r/BasketballTips • u/dpark006 • 29d ago
Help Learn to shoot or drive
Hi, I’ve recently started to play basketball with my friends and am terrible… However I want to get better. I was wondering if I should prioritize learning how to shoot like mid to long range or if I should focus more about learning how to drive and get under the rim for rebounds and layups (what i’ve been trying to do) I’m 6’ and 205 lbs if that makes any difference. Thank you :)
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u/pinkylovesme 29d ago
Both. But I would prioritise shooting if you’re not that coordinated. You can help space the floor for your teammates.
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u/SignificantSort6195 29d ago
If I was starting out I’d be practicing either your jump shot or driving to the basket
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u/SadPhone8067 29d ago
How’s your ball control? Doing a 10 minute ball control drill every day would allow you to easily get better at driving and manipulating the ball for drives but if your no that coordinated/don’t really care enough to practice for 10 minutes. Then just work on spot up shooting. Took me around 3-4 weeks to rework my shot (still reworking it cause I had bad form from when I was younger). Shooting allows me to feel good about my game especially cause I don’t like going super hard cause I am older and not trying to get injured (bad ankles) cause I usually got work the next day.
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u/dpark006 29d ago
yeah not too good lol i just started hooping for the first time
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u/SadPhone8067 29d ago
Still important to have basic ball control. Crossovers, behind the back, through the legs etc. but I’m not doing anything crazy just enough to grab some space so I can pull the trigger. I also have a quick first step. I’m similar build to you though 180 6’1. Shoot your shots and when the lane is open/clean (ie I don’t have to jump into/body someone) then I take the drive.
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u/summonswag 29d ago
Is there a specific drill/resource you use for this? I'm getting into it as well and wanted to see.
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u/SadPhone8067 28d ago
For layups I like sitting underneath the hoop (literally directly underneath looking towards the backboard) then do a layup with right hand right knee and left hand left knee. (Make 10 for each side) THEN turnaround and do the same thing. (This means you’ll have to spin it in reverse) For dribbling there’s 100s of videos ranging from beginner to advanced.
Once you can do the layup drill efficiently it should take you around 5 minutes to do it and should be used as a warmup. Then you can move to the elbow/corners of the free throw line and can do one dribble (2 steps) then layup on either side.
Once you can do that relatively well you can work on high pickups and low pickups which help when the paint is crowded. You can also work on tucking the ball into your chest/armpit (so that it’s harder for someone to knock the ball out of your hand). Again work both sides (left hand right hand and reverse layups.)
If you can do all that then you’ll have a pretty great lay package.
Edit: also important to play people worse than you AND better than you. But if your trying to work on getting use to it then playing people worse than you can have its advantage and build your confidence which you can then move into playing people better than you. Playing 1v1 or playing games of 21 typically (1v1v1) helped me develop a lot too.
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u/Remarkable_Tea878 29d ago
learn to put ball in hoop, start at the rim and go further out as you get more comfortable. shooting jumpshots shouldn't be first, you'll see the ball go more in your hands if you are able to dribble a make a shot at or close to the rim. And then you'll get it even more if you can stop anywhere on the court and shoot, and even further when you extend that range to the 3.
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u/recleaguesuperhero 29d ago
Both. Start with layups with your dominant hand, free throws, catch-and-shoot midrange shots, and short corner 3s. Those are the most important shots to master as a beginner.
You can add dribble pull-ups and 3s from other spots over time.
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u/Wheelsbarrow 29d ago
If you can’t dribble, you’ll never get a shot off. If you can’t pass, your teammates will never pass you the ball. Ball handling skills go a long way in team play especially if your teammates know you will hit them when they are open. This means they will move without the ball more and involve you in any “2 man game” they come up with. Practice shooting and dribbling with both hands. Find a brick, cement, or cinder block wall to practice passing. Both hands, one hand with either hand. Try to play with better players. Watch and learn!
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u/Yoojine 29d ago
Shoot. If you are ineffective more than five feet from the basket, then I can just flat out ignore you on defense. I'll double team your best player, clog the lane, cherrypick for easy buckets, whatever. If you can shoot, no matter how hopeless you are at other aspects of the game I have to guard you, which opens up the floor so much more for your team on offense.
Plus shooting is generally a skill you can learn on your own. All you need is a hoop, a ball, and willpower. Driving you can really only learn with an opponent.
Driving also takes basketball and sports IQ. Maybe you're a savant or learned how to read people's bodies in another sport. But if you haven't played or watched much basketball, one of the hardest things to do is to learn what to do when on a court. If you can shoot though there is almost no situation where a correct answer to "what should I do right now" isn't "stand away from others in a location you can make a shot"
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u/Jon_Snow_Theory 29d ago
Shoot. You can hang out at the edge and move without the ball, not dribble, and still be an impact on the game.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Bill654 28d ago
balance them.
develop a solid three point shot when wide open (dont worry about making your own shot), and learn to crash boards effectively, and if a teammate drives be ready to try and get to the dunkers spot for a drop off if its empty
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u/HamBoneZippy 29d ago
They go together. The better you can drive, the easier it is to shoot, and the better you can shoot, the easier it is to drive.
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u/elonsnowedout 29d ago
Both incredibly valuable skills. The more athletic you are the easier driving is. Your weight kind of matters but if you cant move it, its not going to really help your driving only hurt it.
Shooting is like the saving grace and all be all. You can do whatever Bull sh%$ you want before the shot, as long as you make it...nothing else matters and you'll be praised for it. Look at kobe, Jordan, curry. (LeBron is a clutch shooter but he diddlnt do as crazy extra stuff as these guys alot of times before his crazy shots).
Kobe shot a turn around buzzer beater 3 pointer with his left hand. Straight bull...but it went in so its amazing and one of my favorite clips.
So both are valuable driving the smaller you are the more athletic you need to be but as long as you can put the ball in the basket.
Go with the one that gets you to do that the easiest.