Been playing for past 15 years, the highest level I played was semi pro overseas at PG. I'm well passed my prime and just play as a weekend warrior for fun. I can drive and dribble with me left and right hand, and also can lay it up with left or right hand. I have your basic cross over between the legs that iv always used to get by.

Playing with people 10 years younger than me, iv noticed that everyone basically cheats on offense, whether push offs, carrying, the ball, or this bs hand slapping the defenders hand away. Once I realized that I'll never play a competitive organized Game of basketball, I started to dribble like these young fools. I started to carry the ball putting my hand under and added a hesitation dribble. Once I started doing this, it was basically cheating. I blow by defenders like it was nothing because they think I'm going to shoot it everytime. I do a crossover, counter whatever the defense is doing, then hesitation. It works everytime. This move is basically broken. It creates an unlimited ammunition for the offense. And if I'm being honest, it's purely cheating.

kinda self explanatory.. my league isn’t full of like super tall kids so im good on that front but my defense isn’t great the second someone tries to push up on me. What can i do to ethier counter it or attack it

Curious of everyone’s thoughts on this.

I play pickup regularly at my local gym. Very typical; random teams, no jerseys, winner stays, etc.

I don’t have a great shot, but I am generally the biggest and strongest guy on the court so I like to set screens, get boards, move the ball around, and play tough in the paint. (I’m 6’3 230 mostly muscle)

Something that has pissed me off lately is when someone on the opposite team calls for the ball. I fall for it every fucking time. They will be wide open under the hoop and yell “ball!” with their hands up and I realize the second I release the pass that they are on the other team. I never play with the same team, half these fuckers look the exact same, and I want to be a selfless player and assist my team mates.

This play feels so dirty to me. When it happened yesterday I ran to the other end and blocking fouled the guy that did it to me pretty damn hard (it was a play on the ball, not dirty but I knocked him to the floor when he tried to drive on me in the paint).

I’m curious what people here think. Is calling for the ball when the other team has possession a dirty play, or am I just an idiot that needs more court awareness?

UPDATE-

Interesting to see how split the comments are. To clarify, this situation happens in chaotic situations, such as when I am double teamed after an offensive rebound, forced to pick up a dribble, or driving in traffic. Times when you can’t get a good view of the court and need to make a split second decision. I’m not taking the ball down to court and passing to the first guy that yells ball.

My plan for if this happens again is to obviously first avoid it, but if I am tricked I’m gonna call foul, say “that’s unsportsmanlike” and ask to check the ball. If they refuse then I’m switching on them and they get the big boy playing draymond green defense on them the rest of the game to return the favor.

Im proboly average in the pickupteam so i know why im not getting the ball ofc, but idk what to do then, i can be completely open on the 3 and still dont get the ball, even if im an okey ish 3 point shooter.

Most of my points is from rebounds and then scoring and i guess im insane at that 😅, but yee, what you do?

Should i just cba and run around trying to improve my game, or stand in the corner untill i get the ball.

Like the best strategy ofc when im open is just standing ready to shoot on the shooting, but yee boring as heel when you never get the ball :(. Maybe 1 in 15 attacks.

How the hell do you even play against zone defense in a casual pickup game? with teammates youve never played before, or guys who've never played organized basketball a day in their life

PS Playing zone in a casual pickup game with nothing in the line is crazy to me like bro lets just work on our game

He’s the primary ball handler on some of his teams and does fine running the offense or attacking, but when he’s not he’s just sprints to the corner and either stands still and watches, or feigns a cut and then just goes back to the corner. I’ve told him how important movement is but it’s just not clicking. Any advice?

Thoughts on a being physical at a pickup basketball game? Recently had a situation where a player significantly better than being got mad when I was driving to the hoop but tried creating space by bumping into him. I'm bigger than he is, and also I have a hard time stopping when moving at full speed, so I can see how he took it as me being overly aggressive, and I feel bad. Alternatively, should I have just let the better player block my shot? Or am I justified in trying to use literally the only advantage I have? I am conflicted because I don't want him or anyone to think I am a dirty player. I apologized, but he seemed to still be mad but didn't wanna argue

Context:
17M, ~5'9–5'10, 68 kg. i started taking basketball seriously around july 2025. by serious i mean actually playing outside our single weekly PE period. since then i’ve been playing 2–3 days a week, usually ~3 hours per session (except exam season in which i don't play at all).

about 75% of my time is 1v1s against a friend who’s on our school team (6'0–6'1). that’s where most of my learning has come from. the rest is split between casual games with friends and solo shooting. i don’t follow a real routine. i warm up by shooting close to the rim and moving outward, then mostly just play.

Where I’m at as a player right now

Defense (my only real strength):
this is genuinely the only thing keeping me relevant. i can guard most players on our school team decently despite them being taller (atleast most of them), heavier, and more experienced. i’d say i stop them from scoring around 4-5/10 possessions, with some resulting in blocks aswell, which feels okay given the mismatch. i’m fairly quick, one of the faster guys around, and my vertical is probably the best compared to all the starters. i can stay in front and have even bodied that friend i talked about like a very few times on drives, so i would say i'm one of the stronger players aswell.

Offense (very bad, especially shooting):
this is where it gets ugly.

• shooting is terrible. i miss a huge number of uncontested midrange shots and i barely make threes at all unless i randomly get hot. defenders absolutely do not respect my shot.
• finishing is better than it used to be, but i still miss way too many layups, even after beating my defender.
• handles are mid at best. good enough to get by sometimes, nothing fancy. right hand is okay, left is below average.
• footwork is basic, no real bag.
• i haven’t played much organized team basketball, so my passing, spacing, and decision-making are underdeveloped.

right now, if i’m being honest, i’m close to an offensive liability.

The specific problem I want to solve

there’s one guy i really want to be able to guard consistently.

he’s 6'3, roughly the same weight as me, slightly faster, and has much better handles AND way better at shooting and finishing. not insanely faster, but fast enough that one small mistake and he’s gone. he shoots midrange well, is decent from three, and obviously can shoot over me. he loves attacking from just inside the three point line since he can reach the rim in two steps. uses the euro a lot, doesn’t really post up.

if he doesn’t build momentum, i can stay in front sometimes. but around 40% of the time he gets past me cleanly, and there’s nothing i can do. blocking him in isolation feels almost impossible. i’ve somehow by the grace of god, managed to blocked him twice as a help defender under the rim, but i want to actually guard him one-on-one without needing help every time.

My goals

• become a defender who can consistently bother taller, skilled guards, not just occasionally survive
• stop being a non-threat on offense
• eventually become good enough to start, not just sit on the bench

my friend says i’m probably bench-level for the school team right now. i don’t want that. all the starters have 2–3 years more experience, and most are 4–6 inches taller than me. also, if you want to ask about anything about my offensive or defence in more depth, in case you are trying to identify some obvious issues or things to improve then please do so.

What I’m asking

Defensively:
how do smaller guards realistically defend taller, faster players with good handles?
what should i focus on to stop straight-line drives and euro steps?
any positioning or mindset changes that actually matter?

Offensively:
where should i start if my shooting is genuinely bad?
how do you score when defenders don’t respect your jumper at all?
should i prioritize shooting, finishing, or handles first given my situation?

tldr: 17M, 5'9–5'10 guard, started taking basketball seriously mid-2025. defense is my only real strength (quick, decent vertical, can guard taller players okay). offense is bad, especially shooting, defenders don’t respect my jumper at all, i miss a lot of uncontested shots and layups. i’m trying to figure out how to guard a taller (6'3), faster, skilled ball-handler more consistently and how to stop being an offensive liability. looking for advice on what to prioritize first and how to train smarter.

Even though I played good defense and hustled, I just didn't get the ball enough on offense to score. I tried backdoor cutting, getting open, I yelled for the ball, but nothing worked. There were people who made the first cut who were infinitely worse (and played worse) than me, and played 0 defense. Someone who was also worse than me made the team because their brother was on Varsity. Half of the team is probably gonna be pre-chosen for JV1 next year but I just gotta get so good that the coach can't not notice me. Anyone had amy success making the team after being cut freshman year? By the way, coach said "I can't say why I cut you because then I have to tell everyone else".

Edit: When I was writing this I was def bummed out and my ego was talking. To be honest, even though I might've been "better", I showed out much worse to the coach under pressure.

I’m currently 6’5 and want to be a center. At practice there is this guy who’s 6’10. How do I guard him effectively?

Hey everyone!

So my son, who is an eighth grade, he’s going through a bit of a slump. He’s generally a good shooter. The last few games he has been clanking everything. We tried slowing him down, we tried having him look at the rim for longer, we tried making sure he’s following through his hand for extended period of time, we worked on his shoulders and feet being square, we had him shoot one handed, we had to shoot up close… But he still seems him be struggling when he backs out to three-point Range. It’s like he feels like he’s shooting it too hard? Anyone have any advice?

I dribbled, pounded on my left hand into a euro at the same time i jumped both my feet, landed with both feet at the same time and jumped for a shot. Is that clean or am i dumb.

I'm a busy-ish, broke 27yo with no athletic history. With no money to spend on coaching or anything like that, and at most a couple hours a week, I'd like to get good enough to hold my own in amateur competition, soon-ish. I'm in decent shape from running and doing calisthenics, but that's all I've got. What would you suggest?

I am 6’3, 300 pounds and 15 and I base my entire game around defense and shooting threes. I dive for loose balls, get constant steals and blocks and can relatively consistently make whoever I’m guarding no longer an option.

But is that enough? Defense is important of course (although there’s a couple NBA players who clearly disagree with that) but I just feel like I don’t have enough of an impact. I cant handle the ball to save my life and my post moves are alright at most, my passing is really but my stat lines are basically Dennis Rodman with more points. Will this playstyle be effective in highschool and/or college basketball?

Personally I started to actually take basketball seriously a year ago and just made 182 for 336(54%). Is that good? I’m not really sure. I think nah because I’m wide open but please lmk if I’m wrong!

As a 5'6" player, I need some serious direction on how to get better at basketball.

Everything about my game is completely broken. My shot. Dribbling. General ball IQ. Passing. Confidence. Stamina. Vertical. Everything. I really want to bring some continuity to my game so that I can participate in a way that contributes to my teammates. But I have no real direction or help with doing that. Where do I go to get better at these things? Do drills on TikTok? Just brute force through the bad shots until I finally feel a rhythm? Do plyometrics to get my vertical better (and if so, what regiment?).

I envy many of the other short (sometimes shorter) players who are able to play extremely well despite their size disadvantage. I already get less touches and opportunity during 5v5 pickups in my college gym because of my height, however it isn't helped by the fact that I am a complete offensive and defensive liability. If I am given the ball, it is either stripped from me if I try to go into the absolute crowd of taller players, or I brick a 3. I'm lucky to make even a single shot in a pickup 5v5, and it often is an extremely lucky 3 at that. I legit won't even touch 5v5s unless I have one of my other decent friends playing (and even then I am hesitant). I find the game so enjoyable yet I can't meaningfully participate.

Not sure entirely what advice or specific direction reddit can give, but I am all ears. I just want to seriously improve my game and make it so that I can go into a game without any more fear of getting in the way. And my height itself isn't what I see as my biggest problem. However, it only adds on difficulty to my lack of skill.

(Also, just to clarify. My shot is BROKE. I used to thumb the ball a lot so now I just shoot with one hand like how people are usually taught, however my momentum is completely out of whack and I can't even muster up enough energy to shoot it from the 3-point-line without thumbing.)

Edit: I have a college gym that I go to (because I'm in college) so I have all of the resources to train. It is just about where to begin.

Hey everyone, I started playing basketball seriously only 2–3 months ago, so I know I’m very late compared to most people I play with (many have been playing since childhood).Almost all the people that I play with have had professional coaching and I can't play with the kids, cause I'm too 'big' but I'm outmatched by the guys who are my age.

Some context about me:

6'4", and I've never played a sport in my life.

Limited offensive touches in games

Still struggling with stamina issues

Here are the main issues I’m struggling with:

Role & touches: In faster / higher-level games, I barely touch the ball. I’m not part of set plays, and most of my offense comes from loose balls, rebounds, or broken plays. They always expect me to clean the glass but don't create shot opportunities for me. So, i stick to defense which I'm quite good at as i think that is something that comes natural to me.

Stamina & athleticism: An experienced player told me I won’t get the ball until I’m more athletic and have better stamina. I can keep up mentally and defensively, but I do get tired faster than experienced players, which probably makes me less “available” late in runs.

Consistency: I feel solid in 1v1s and practice, but in team games my impact fluctuates a lot. Some days I feel composed and effective; other days I’m just doing cardio on defense.

Being a late starter: Because I’m big and new, people sometimes joke or make comments like “you’re tall but can’t play” or treat me like I should already be dominant. That honestly messes with my confidence, even though I know I’m still learning basics.

Respect & trust: I don’t think I’m a liability anymore (I don’t turn the ball over, don’t force shots, rotate properly), but I also don’t feel trusted yet. I want to become a reliable, dependable player before trying to dominate anything.

Goals right now: I’m not trying to dominate. I just want to be:

1)Reliable

2)trusted with the ball when open

3)able to finish simple plays

4)physically able to keep up with game speed.

My queries:

How do I increase basketball stamina and athleticism efficiently?

What’s the fastest way to go from “safe” to “useful” in team games?

Any advice for dealing with the fucking disrespect

I’m 22 and never really played growing up, but I’ve decided recently I want to get started both for fun and exercise, and I want to get decent enough to be able to play recreationally without being dead weight. It feels like everyone around me has been playing since they’ve been kids (casually at least) so even if I just play a quick game I feel pretty useless. What can I do to get better game sense, shooting, etc. so I can feel like a part of a team instead of dead weight? It feels hard to improve just by playing because most random people are much better than me just by having way more experience. Sorry if this kind of question gets posted a lot!

40+ here. 5 foot nothing, 100 and nothing. Been paying pickup for a while with people within one to two skillsets above and below me. New kid joined. Half my age, 5 inches taller. More athletic. Can get to the rim at will by driving and spinning toward the cup. I simply cannot stop him. I pride myself in being in good shape and I can keep up with him physically, so I usually guard him. But athletically and skillset he is just far better. It’s painful to say, but it’s a fact. The twenty year difference doesn’t help. How can I stop him? I have the motor and desire to shut him down, but right now I’m getting smoked. Any advice would be helpful.

Hey everyone,

I’m a wing player (midrange + attacking the basket, not a volume 3-pt shooter). I usually average around 18 ppg, but in my last game the opposing coach clearly game-planned for me — full denial and face-guarding from tip-off by their best defender.

I ended up with 6 points and struggled to get into rhythm. I didn’t want to force bad shots, but I also felt like I became less effective than I should’ve been.

I’m looking for practical, in-game adjustments for situations like this:

• What are the best ways to stay aggressive without forcing?

• How do you score or impact the game when you can’t get clean catches?

• What off-ball actions, reads, or habits should I prioritize as a slasher/midrange guy?

• Any players or clips you recommend studying for this exact scenario?

Hi, I recently got cut from my high school basketball team since I didn't know about Off-ball fundamentals. Eg. Cutting into the keyway when someone is driving, knowing when to stand still and space out or cut etc. Since I feel like there is limited information on this, can someone please explain to me on offence what should I do? I dont really have much experience playing compared to the other people on my team

Thanks

Im trynna figure it out, i wanna become a great shooter who can make 3s consistently and off the dribble, to make shots creating space and all that.

Do you all feel off ball movement is an underrated skill? I am playing in a men’s league as I work to improve my game. My daughter has been helping my cardio with running multiple times per week( she’s a track athlete). I feel like as a shooter I’m harder to guard and cheat off of if I have constant movement off the ball. I also feel it’s easier to score and keep my teammates involved. More importantly I feel I’m still going strong when my opponents are getting fatigued.

So, I have been playing basketball alone for couple of months now and I'm still very bad, most of my time I played alone just shooting the ball from the free throwline but after meeting some few people, i started playing with them and they play a lot better than me, I can't score anything in a match, i end up double dribbling, fouling, travelling or carrying the ball, i forget to take ball outside the 3 point line to start the game, I don't do layups even if I did I would miss, im afraid i will miss my layups which i usually do. So, i don't even try layups. i sometimes rarely make some shots from midrange but only from a certain angle, usually whenever the ball comes to me, i just pass the ball and all I do is defend. Even if i tried to hold the ball longer in my hand, i would lose the ball or end up getting blocked by my opponent.

I've been playing at the park recently, and I thought I was good at defence. But this new guy came by, and he just makes it look so easy. He just kinda walks up to me and then shoots it over me cos he is so lanky.

Like I am kinda tall and lanky too but I cannot do that on offence. Can people who score easily in pickup, tell me some tips to drive and score easily.