In youth basketball, players can dominate by simply being taller or faster than their opponents, or shooting the ball better than other youngsters. But as you get older, such advantages tend to diminish, and you need to be skilled at several facets of the game in order to stand out. Fortunately, basketball isn't a complex sport, and the checklist of necessary skills isn't a long one. Become proficient all all of them, and you'll be known as a "glue" player -- the type of versatile performer that holds a team together.
Shooting
If there's one type of player basketball coaches love most, it's probably a shooter. Deadeye marksmen can singlehandedly take over a game, largely because of the advantage of being able to score three points rather than the standard two by shooting from behind the three-point line. And you won't always get wide-open looks at the basket, so you must learn to create opportunities by moving constantly on offense and freeing yourself by using teammates' screens.
Ballhandling
Ballhandling is the most important skill for young players to develop, because without it you can't capitalize fully on your shooting skill and athleticism. Besides simply being able to dribble, you should be able to handle the ball with either hand, dribble with your head up and eyes surveying the court -- rather than trained on the bouncing ball -- and maintain possession of the ball in the face of pesky defenders.
Defense
If you're not a gifted scorer, you can make up for this by becoming a lockdown defender. It's difficult to stop opponents from scoring, because they know where they're going with the ball and you don't. You'll make yourself valuable by learning to put the clamps on opposing scorers. Always stay in between your man and the basket and be willing to pick up the slack by sliding over when a teammate's man gets past him.
Rebounding
Rebounding is less of a fundamental ability than shooting or dribbling. It's more about effort, toughness and determination. Every defense rebound you grab is one less shot for the opponent, and every offensive rebound is an additional scoring opportunity for your team. To be a top-notch rebounder, you can't be afraid to fight for leverage and bang bodies with opponents in the paint.
Passing
Creating a high-percentage shot for a teammate is often just as good as scoring a basket yourself. Maintain awareness of everyone on the court around you. The best passers rack up assists and help their teams win simply by delivering the ball to the right player in the right spot. If you're a good ballhandler, use your dribbling skills to get past your man and into the lane before dishing the ball to open teammates whose defenders have rotated to cut you off. Not only will you be facilitating your team's offense, but your unselfish play will become contagious.
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