Some people say that if you want to become the best player you need to use the best equipment. Is this true? Hey, not necessarily. However, having a good team could absolutely help. That being said, you have to find the right things to wear. So now you are looking for a product to increase your basketball skills, how do you find it? If you look on the web, there are hundreds of different options, so how do you know which one to choose? Well luckily you’ve come to the right place and you have a basketball expert who has personal knowledge and experience with the best products. Here are my top recommendations.
The SKLZ Official Weight Management Training Basketball is a great staple you can get and has multiple uses. This is a regulation-size basketball that costs between thirty and forty dollars. The difference between this basketball and a normal one is the weight. This basketball weighs more than a normal basketball. On the court we called them “heavy balls” and they were really heavy. The benefits of this product are that they increase the amount of work required to move the ball. By dribbling the ball, it forces the player to push harder, which increases muscle memory. It can also be used to pass drills. This will make passes with a normal ball faster. After using this ball for 30 minutes, when you grab a normal basketball, it will actually feel like a feather. You will find that haggling and passing is extremely easy. It’s a great product for junior and senior players looking for a competitive edge.
The “Shooter” ring is a great product to increase the shooting percentage of the players. Most people would agree that it could be quite difficult to get the ball into the hoop, as this accessory actually makes the hoop smaller. This increases the precision required to take a shot. This is good to use during any type of shooting exercise, we generally use it for anything but trays and it was quite impressive when people were shooting baskets, because it was really hard to do. Another use you can get from the “Shooter” ring is actually for bouncing exercises. Due to the small number of shots, it creates a perfect environment to work on the rebounds. The ball will always bounce in a rather unpredictable mansion and it makes players really work on their boxing skills if they want to get the rebound.
The SKLZ Kick-Out 360 Degree Ball Return System is another great product to help young players work on their shots. I have used several of this product, but have not used this exact one. However, their purposes are essentially the same. This sticks to the tire and creates a ramp that the ball can roll downward so you don’t need to get your own bounce. It is easy to install and they are usually sturdy enough to last a few seasons. My family put ours in a basketball hoop outside and left it in place for about a year and it didn’t cause any problems. So I would say that these are good products that you can plan to use for a while. The most beneficial part of this product, for me, is that it makes shooting yourself so much easier. With the Kick Out you can take many more shots in a shorter period of time because you are not chasing all your shots, they are just coming straight back to you. In addition, this one is adaptable, so it can give you bounces in the direction you set.
Shoot Sleeve: This last product recommendation is not a product to be used in practice. This is a team recommendation. The shooting holster has become a very common piece of equipment worn by players of all ages. I know many people who criticized the case, but once they tried it on, they found that they enjoyed it and didn’t like to play without one anymore. The first benefit is that it compresses the arm muscles. This is good for keeping your muscles warm and ready to go. With your arms ready and warm, you may have a better time shooting, dribbling and passing the ball. The sleeves can also come with elbow padding. This is helpful for the player so that they don’t hurt that part of the body, and honestly, if someone accidentally hits another player with an elbow, they’d be better off hitting them with a padded elbow (at least in my opinion). I’ve had teammates who like to wear it strictly because they think it looks good and makes them feel good. And you know how the saying “Look good, Feel good, Play good” goes well. As silly as it may sound, I personally think it’s a completely understandable reason. Some players wear one, some players wear two, some even wear leg sleeves. It all depends on the player’s preference. Another equipment recommendation you would have is ankle braces. I didn’t wear them for long until … yeah, you guessed it, I hurt my ankle. This injury really set me back and I wish I was wearing the braces because I would never have been in that situation if I had. When it comes to buying the right ones, I recommend going to a sports store and talking to someone who sells them day after day. They will have the most information about what’s new and what people are buying.
Overall, there are a lot of great basketball products out there right now. And I’m sure they will get even better and more effective as time goes on. Before purchasing a product, be sure to do your research and find a product that meets your specific basketball needs. Either way, just make sure you work hard and have fun while doing it!