how to be a best basketball player

Some basketball skill is chalked up to natural ability or physical stature, but a lot of the game's fundamental skills are attainable through training. There's no magic formula to make you the best basketball player in history, but you can rise to a top position on your team with hard work and persistence. The right training transforms even novice players into a powerful force on the court.

Step 1

Increase your stamina with cardiovascular exercises. A brisk jog for 60 minutes each day increases your body's endurance levels. With more stamina, you'll remain in peak condition for longer periods of basketball game play.

Step 2

Strength train with squats, curls, deadlifts and situps for at least two or three hours per week. Strength training increases your speed and power on the court. The more you train, the faster you build muscle mass for increased athletic ability.

Step 3

Join a yoga class or use a guide book to perform yoga exercises at home for at least an hour each week. According to the book "Real Men Do Yoga," a number of professional basketball players use yoga to improve flexibility for increased skill on the court.

Step 4

Study playbooks and rulebooks. Without a working knowledge of the game, a player's physical ability goes to waste.

Step 5

Drink plenty of fluids during a game. Dehydration is a major cause of fatigue in basketball. You last longer on the court if you drink 8 ozs. of water every 15 minutes.

Step 6

Work with your teammates whenever possible. Sports broadcasts glamorize top-scoring individual players, but the very best players work as part of a unified team. Use your teammates' basketball strengths to offset your individual weaknesses.