What Are the 5 Basic Skills in Basketball

Want to be the next superstar of basketball like LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?  Well, you have to learn and practice all the basic skills to become a perfectionist in the game. If you don’t want to be an ordinary player then start focusing on the basic fundamentals of basketball that will help you to improve your skills and abilities on the court. You cannot be a good performer without learning and practicing the basic fundamentals of basketball.

All the basic skills of basketball are interconnected with each other that is the reason you cannot miss any of the basic skills like Dribbling, Shooting, Defense, Rebounding, and Passing. These skills help you to become a competent basketball player. The fundamental skills of basketball will make it harder for your opponent to outscore you in the game. Do you want to know more about the fundamentals of basketball? Well, in this article i mentioned the 5 basic skills in basketball that you need to win the game.

5 Skills in Basketball

5 Skills A player Should Learn Perfectly

A player can develop these 5 basic skills with proper practice. These skills prove helpful in enhancing your core abilities. You cannot become a competent basketball player without going through these 5 basic skills in basketball. Let’s have a look at the below mentioned basic skills in basketball.

1. Dribbling:

Dribbling is one of the basics of basketball because you cannot play basketball without developing your dribbling skills so, you need to learn to improve dribbling skills too. A player needs balanced control of his fingers while bouncing the ball with one hand. Dribbling is directly connected to your ball-handling skills because your ball-handling skills make you a perfectionist in dribbling. You have to bounce the basketball around the court to avoid traveling violations.

You cannot walk around the court holding the basketball. If you want to be the next flashiest dribbler like Kyrie Irving then you need to focus on your ball-handling skills. There are several variations in dribbling that you can use to improve your game.

  • Crossover dribble

In a Crossover dribble, a player rotates the ball from one hand to another via a single dribble. The crossover dribble is a fundamental technique to keep the ball in hand and to prevent stealing from the defender.

  • Between the Legs

Between the legs is a common crossover dribble variation used by players for a safe crossover while facing a defender. The player use to bounce the ball off of the floor between his legs and grab it on the opposite side with the other hand.

  • Behind the Back

This dribbling variation is considered the advanced form of crossover in which the player bounces the ball off of the floor behind his feet and grab it with the opposite hand.  It is the safer way of crossover when there are no defensive players around the offensive player.

  • Wraparound

A wraparound crossover technique is a close form behind-the-back crossover move. The player throws the ball around his body and quickly passes his defender in order to get it to a teammate.

  • In and Out Dribble

An in-and-out dribble is a fake crossover technique used to misdirect the defender. In this move, a player fakes the crossover and the ball remains in the same hand.

  • V Dribble

V dribble is a move in which the ball handler dribbled the ball in a V motion style with the same hand. It is similar to a double crossover but ball stays in hand.

  • Different Heights Dribble

In this move, a player misdirects the defender by dribbling the ball to different heights. If you are facing a short-height player then you can lure them by pretending to bring the ball low and then suddenly dribble the ball high. If you are facing a taller player then you can trap them by pretending to bring the ball high and then suddenly start low dribbling.

  • Ankle Breaker Dribble

The ankle breaker performs by an offender in which the defender loses balance, trips, slips or falls on the court due to the offender’s crossover move.

2. Shooting Skill

Shooting is the process of putting the ball into the hoop. The shooting requires accuracy, speed, and a balanced momentum to shoot the basket otherwise you will lose the points. If you want to earn more points for your team then you need more training to polish your shooting skills. You can become a valuable asset to your team by becoming a great shooter like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kyle Korver.

Shooting is like the soul of basketball because you cannot determine the outcome of a game without it. You can become a great shooter by practicing the different variations of shooting with a dedicated mindset. You can also explore your shooting abilities by performing different types of shootings.

  • Set Shot

A set shot is the basic variation of shooting in which players shoot the ball into a basketball by keeping their feet on the floor. The variation is done without leaving the ground or jumping.

  • Jump Shot

The jump shot is a similar set shot, but there is a slight difference between them. A player needs to jump into the air for scoring a basket. A player can use a single or both hands to release the ball into the hoop.

  • Layup Shot

A layshot can only be done from a close distance to the hoop. A player runs towards one side of the basket and releases the ball with one hand by baking it off the backboard. A lay shot can give you a two-point advantage over your opponents. Several variations of layup can instantly boost your technique. It is important to learn different variations of layups to embarrass your opposition on the court.

  • Slam Dunk or Dunk Shot

Slam Dunk or Dunk Shot is an aggressive and energetic variation of shooting. The dunk shot is popular in the crown in which the player jumps into the air while holding the ball and splashes the ball into the hoop by holding rims with one or both hands.

  • Hook Shot

Hook shoot is performed by the offensive player in which the ball handler throws the ball with the support of one hand by swinging his arm sideways over their head.

  • Free Throw or Foul Shot

A free shot, penalty shot, or foul shot is awarded to the player when the opposing team made a personal, flagrant, or technical foul. The player can smoothly score points by throwing the ball from behind the 15 feet long free throw line.

  • Bank Shot or Off the Glass

A bank shot or off the glass shot is made by bouncing the ball off the backboard. The ball bounces off the backboard first and then falls into the basket. The backboard helps to reduce the ball’s speed which enhances the chances of falling the ball into the hoop.

3. Defense:

A basketball defense is used to steal the ball from the offensive team and to prevent them from scoring baskets by using defensive strategies, alignments, and positioning which is actually known as basketball transition. If you want to improve your defense then you must improve your defensive skills of blocking, stealing, and again, rebounding. The defense strategies prove beneficial in order to maintain pressure on the offensive side.

What skills you can use to improve your defense? Well, you need to be good in your footwork, position adjustment, fast movement, and quick acceleration. Bill Russell, Scottie Pippen, Hakeem Olajuwon, Bill Russell, and Michael Jordan are known as the best defenders of their time. The defense strategies have evolved with the passage of time and now you can perform various types of defense techniques to eliminate the offensive side from the game.

  • Diamond press

The diamond press defense technique is used to build pressures on the inbounds passer. This gamble technique is considered a good attempt to trap the first pass receiver. Shaka Smart is the best coach in applying this technique.

  • Amoeba Defense

The amoeba defense is a risky basketball defense move which is used to wear down the offense side. The amoeba defense is a mixture of man-to-man and zone defenses together. The amoeba defense was first used by Fran Webster in the 1970s.

  • Box-and-one Defense

The box-and-one defense technique is a blend of man-to-man defense and zone defense in which four players in the box forms a diamond pattern to reduce the dominant scoring threat.

  • Double Team

A double team or double-teaming is a good defensive move in which two defensive players guard a single offensive player. Double team defense is more effective near the basket.  Michael Jordan and Stephen Curry use this defense strategy more often.

  • Full-court Press

A full-court press is a unique style of defense in which the defense maintains pressure on the offensive team on a full-scale length of the court before and after the inbound pass.  Full court press defense is very effective in producing turnovers and making your opponents tired. John McLendon first introduces this defense style in the 1950s.

  • Hack-a-Shaq

Hack-a-Shaq defense strategy involves committing intentional fouls with the aim of lowering the opposition score. This defense move is named after Shaquille O’Neal.

  • Line Defense

Line defense strategy is performed by forming two lines of defense on the court. In this move, three players are placed at the half-court center line and two players behind the center line.

  • Man-to-man Defense

Man-to-man defense is the best defensive tool in which each player has a task to defend and follow the movements of a single offensive player. The man defense has more advantages than the zone defense.

  • Triangle-and-two Defense

The triangle-and-two defense is a composite of man-to-man defense and a zone defense in which each defensive player is assigned to guard an area of the court.

  • Zone Defense

In a zone defense, every single defensive player is assigned to cover a zone. Zone defense is a fine strategy of defensive players to guard players on the offensive side.

4. Rebounding:

When a player retrieves the ball after a missed shot or free throw then it is rewarded as a rebound. Rebounds are a normal part of the game when the shot is done successfully the possession of the ball will automatically change but in case of missed shot the defense team will take possession of the ball which is considered a rebound, Learn the techniques to be better rebounder.

A good height is a plus point in rebounding in which rebounds are performed by the centers and power forwards, who are closer to the basket. There are two variations in rebounding which are offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds.

  • Defensive Rebounds

When the defending team retrieves the ball then it is called the defensive rebound. The rebounds are often defensive because the defense remains closer to the basket to recover missed shots. If you secured a defensive rebound then you can gain an easy lead on your opponent by scoring a basket.

  • Offensive Rebounds

In offensive rebounds the ball is seized by the offensive side and possession of the ball does not change. Offensive rebounding is a great opportunity to reward your team with free throw opportunities, and additional chances. The offensive team can get another chance by possessing the ball again when an offensive player missed a shot and then another player of his team is awarded a rebound.

5. Passing:

Passing is a basic fundamental of the game in which two players of the same team accurately pass the ball on the court. The execution of perfect passing depends upon the right velocity and balanced momentum so the other player doesn’t miss a pass. Passing cannot be done from the frontcourt to the backcourt to avoid backcourt violations. Passing is an effective move to keep the ball away from defense and to maintain the possession of the ball.

Passing can be done with a single or both hands and a player needs to dribble the ball by taking one or two steps to complete a pass. There are several passing variations that you can use to pass the ball efficiently with the other teammates. This amazing tutorial will exactly guide you to the required information of several variations in passing.

  • Bounce Pass

A bounce pass is a traditional way of passing the ball to another teammate by bouncing the ball off the court. The bounce pass reduces the risk of ball stealing by the defenders. In this effective move, the ball easily passes the defender by staying low at ground level.

  • Chest Pass

This move is performed by the offensive team in which the player throws the ball to the other teammate by maintaining the height of the chest.  The ball is thrown by both hands in a straight line manner. A chest pass can be done only without the presence of a defensive player between you and the teammate. The rapid pass enables you to move quickly and confuse the defenders on the court.

  • Over-the-head Pass

A conventional passing move is performed by passing the ball from above the head. An over-the-head pass gives your team a chance for a fast break. The offensive player can easily score a basket by catching the ball near the basket after a defensive rebound.

  • Touch Pass

It is an advanced form of passing the ball in which a player rapidly transfers a loose ball to another teammate by slapping or tipping the ball. A touch pass needs a lot of experience and practice to execute accurately on the court.

  • Jump Pass

In a jump pass, the player passes the ball to the other teammate by jumping off the floor. The jump pass is usually considered risky and has low chances of the ball passing to the other player.

  • Blind Pass

A blind pass or no-look pass is known by its name when a player misleads the defense by looking in one direction but passes the ball to the other team player in another direction. The blind pass has been widely used by the Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Stephen Curry, Pete Maravich, Larry Bird, and Jason Kidd. It is a high-risk move but if it is done accurately you can confuse the defensive team easily.

  • Behind-the-back Pass

You can deceive the defender by using a behind-the-back pass in which the player passes the ball to his other teammate behind his back. The pass can be performed by the bouncing the ball off the floor or directly through a chest pass. Earl Monroe and Steve Nash are famous to use this move often.

Final Verdict:

The five skills and their variations in the basic skills can instantly improve your game. The basic skills play a vital role to understand and perform the game with the correct measures. You cannot become a rising superstar if you lack the 5 basic skills of basketball. I have mentioned all the basic skills and their variations so you can apply the latest move in your game to embarrass your opponent on the court. I hope these skills will definitely help you to flourish your skills.

You can also explore your hidden abilities by practicing these skills. You can also improve your flexibility, speed, and strength by following the basic fundamentals of the game. Basketball has a positive impact on your health. The basic skills help you to burn Calories and to boost your Immune system. I truly hope this article will be able to provide you with the exact details that you are looking for.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

What is the most basic skill in basketball?

There are five basic skills in basketball but dribbling, passing, and shooting are considered the most basic skills in basketball.

What are the types of passing?

There are eight types of passing in basketball.  Bounce pass, Chest pass, Over-the-head pass, Touch pass, Baseball pass, Jump pass, Blind pass, and Behind-the-back pass are the various types of passing.

What are the types of basketball dribbling?

Crossover, Between the legs, Behind the back, Wraparound, In and out dribble, V dribble, Different heights dribble, Ankle breaker dribble, and Hesitation dribble are the notable variations in dribbling.

What is the original name of basketball?

The original name “Naismith Ball” was suggested by the students but this suggestion was declined by the inventor James Naismith who later labeled this sport basketball.

What are the types of basketball rebounds?

You can practice and perform defensive rebounds and offensive rebounds on the court.

What skills do you need to play basketball?

There are five essential skills that are important to play the game. All these skills are interconnected with each other. You cannot play a game without skipping the basic skills. Dribbling, Defense, Rebounding, and Passing are the vital skills of basketball.

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