How to Spin a Basketball on Your Finger

Co-authored by Ryan Tremblay

Last Updated: December 6, 2024 Fact Checked

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Have you ever wanted to learn to spin a basketball on your finger? By mastering the few basic elements of a finger spin, you can learn this trick very quickly and be the talk of the blacktop. Getting ready, learning the basic toss, and keeping the ball spinning will help you to learn how to flawlessly spin a ball on your fingertip.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Getting Ready to Spin

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Don’t rush out and buy a brand new ball to practice with! Using an old ball for spinning is actually better for beginners. The grooves in an older ball are worn down, making it easier for your finger to stay on target and balance while you spin the ball.^{[1]
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Having a little bit of nail above your fingertip can help you balance the ball more easily, but if your nails are long, trim them! Long nails can get cracked or broken, or even make it impossible for you to spin.^{[2]
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Spinning a basketball too hard or too quickly can strain your wrists or even fracture your finger! Spend a minute or two stretching your fingers and arms to warm them up before you practice. You don’t need to do any special exercises. Just extend your arms and fingers as far out as they can go, and repeat a few times.^{[3]
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Part 2

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Mastering the Toss

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Pick up your ball and find the point where the grooves in the ball meet at the bottom. 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.
Some people 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. The two-handed method is easiest for beginners.^{[4]
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Bend your elbow out and hold up the ball. 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.
This is the same hand you'll 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.
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.
There should be some space between the ball and the palm of your hand. 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.
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. If you choose to only use one hand to complete the spin, disregard the non-dominant thumb.
You can use the pads of your fingers to keep the ball level on your finger. You should also use them to guide the ball and make sure it doesn't tilt to one side or fall over.^{[5]
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Practice the toss several times. Keep the toss only a few inches in 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 to catch with your finger.
- The faster the ball spins, the longer you will be able to hold it on your finger, but the harder it will be to balance.

Part 3

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Spinning the Ball

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1
Catch the ball on the tip of your dominant index finger. Toss the ball quickly but gently onto your 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.^{[6]
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- Don’t toss it too hard. You can injure your finger.
- Some people find it easier to spin the ball on their middle fingers, instead.^{[7]
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  Ryan Tremblay
  Basketball Coach
  
  Expert Interview. 13 November 2020.}
This position will make it easiest to keep the ball in a steady position. If it’s not there, you can adjust the ball until it is. Don’t be afraid to practice this a few times before you get it right.^{[8]
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You don't want the ball to be floating on its own for very long, so move your other arm up and make contact with the bottom of the ball with the tips of your fingers. Make sure to leave some space between the ball and the palm of your hand.
When your finger makes contact with the ball, bring your arm down slowly. Use a gradual downward motion until your arm is at a comfortable resting height. For most people, this will be around waist height.
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 fingertip instead.^{[9]
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Slap the ball lightly 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.^{[10]
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- Do 3 or 4 slaps at a time, 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.
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Continue practicing until you can balance the ball perfectly. It might take awhile for you to master the spin, but keep at it until you do! Once you can spin the ball for more than 30 seconds, you’re a pro!
- Try to find a time every day to practice, even if it's while you're watching TV.

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What is the trick to spinning a basketball?

Ryan Tremblay
Basketball Coach
Ryan Tremblay is a Basketball Coach and the Owner of National Sports ID and STACK Basketball. With over 30 years of experience, Ryan specializes in basketball coaching, social media marketing, and website design. Ryan created the National Sports ID as a platform to verify the age/grade of youth athletes and STACK Basketball to inspire young athletes to grow into mature individuals and basketball players. Ryan was a First Team All-Decade basketball player in Bergen County and finished in the top 20 all-time leading scorers in the county’s history with 1,730 points. He went on to Caldwell University on a basketball scholarship where he was part of three championship teams. Ryan was a two-time All-Metropolitan, All-State, and All-Conference point guard and the all-time three-point leader in the school’s history, landing him in the Caldwell University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Ryan Tremblay

Basketball Coach

Expert Answer

Just like anything else in basketball, the best way to learn to spinning a ball is to watch someone do it and try to copy them. Just keep trying to do what they do, over and over.

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Question

Can this be done with any kind of ball?

Community Answer

No. Not all balls. Some balls are slippery, others stick too much or are very light. A basketball is the best ball to try it with; however, soccer balls are also useable.

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Can I spin it on the opposite side?

Community Answer

Whatever you are comfortable with. If you try spinning it on the other side and it gets more momentum, then go for it. But if it isn't that great, then try spinning it the other way.

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Tips

Practice the toss for several days until attempting to catch it with your finger.

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Use a well inflated ball.

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Don’t forget to rest. If you just keep going after you feel tired, you’ll be more likely to make mistakes.

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