the

basket. Keep your eye on the target and try to do everything in one fluid motion. Aiming can be
difficult to figure out at first when you’re new, but you’ll get used to choosing the right power
and arc for each shot.

As you practice, start close to the net to get used to the feeling of it.

You can also try to aim to bank the ball in off of the glass if you’re at an angle to the rim.

Practice layups by dribbling to the net and jumping as you shoot. Layups are an important part
of basketball. Good basketball players should have layups locked down so well they'll never miss
one in a game.[17] Here’s how to do them:

Start at the corner of the free-throw line on your dominant side. Dribble in toward the hoop
from an angle, and pull up when you get near the second to last line on the side of the
lane-marker.
 Pick the ball up as you take two long steps with the ball. Push up off of your nondominant
foot to throw yourself into the air.

With one hand, roll the ball up towards the rim. Bounce the ball in off the backboard.

Defense

Understand why playing defense is so important. It’s easy to get excited to shoot the ball, but
defense is how you win championships! When your team doesn’t have the ball, your goal is to
keep your opponents from scoring. Disrupt passes, try to steal the ball if possible, and block
shots. It's your job to be annoying and disruptive to the other team.[18] There are a few types
of defense:

Man-to-man: This is typical defense. Every player is assigned another player to guard and
they follow them around.

Zone: Every player is assigned an area of the floor to cover and defend, regardless of who is
there. The most common zone is “2-3,” where the guards take the top and the forwards
and center take the bottom by the rim.

Halfcourt: This is when a team only defends the portion of the court that’s closest to the
rim.

Fullcourt: This is when a team defends the entire court—usually because they’re trying to
get a steal or exhaust the other team.
Get into the proper defensive stance with your arms out. Get low and get wide. Crouch with
your feet more than shoulder-width apart and put your arms straight out at your sides. Stand on
the balls of your feet and make sideways movements to guard the opponent.

Who you face depends on where the ball is. If the player you’re guarding has the ball, face them
directly. Otherwise, split the difference by facing your assigned player and the ball.

Practice your side-to-side movements to stay nimble. The hardest thing about playing defense
is staying in your defensive crouch and sticking to the opponent like glue. It's hard to move side-
to-side quickly, so the more experienced you are at doing the side-to-side shuffle step, the
better a defensive player you'll be.

Practice running sideways, taking a big step to the side in one direction, crossing your
trailing foot just behind your lead foot, and pushing off again. Then, go back the other
way.

Stay on your feet unless you’re going for a block. Beginning basketball players often jump too
often. Stay on your feet unless you are 100% sure your opponent is shooting. The more airborne
you are on defense, the more vulnerable you are as a defender.

When an offensive player pretends to shoot to try and get the opponent to jump, it’s called
a pump fake.
Grab rebounds by boxing out your opponent. Another essential part of playing defense is
training yourself to grab the rebounds when they come. If your opponents have taken a shot
that's failed, don't let them have a second chance for it. When the ball is in the air, get between
your opponent and the rim. Stick your butt out, face the ball, and push backwards to box out
your opponent.[22]

Jump up to meet the ball in the air when it’s coming down.
Avoid common fouls to prevent giving your opponents an edge. While charging into a defender
will earn you a foul on offense, most fouls that happen are called on the defense. In your
attempts to be a disruptive presence on the court, you've also got to learn where the line is and
avoid crossing it.[23] Common fouls include:

Blocking: This is where you move your body to block a player dribbling when you aren’t
already in their path.

Reaching: When someone is dribbling, you can’t knock their forearm or grab their arm. This
is a reaching foul.

Over the back: When trying to rebound the ball, you cannot jump over an opponent in front
of you.

Technical/flagrant foul: These are a set of serious infractions that include aggressive
behavior, insulting the referee, etc. The opposing team automatically gets free throws
and possession of the ball for these.