REWORKED: 5 Things You Need to Know About Passing A Basketball

1. Faster Than the Speed of Ball

In basketball, players often concentrate too little on passing and too much on dribbling the basketball because they trust their own skills. Often they believe they can beat their man on offense and sometimes they are just ball hogs. What most players refuse to acknowledge or accept is that a player dribbling the basketball can never travel as fast as a passed basketball. If your players or teammates refuse to believe this, challenge them to race with the passed basketball to show them the difference in speed.

2. Team Harmony

Passing not only helps the team score more easily but it aides in team chemistry. When a player or team does not pass the basketball, it creates an atmosphere of selfish behavior. This attitude can be contagious, because if players on the team think, "Well if I pass the basketball I may never get it back," they are more likely to take an ill-advised shot. This is how the lack of passing can spread through a team and destroy team unity and harmony.

3. Types of Passes

There many type of passes at the disposal of a basketball player. The first is the two-handed chest pass. This is the most fundamental pass and should be the first type of pass a player learns. Another type is the two-hand over-the-head pass. This pass is effective for a double teamed player who wants to throw a longer distance pass. A third type is the bounce pass. A player uses this pass when they need to soften the velocity of the pass or bounce it under the defenders hands. This list goes on and on, but some other notable passes are the no-look pass, behind-the-back pass and over-the-shoulder pass.

4. Look But Don't Stare

An effective passer will notice open players without making it obvious to the defender. If you stare at where you are going to pass the basketball a defender will intercept the pass. This is telegraphing your pass. This is why it is very important to stay alert and know what all the players on the court are doing. If you understand where players are supposed to be on a play you will not have to keep looking at them. Passing the basketball is partly an art of deception.

5. Know the Receiver

Knowing where your teammates like to receive the basketball is a key aspect in passing the basketball. Some players are comfortable receiving the basketball on the move and some are not. The players that do not are often bigger and slower players who do not have the coordination to catch a pass on the run. Other players prefer a bounce pass to a straight-line pass. It is up to the passer to find out exactly what the preferences of their teammates are.