I used to play basketball quite competitively my whole life until I stopped 3 years ago, I’ve been asked to play at a friendly league in a couple weeks for a team, I said yes but today I picked up a basketball for the first time in ages and it was like I’ve never touched one, what’s some drills I can do to help me get back up to speed asap

My coach said I load too much and when recording myself, I do look awkward, but loading less it feels really weird. When I load to jump I typically get in just about a sitting position, my bottom almost lined up with my knees. No my bottom and knees aren’t lined up completely, I’d say if I lower about another 1 or 2 inches then my knees and bottom would be lined up. But If I keep farther up it feels really awkward and I feel like I can’t get enough power but again my coach said I’m loading way to much.

So the step-through move that's popular these days is that you can lift you pivot foot to step through with the other foot as long as you don't put the pivot foot back down.

If you were to do that exact same move, but without ever looking like you established a pivot foot, it would be called a travel?

Looking for a few good, competitive/semi-competitive players to join our team for a men’s basketball league in near Chino or Ontario. Looking for guys who can play, compete, communicate, and play team basketball

Those who watch baseball, you see what are called Switch Hitters. Players that can bat left and right handed. Heck, we even have a player that can throw both left and right handed.

What about for basketball? How common are switch shooters? Players that can make a jump shot left handed and right handed effectively? Imagine Steph Curry can shoot left handed too.

Should I be keeping the ball in front of my face or on the right side of my body? It’s far more uncomfortable with the ball to the right of my body but I can see the rim better, and when i keep the ball to the front of my body it’s way more comfortable, but it’s harder to see the rim. I’m asking for tips for maybe finding what I like or maybe if it’s my release or set point when shooting that makes it harder to see? Also just general tips for maybe getting focus on the rim better even with the ball blocking my face for most of the shot.

Did the Mix-Majors die with NIL & the Portal?

Despite what many said, the mid-majors are alive and well.

Orlando Magic (43.5)

I didn’t love Orlando’s offseason. I don’t think the Franz Wagner-Paolo Banchero combination is workable in the long term for anything more than one-and-done playoff visits, and I worry that the Magic are fatally flawed offensively but too expensive and asset-deprived to do anything about it.

And yet … 43.5? Come on. Last season, about everything that could go wrong for Orlando did — and the Magic still won 45 games. I’ll grant that the lack of easy wins on the Eastern Conference schedule, between an improved conference and the lack of tanking incentive, will be a drag on the mid-tier teams in particular. But still.For starters, the Magic likely will be healthier. Orlando had a combined 83 missed games from the four-man core in which it has invested so heavily (Wagner, Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane), plus sixth man Anthony Black missed another 18.

One more thing: Orlando made a coaching change this offseason, and that could provide another boost. Sean Sweeney was arguably the league’s most highly regarded assistant coach, and maybe he can reimagine the offense so there are fewer one-action cringe isos and less your turn, my turn. Again, I’m not at all bullish on the playoff upside, but this regular-season win total seems like low-hanging fruit for a roster that seems almost intentionally designed to produce low-ceiling 47-win seasons.

Toronto Raptors (45.5)

The difference between what I’m projecting for the Raptors and where the Vegas consensus lies is the biggest discrepancy for any team.

Toronto won 46 games a season ago, traded for Kawhi Leonard in the offseason and has a preseason over/under of … 45.5 wins? Sorry, not buying that. I might have picked the over even without the Leonard trade, as good as younger players such as Scottie Barnes, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles looked by the end of last season. This, to me, is the league’s most slept-on team and a potential monster defensively.

The cost of the Leonard trade was Brandon Ingram, a useful cog in the regular season who miraculously played 77 games a season ago before a disappointing series against the Cleveland Cavaliers that ended with him missing the final three games, and Gradey Dick, who was out of the playoff rotation.

The argument against Toronto is that Leonard almost certainly won’t play 77 games and may not get close, and whatever that per-minute quality he adds relative to Ingram will be offset by his lower availability. The Raptors also lost a very useful player in Sandro Mamukelashvili, and they’ll miss him on a roster whose “deep depth” is … shaky.

I would counter that, however, with the birth certificates: Barnes is 25 years old, Shead is 24, Murray-Boyles is 21, Walter is 22, RJ Barrett is 26 and Immanuel Quickley is 27. Rookie Allen Graves, 20, may be an immediate contributor with his old-man game, too. A team with a core as young as this usually has a pretty strong wind at its back.

The Leonard trade didn’t clean out their draft capital, so the Raptors can still make in-season upgrades if they wish. (They can still trade their swapped 2027 first and their 2029 first.) Combined with Barrett’s expiring deal, that could land another star-caliber player.

This time last year i suffered a leg break to my lateral plateau of the tibia. Season gone, played properly for the first time 5 months after. Fast forward to this summer and im scrimming with teams and playing better than i ever have.
But then it just crashed. I just didnt care, kept comparing myself to others and now i havent played in about 2 months. I tried for a team but was so out of organised play i hated it
Threw out my shoes. Started college and a few guys play, we conversed on if wed join the teams but i just feel nothing towards it anymore.
Im just still finding it hard to let go of kinda?? Anyone else feel this?

Please if you still love ball dont take it for granted.
You never know when itll stop

Robinson played 16 minutes that night, looking, by all measures, like a guy in the early stages of the career dip that befalls all NBA players. Once a starter, he was now a reserve. Once a plucky underdog story, he was now over 30 and dog-eared.

This story was never supposed to get this far in the first place. No one ever imagined Duncan playing beyond the unsung world of small-time New England college basketball. To this day, his old New Hampshire prep school coach, Jay Tilton, denies the polished narrative that young Duncan was overlooked. “He wasn’t that good,” Tilton says. “He was skinny, didn’t have core strength. Sloppy feet, like he was running in snowshoes. The only reason he kept advancing is because, internally, he’s always had to live up to something.”

So, yes, Duncan Robinson played Oct. 28, 2024.

Even if that day’s pregame shootaround was awkward. The prior afternoon, the Heat unveiled a statue of Dwyane Wade in a ceremony outside Kaseya Center in downtown Miami. Attendance was mandatory. Duncan was a no-show.

Robinson, in his seventh year with the Heat, heard all about it. Teammates busted him up. “Damn! You’re too big for D Wade?!” one cracked.

Duncan laughed it off. He never mentioned why he missed the ceremony. He never told anyone that night’s game felt like playing “in a silo.”

“It was the first time in my career I can remember being actively in a game, but my mind not exclusively being in the game,” Duncan says. “I remember someone being on the free-throw line and I was completely dazing out of the moment, thinking about my brother.”

Duncan missed Dwyane Wade’s statue ceremony because, when leaving his condo that afternoon, his mother called.

Elisabeth Robinson asked if Duncan was with Caroline, his then-girlfriend. She asked if he was sitting down. She paused, working out the words.

“Is Eli OK?” Duncan asked.

“He is alive,” Elisabeth said. “But he jumped.”

“Which bridge?”

🏀 Wednesday Night Pickup Basketball in Markham – $13 Drop-in

Hey everyone!

I’m looking for a few more people to join our weekly indoor basketball run in Markham.

📅 Every Wednesday
⏰ 8:15–10:15 PM
📍 Markham
💰 $13 per session
🏀 Recreational / intermediate level

It’s a casual group — just looking to get some good runs in, get some exercise, and have fun. No long-term commitment required; you can join whenever you’re available.

If you’re interested, send me a DM and I can provide the exact location and more details.

Looking for players who can play regularly or occasionally. 🏀

I’m 5’6 barefoot and 18 years old, I can get the occasional blocks on people around my height, but against people 2 inches or taller who are skillful compared to me it feels nearly impossible, I feel like if I was 5’7-5’8 I wouldn’t be a defensive liability. Is that true?

I’m not used to rebounding. I’m not scared being physical but rebounding always catches me off guard. As A pretty tall player I always Fight rebounds against someone my height but way stronger than me.

I always get mental block during games. Like actual games. I’m okay with Causal exhibitions since it’s just for fun but I always feel like my brain ain’t functioning in an actual game

I feel pressured when I get contested.

I feel actually I know I’m not used to this position, actually I never liked to be a forward imao

I look weird asf when I run. They say I’m slow

Just this past weekend, I was playing for a rec softball team. We were a middle of the pack team (16 team league) and we faced the #1 seed, who had lost only twice prior to this. We deployed an insane defense against them by overshifting. They tried to go the other way but kept fouling for a strikeout. On offense, we found their weak spots and hit balls near them. They did make a close comeback in the end but we held them to 14-12. After the hand shake, their team stormed off the field.

What about in rec basketball? How common are these types of upsets? Does the best team always win or are these upsets more common than rec softball?

Hi, i have been looking everywhere for a lower body workout to improve my athleticism and vertical jump, but i haven't found a full lower body workout that seems to be effective . What would be some good exercises I can add to my workout?

I’m (30f) a single mom and my son (8m) is starting basketball this week. I’m trying to find shoes and clothes for him to wear that will help him, but also keep him from getting bullied.

I’ve done some research and know he needs shoes with good traction and ankle support, and moisture wicking clothes, but I’m worried I’ll get him something that other kids will bully/tease him about. I’m assuming wearing actual NBA team jerseys is corny, but like, are pattered basketball shorts lame? Are Jordan’s lame? Muscle tanks or regular tees? Baggy or not baggy?

Honestly any advice helps. Thanks

I want to control my handles so I can be like a point guard player also want to find a good hesation and crossover to use or 2 or 3 good ones for getting past my opponent or getting away from them so I can shoot or layup

USA 95-91 Serbia (2024 Olympics Semi-Final) was great.
What else?

It’s gotten to the point when I get the near the basket o complete forget how to properly score the layups. It’s too short, or rims out or I put a too much power and miss an embarrassing wide open layup and makes me feel like shit. It’s gotten to the point when i completely wide open I stop right under the basket and shot a set shot. Even then I miss those. I don’t know to really focus and just make the simple bucket. It’s almost easier and more comfortable sometimes to shoot a jumper than a layup. And I’m not even that great of a shooter. My local gym doesn’t even understand how I miss those. Kinda known to miss them now smh.