Best products from r/BasketballTips

I keep my shoe purchases under $100 for the same reason: don't want to waste money on a shoe that'll be toast too quickly.

• Right now I'm rocking Adidas Streetball 2. Has good support but not quite as "snug" on my ankle as I prefer, but that's remedied by adding an ankle brace if you're concerned about it. Otherwise a very solid shoe for players who post up a lot and really bang and grind on an outdoor court. It'll take a LONG time to wear down the treads on those. They're kinda heavy though for smaller/quick-footed players & movements.
  
  
  
• If there's a chance I'll be in more of a PG role, I have a pair of [Reebok Pumpspective Omni Lite](https://www.amazon.com/Reebok-Pumpspective-Basketball-Blazing-Orange/dp/B00AW7GYBA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484768574&sr=8-1&keywords=pumpspective
  ) that I like to use. I like the "outer lip" that they have to prevent ankle rolling. A lot of cutting on a rough court will have you wearing down the tread pretty quickly though... but they transition between indoor/outdoor pretty well. Plus they get nostalgia points for having "The Pump."
  
  
  
• A good balance between the two (in my opinion) is Jordan Superfly 2. They have good ankle support, and hold up pretty well on the concrete. I recently tried the Superfly 5s on --since my 2s are close to being tossed because of wear and tear-- and the newer Superfly shoes have a much different fit than the 2s (I did NOT like the newer fit). Treads are a slightly deeper than the Pumpspective, but not as deep as the StreetBall. These are my "preferred" outdoor shoe on the list at the moment.
  
  
• I also rotate a pair of Nike Air Max Stutter Step 2. They're extremely lightweight (especially compared with the other shoes on my list) and I usually use these as indoor shoes, but I have taken them to concrete courts for "impromptu" pickup games. Decent ankle support if you lace them up tightly, and can still fit an ankle brace as well (if you need it). If these had a deeper tread I would make them my default "go-to" basketball shoe. Alas, they aren't, so I don't want to wear them down too quickly.
  
  
• I've recently picked up the Steph Curry 2.5 recently, because they were on ridiculous discount when I saw them and I heard they have really good traction, but haven't broken them out yet. I honestly feel they're more suited for indoor use, BUT reviews say they hold out well on concrete, too.

Coaching Basketball by Jerry Krause (not that Jerry Krause) is pretty comprehensive. But it's pretty old, so a lot of the tactics are probably outdated by now. But it's fine for getting used to basketball related terminology.

I strongly recommend Half Court Hoops on Youtube. No frills, just straight to the point, TONS of plays from NBA, NCAA, and even travel league.

And the final book I recommend is SABA: The Antifragile Offense by Brian McCormick. It's not a collection of plays - in fact the book advocates the opposite. Instead of teaching young players specific plays and offense, it emphasizes using certain actions to create "small advantages" (like a switch forced by a PnR or a close out created by a ball reversal) and teaching players to grow that "small advantage" into a "big advantage" (a wide open shot or a layup). In short, it teaches athletes "how to play." I think it's the natural next step from the read and react offense, and a great way to think about basketball offense and teach it in the modern era.

It's really hard to pick a "best basketball", as it depends a lot on preference, whether you like softer / stickier balls or tougher ones, deep or shallow gooves, etc.

That being said... Being the uk and this time of the year, I assume you're gonna play indoors. The ball I use is this Wilson NCAA replica, and I very much enjoy it. That being said, it is a very sticky / grippy ball, so if you handle / dribble it a lot I can see it being a bit rough on the hands, since it doesn't "slide" in your palm like other basketballs.

On the other side of the spectrum, I also have a Spalding TF-250 for outdoors play, and the composite material is very tough and more on the slippery side. Also more durable.

Other than that, Molten balls I've played with also tend to be pretty nice, kinda middle-of-the-road-ish (I think it was the GM7 that I'm thinking of). Probably more durable than the Wilson too, since it's not quite as soft.

I have never tried any of the ones you recommended, but the one I use a lot is this one Zi/O. It is great for indoors and does pretty well outdoors too. I like that its tacky and not rubbery like most outdoor balls. It does wear out after a while but it still has that leathery feel to it.

I've fought two torn shoulders, a torn ankle, pretty bad tendonitis in both knees, countless sprained ankles, a sprained knee, broken ribs, etc and I'm only 24. Thankfully the major problems occurred from 19-24 after I finished my competetive career. I'm working towards a comeback so this is very relevant to me.

The first thing you need to do is the equivalent of physical therapy (strengthening exercises), even if nothing is hurt right now. Almost every muscularskeletal problem can be fixed or prevented through increased strength and flexibility in the correct muscles. Your muscles support your joint function, which take a lot of abuse from playing sports. Having strong muscles in the right areas also helps prevent injury.

One big thing I've learned is that almost everything in your body is connected. Foot pain? Possible cause could be as far away as your lower back. Personally, I resolved some of my knee pain from strengthening my glutes. The human body is extremely complex and it's a ton of information to learn. Between years of physical therapy and doctor's visits and reading up on it all, I've become a lot more knowledgeable but still barely know anything.

Your options are 1) find someone who knows what they're doing or 2) learn it all yourself. Personally I have found a really great training gym where all the coaches know a lot about injury prevention and how to exercise to both prevent injury and improve athletic performance. Hopefully you can find something similar for you.

Kelly Starret has a youtube channel a book and a website. Crossfit gets a bad rap (rightfully so I believe), but this guy has very good info. His big thing is mobility, which deals with how the different muscles are connected to joints and appendages. Problems in one thing will affect other things, and he shows how to fix these problems with stretches and pressure therapy/release.

Oh another thing, I have a personal massage therapist, who helps loosen my muscles from heavy training and tells me if she feels any imbalances. So I have a lot of very expensive and knowledgable people helping me, I realize I'm very fortunate. I think without money, it's very difficult to get the best protection and treatment there is out there. :(

But the knees and ankles get the most damage, you can youtube knee and ankle strengthening exercises for basic stuff. That's a good first step. The stuff I mentioned is pretty over the top and specialized

These are good when you make it, but I highly recommend the slightly more expensive version with a net: http://www.amazon.com/SKLZ-Rapid-Fire-Return-180-Degree/dp/B00N0NGU44

It is strongly made for any weather and does a great job helping you get reps and returns most of your misses.

I saw on Woot.com for $75, so keep an eye out on discount sites if you are strapped for cash.

https://www.amazon.com/Wooden-Lifetime-Observations-Reflections-Court-ebook/dp/B003TO4TKQ?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&redirect=true&ref_=dp-kindle-redirect

This right here. It gives you a lot of wisdom from a coach who demanded that his players do things the right way. It includes his pyramid of excellence, and is a very influential book for the way to approach the game.

EDIT:
https://www.amazon.com/Pistol-Biography-Maravich-Mark-Kriegel-ebook/dp/B000NY12PK/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1463447103&sr=1-3&keywords=pistol

https://www.amazon.com/Rivalry-Russell-Chamberlain-Golden-Basketball-ebook/dp/B000FCKGSY?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&redirect=true&ref_=dp-kindle-redirect

Also these two books.

Super glue. Apply it with a syringe to get the glue as deep as you can in that cavity.

Super glue sets pretty fast, so you'll be up and running in no time.

Try not to leave it in a hot car or direct sunlight.

You need better fitting shoes, and possibly better fitting socks. If it's only on one foot and it's a serious problem, you may need different sized shoes for each foot. Some people just have funky feet. If your feet are both the same size, it could be how you run/cut on one side. Next time you play, see if you're favoring a foot or not. depending on how sweaty your feet get and how big the blister is, you can also get something like this

http://www.amazon.com/FootSmart-40017-Felt-Callus-Cushions/dp/B000OQBWZW

Hey, thanks for the response.

Are you talking about this ball? https://www.amazon.ca/Spalding-NBA-Street-Basketball/dp/B007RNYHYS

We usually play on the street, small group and we tend to get competitive when playing just because no one likes losing

Also found this one we used to use awhile ago but can't remember if it was any good: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B013OO68RM/ref=pd_aw_sbs_200_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=MN1M360VDNJ5Y8K0137G&dpPl=1&dpID=61BK5QnrmAL

I own a pair of Bauerfeind Genutrain knee braces and they're great for protecting your knees since they have gel padding all around your knee cap to keep it in place.

They're pricey but well worth the money.

http://www.amazon.com/Bauerfeind-Knee-Support-GenuTrain/dp/B0053VE7VY