Spin a Basketball on Your Finger

Have you ever wanted to learn to spin a basketball on your finger and impress your friends with your flashy talent? By mastering the few basic elements of a finger spin, you can learn this trick in no time and be the talk of the black top. Follow the steps and watch the video below to learn how to flawlessly spin a ball on your fingertip.

Steps

Master the Toss

  1. Find the vertical grooves in the ball. You will want to spin the ball on the bottom middle of the ball where all of the grooves meet in a perpendicular point. If you spin the ball with the grooves in a horizontal position, your spin won't look as clean and your finger won't have a point to rest on.
  2. Decide whether to use one or two hands. Some people will prefer to use two hands to throw and guide the ball into the air before catching it with their finger. Others prefer to palm the basketball in one hand and use a quick flick of the wrist to prop the ball up to the fingertip.
  3. Bend your arm to about a 110-degree angle at your elbow. You want your elbow to be at a comfortable height, usually a little bit higher than your hip. The ball should be about level with your face when you spin it.
  4. Hold the ball in your dominant hand with your finger pads. This should be the same hand that you will use to spin the ball. Do not hold the ball entirely flat on your palm, as this causes the ball to slide around too easily. Instead grip it with your fingertips and allow for a small air pocket between your palm and the ball.
  5. Start with your fingertips pointing toward your body. By the time you finish the twist of your wrist, your hand will have made a 180-degree twist and your fingertips will be pointing away from your body.
  6. Take your non-dominant hand and place it on the side of the ball, slightly closer to the back of the ball. You want your thumb to be directly in the middle between the top and the bottom of the ball because it will provide the majority of the force as you toss the ball.
  7. Make the toss. Simultaneously flick your dominant hand 180-degrees, pinky leading, while flicking your thumb on your non-dominant hand forward to spin the ball. Be sure to complete the two motions at the same time in order to create an equal force on both sides of the ball. Use your finger pads on your dominant hand to guide the ball in the proper direction. If you choose to only use one hand to complete the spin, disregard the non-dominant thumb.
  8. Practice the toss several times. You want to get the ball to spin very quickly regardless of whether you are using one or two hands. The toss should not be very high above your dominant fingers and should only float a few inches into the air so that you can quickly place your finger under the ball. If you toss the ball too high it will be very difficult (and somewhat painful) to catch with your finger.
    • The faster the ball spins, the longer you will be able to hold it on your finger.
    • Be aware that extremely fast balls are more difficult to balance, however.

Spin the Ball

  1. Catch the ball on the tip of your dominant index finger. Once you've mastered the speed and height of the ball toss, you should be able to catch the ball on your finger without much difficulty. The closer you can keep your hand to the ball, the easier it will be.
  2. Move your arm upward to meet the ball. You don't want the ball to be floating on its own for very long, so allow your arm to float up and make contact with the bottom of the ball.
  3. Bring your arm back down to a comfortable position when you make contact with the ball. Do so slowly in a gradual downward motion until your arm is at a comfortable resting height.
  4. Make sure your finger is directly in the center of the ball where the grooves meet. This position will make it easiest to keep the ball in a steady position.
  5. Spin it on your fingernail for a faster, smoother spin. The nail allows the ball to spin with less resistance. However, if that position is uncomfortable for you, you can spin the ball on your finger pad instead.
  6. Maintain momentum with your non-dominant hand. Gradually learn to create a faster spin by slapping the side of the ball with your non-dominant hand in the same direction that the ball is spinning. At first, slapping the ball will probably cause it to fall off of your finger, but eventually you will be able to slap it without causing it to fall.
    • Slap the side of the ball in three to four slap increments and make sure not to slap too hard.
    • A light, but swift slap should be enough to keep the ball going without disrupting the spin.
  7. Finished.



Tips

  • Don't do it with long nails. It hurts and breaks them. So trim them.
  • Use a well inflated ball.
  • When your attempting to get momentum, remember do not slap the ball too hard or it might fall off your finger.
  • Don't throw ball too high up or it hurts your finger.
  • Practice the toss for several days until attempting to catch it with your finger.
  • Basketballs are hard balls so, when you catch it, try not to hurt your finger.
  • This can get tiring, so don't forget to rest once in a while.
  • Spinning it on your middle works as well.
  • Trim your fingernail before attempting to spin a basketball on it. It will give you more control.
  • Keep an eye on the ball.

Warnings

  • Be prepared to drop the ball several times when you are learning to spin it. Don't get discouraged.
  • Be careful not to hurt your finger by throwing the ball too high in the air.
  • Be careful not to injure your wrist. Give yourself proper recovery time and stretch your wrist before and after practicing.

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Sources and Citations

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