you get hit, you won’t even notice.
Improving takes dedication and hard work. You need to consistently practice the skills you learn by yourself. The more you play, the better you get!
Great video about improving your game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxsdiusm1NQ&feature=youtu.be
Contributing writer Jasen Sousa for Premier Hoops is the author of a number of poetry and fiction books for young people. Jasen has an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and is a life-long participant and fan of the game of basketball.