All players should have their own practice basketball goals. It doesn’t matter if it’s a makeshift basket or a fancy model. The important thing is that it will be there every single day within reach whenever needed. Sure, there are courts at school and on the streets but these are not always available. Some might always be crowded with other players. Others require you to book a slot weeks in advance. These are not good enough if you are trying to get better. Use your backyard or any other area that you can practice in any day of the week.
Do Extra Work to Get Ahead
You might belong to a team right now. It could just be your group of friends. It could also be the school’s varsity team. If you are honest with yourself, then you will have a good idea about where you stand in terms of skills compared to your teammates. If you constantly play other teams, then you can also gauge your level within the neighborhood, the city, the state, and so on. If you keep doing what you are doing right now, then you will always be stuck at your current spot. You might even regress as younger and hungrier players pick up more skills. If you want to get ahead, then you have to do extra work during your free time.
Make It a Habit to Practice Drills
The practice basketball goals should be second nature to you. You can’t move forward until you have polished the basics such as dribbling, passing, blocking, and shooting. The basketball goal will come in handy with the shooting part which is crucial in winning games. Take shots from different distances. Dunks are amazing to watch but the area under the basket is usually heavily guarded. Most open looks will come from the perimeter so make sure that you can get those in. Shoot from different spots. Perform the drills your coaches taught you.
Gain Confidence with Muscle Memory
You won’t get possession of the ball all the time. Make those few chances count by sinking it in. There are players who hesitate and pass the ball because they are unsure of themselves. If you practiced this countless times, then you don’t even have to think. Muscle memory will take over and you will make it with a high degree of probability. You will be ready when your opportunity comes.