Basketball Steal

A steal in basketball is a turnover that happens when a defensive player takes or intercepts the ball from the offensive player or dribbler. Steals can happen when a defensive player uses his hands to swipe the ball out of the dribbler's hands. Another way to steal the ball is by picking or intercepting a pass from another offensive player. Steals or any turnovers are looked at as a huge advantage if your team can come up with them, this is because it puts the ball in your offense's hands more often.

You must be careful not to make contact with the ball-handler's hands, body, or forearms. This is called a personal or reach-in foul and will result in free throws for the other team.

How To Steal In Basketball

If you're looking to incorporate more steals in your game, follow these steps.

1. Know the offense and what players are weak dribblers.
2. Play press defense and force the offense to make mistakes by setting traps.
3. Get low and bend your knees on the court to stay with the dribbler.
4. Trust your instincts and anticipate where the dribbler is going.
5. Focus on your speed and practice quick agility exercises in the offseason.
6. Be aggressive but not too aggressive as you don't want to take fouls

Cons of Steals In Basketball

There are a few cons and risks of attempting to steal in a basketball game.

• steals can leave the court open for breakaways if unsuccessful
• steals can result in personal fouls or "reach-in" fouls
• attempting too many steals can make a player foul out of the game
• Attempting too many steals can force the offense to adjust and change their gameplan

Pros of Steals In Basketball

There are lots of pros to attempting a steal in a basketball game.

• steals result in turnovers if successful
• steals can intimidate the offense and change momentum of the game
• Keeps the ball out of the hands of the opposing team
• Steals put the ball in the hands of your offense

Basketball Press Defense

A press defense is a type of defensive formation and strategy that applies pressure on the offense to force turnovers. On a press defense, the defense will set traps on the court to make it easier to steal the ball. They also play tighter defense than usual and on larger parts of the court than usual.

Basketball Steal Percentage

Steals are important to the outcome of a basketball game, so it's recorded for each player as a statistic. Steal percentage defines how many offensive possessions result in a steal. Steals are always recorded for the player that initiates the steal play. Players with high steal percentages can be a nice piece to have on defense.