How to Palm a Basketball
Have you ever wanted to show off your moves like Michael Jordan or LeBron James -- gripping the ball in one hand while staring down your opponent before sinking the buzzer beater? You need to be able to palm a basketball to do this.
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Instructions
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How to palm a basketball
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Purchase a basketball from any sporting goods store or obtain a used ball. Leather is preferred, but some of the nicer rubber balls have good grip as well. Make sure the ball is rid of any dirt, dust or residue, or rub the ball's entire surface with a wet wash cloth. This should make the surface slip-free and in some instances (depending on the type of ball) more sticky. The official basketball (NBA) is 28.5" in circumference and weighs 6 oz. If you cannot palm one of these regulation balls, purchase a smaller woman's ball or youth ball.
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Using your dominant hand, hold the ball with both hands and turn the ball on its side so that the ribs lie in the palm of your hand. The ribs are the black lines that outline the panels on the ball. If the ball is placed properly in your hand there should be one vertical rib and three horizontally facing your fingers. Line up your middle finger with the vertical ribs going upward and downward. (You can palm the ball on any surface of the basketball, but this is the easiest place to start.)
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Now that your middle finger is lined up with the vertical rib, align your pointer and ring finger on the upper two horizontal lines. Your thumb and pinkie finger will then naturally fall toward the bottom horizontal lines.Hand and finger size vary from person to person, but generally follow this configuration and even if your fingers don't fall exactly where it is described, you can roughly place them in this formation for success.
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While still holding the ball with both hands, turn the hand that is palming the ball downward and release the opposite hand, allowing gravity and your palming hand to duel it out. Once you succeed, get daring -- extend your arm outward on front of you to taunt your opponent, a la Jordan.
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The final step is adding this little maneuver to your regimen of basketball moves. Practice this every time you play basketball. Learn to palm the ball while coming out of a dribble, while pivoting and while going in for the lay up. You can practice this off the court, too. The next time you're watching TV or talking on the phone grab a ball and palm it for as long as you can. Once you have mastered it with your dominant hand, try your opposite hand. Mastering this technique will enhance your game and certainly earn you "cool points" on the court.
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Tips & Warnings
Tips: Strengthen your hand and wrist by using a gripping device (sold at sporting stores) or squeeze a tennis ball or racquetball to establish endurance, stamina and power to your fingers and lower arm. Practice palming it on the fly -- bounce the ball off of a wall or the ground and try to palm it upon contact with your hand. This will establish the muscle memory of your hands and make it easier to palm the ball when not in motion. Work on palming the ball from all of its angles -- move your hands around the surface of the ball and use the spines to get a strong grip on it. Learn to palm the ball while holding your wrist in various positions. We never shoot, pass or juke the same way twice, so it is good to be able to adjust to any circumstance.
