A Person Playing Basketball: 10 Essential Tips to Improve Your Game Today

Let’s be honest, watching a game like that last-second thriller between the Fuel Masters and Rain or Shine, where Kenneth Tuffin scores a follow-up with a mere 0.7 seconds on the clock, does more than just get your heart racing. It makes you want to hit the court yourself. That play wasn’t just luck; it was the culmination of positioning, awareness, and relentless effort—qualities any person playing basketball, from weekend warriors to aspiring pros, needs to cultivate. As someone who’s spent years both on the hardwood and analyzing the game, I’ve come to believe that improvement isn’t just about endless shooting drills. It’s about a holistic approach that sharpens your mind and body. So, whether you’re inspired by Tuffin’s clutch play or just want to stop getting burned on defense, here are ten essential tips you can apply today to genuinely elevate your game.

First and foremost, let’s talk about the mental side, which I argue is 60% of the battle. Watching that game, the critical lesson wasn’t the final shot, but what led to it. Tuffin didn’t just appear under the basket. He read the play, anticipated the miss, and positioned himself where the ball was most likely to go. This is court awareness, and you can develop it by watching more basketball—not just as a fan, but as a student. Pause plays and ask yourself: why did that pass work? Why was that defender out of position? In your own games, make a conscious effort to “see” the whole floor before you even receive the ball. My personal rule is to take a mental snapshot of everyone’s location every five to eight seconds. It’s exhausting at first, but it becomes second nature and makes you a smarter player instantly. Next, tie that awareness to conditioning. I see too many players gassed by the fourth quarter, their technique crumbling. The difference between winning and losing a 93-91 game is often stamina. You don’t need to run marathons, but incorporate high-intensity interval training. Try something like full-court sprints for 45 seconds with a 15-second rest, repeated eight times. That mimics the stop-start nature of a real game far better than a slow jog ever will.

Now, for the tangible skills. Shooting is obvious, but most people practice it wrong. Standing still and taking 100 shots is less valuable than taking 50 game-speed shots off movement. Create scenarios: catch-and-shoot from a simulated pass, pull-up off a dribble, or practice a floater in the lane. Your practice must be intentional and stressful. I’m a huge proponent of the “make 10” drill from five specific spots, but you only get three consecutive misses before you have to start over. It adds pressure. Another non-negotiable is your weak hand. If you can only drive right, defenders will overplay you all day. Spend 15 minutes every session doing everything—dribbling, layups, even simple passes—solely with your off-hand. It will feel awkward for weeks, but the day you confidently finish a left-handed layup in traffic, you’ll thank me. And let’s not forget defense, the true separator. Great defense is about stance and effort. Stay in a low, wide stance, stay on the balls of your feet, and focus on the opponent’s midsection, not the ball, which can be faked. I’d rather have a teammate who gives 100% effort on defense and scores 6 points than a lazy scorer who gives up 20 on the other end.

Finally, consider the nuances. Footwork is the foundation of everything. Watch any great player; their footwork on rebounds, like Tuffin’s game-winner, is precise. Practice pivot drills until they’re automatic. Communication is another free tool. Call out screens, shout “switch!” or simply encourage. A talking team is a cohesive team. Study the rulebook, too. Knowing exactly what constitutes a charge versus a block, or how the shot clock resets, can win you possessions. And perhaps most importantly, be a great teammate. Basketball is a team sport. Make the extra pass, set a solid screen, and celebrate others’ successes. My best basketball memories aren’t of games I scored the most, but of games where our unit functioned perfectly as one. To improve as a person playing basketball, you must embrace being part of something bigger than your individual stat line.

So, as you leave the gym today or finish watching that highlight reel, remember that improvement is a choice made in a thousand small moments. It’s the decision to take one more sprint, to watch film for an extra twenty minutes, or to practice that left-hand layup when no one is watching. Games are won on last-second putbacks, but they are built on the cumulative effort of all the days that came before. Start with one or two of these tips. Integrate them into your routine. The journey to becoming a better player is continuous, but the satisfaction of seeing your game grow—of making that smart pass or getting that crucial stop—is what makes this sport endlessly rewarding. Now, get out there and put in the work.