One of the most vital aspects in the game of basketball is rebounding. Sadly, this is also one of the most overlooked aspects during practice time.
Rebounding is taken for granted by most players. They think they will grab the ball only if it comes their way. Some even makes the biggest mistake thinking that rebounding is not their responsibility on the court. The truth is rebounding is the job of every player regardless of their height or position.
In order to become good in rebounding, a player will need to posses 8 traits that are listed below. These traits have nothing to do with a player’s size but have something to do with a player’s desire, aggressiveness, and positioning skill.
Chase the basketball. Each player must not lay idle when the shot goes up but should aggressively go after the ball. A good rebounder will always believe that the rebound belongs to him.- Set up a good rebounding position. A player will need to determine as soon as a shot is taken where the shot location is, the arc of the ball, and the position of other players on the court. The player will then need to move to the proper position to rebound the ball.
- Establish proper body balance. When a player has a good rebounding position, he should spread his feet, about a shoulders length, and bend his knees slightly. This position will allow a player to move quickly, easily, and will have a good jumping position.
- Box out the opponent. After establishing a good position, a player will then need to box out his opponent. This can be accomplished by moving in between them and the basket while your back side is in contact with the opponent.
- Desire. A good rebounder will aim to rebound every missed shot. This type of approach develops aggressiveness and the desire to possess the ball.
- Timing. After a player establishes a good rebounding position and has managed to box out his opponent, he then needs to properly time his jump for the ball. A player will lose the ball if he mistimed his jump during rebound.
- Protect the ball after rebound. A good way for players to do this is to hold the ball over their head while facing the opponent or hug the ball close to the body. The main point in protecting the ball after rebound is to not let the opponent get it back.
- Develop soft hands and fingertip control. Soft hands are a player’s ability to handle the ball despite how soft it comes to them. Fingertip control allows a rebounder to tip the ball to a teammate or to himself. This is an important element of rebounding that can give him huge advantages in controlling the board.
