A lot of basketball players tend to focus on big baskets, nifty passes, or key defensive plays; but one aspect of the game just as crucial, if not more, is the rebound. Grabbing a rebound at an important time in the game can be a huge momentum changer, and it goes without saying that rebounding gives your team possession of the ball, which makes scoring possible in the first place. Every player from the point guard to the center should know how to grab rebounds in basketball, though naturally post players will be depended on more to crash the boards. Legendary rebounders like Charles Barkley and Dennis Rodman, as well as current beasts like Dwight Howard, were all absolutely instrumental in their team's success. To get the win, you will need to have strong rebounding skills from you and your teammates, regardless of position. As well, you will become a greater overall player if you grow and develop your rebounding.http://www.ehow.com/how_2045877_rebound-basketball.html

1. The first step to getting a rebound on the defensive end, which is where you will grab most of your boards, is boxing out and anticipating where the shot will bounce off the rim. Once you have done both of these things successfully, you will have put yourself in the best possible position to grab the board instead of the offensive player.
2. Naturally to box out, you need to find your man first. Make physical contact with your man, turn around to face the net, and do your best to put your whole body in between your man and the basket. The goal is to maintain this position up until the shot is released so that you will be closer to the basket and therefore closer to the ball once it bounces off the rim. Keep your man behind you the best you can, using your arms and core strength. Bend your knees and stay on firm footing from the ground up.http://www.ehow.com/how_2045877_rebound-basketball.html
3. Box out stance involves standing with a wide, strong stance, with your legs apart and your elbows out. The reason why you want to face the basket is so that you don't have to look over your shoulder to watch the ball; also, you want to be able to go right into your jump as opposed to turning around. You don't have to be looking at your man to keep him behind you; use your arms and your body to feel for his position.http://www.guidetocoachingbasketball.com/rebound.htm
4. Anticipation is key in knowing where to explode for the board, for both offensive and defensive rebounds. Shots can be missed in four ways; by missing the basket entirely, an air ball; bouncing off the backboard; grazing the rim softly, or bouncing off the rim hard. Anticipate how the shot will be missed by its arc and its trajectory and respond accordingly. Air balls will simply keep falling down to earth in their same trajectory, while backboard shots should bounce off the glass and right towards you. Soft will bounce off to the opposite side from the shot, so you should explode towards that direction and do your best to move over to that side, while hard rim shots will typically go back in the direction of the shooter.http://www.guidetocoachingbasketball.com/rebound.htm

1. Once you have figured out approximately where and when the ball is going to drop down from the basket, and have done your best to move over into position, get ready to jump. Bend your knees lower and prepare to push off the ground firmly.
2. Timing is absolutely critical. You want to make it so that the peak of your jump directly coincides with the falling trajectory of the ball. If you don't time your jump well you may risk an offensive player getting up higher than you and snatching the ball.http://www.guidetocoachingbasketball.com/rebound.htm
3. Once you have the ball in your hands, your next priority is to protect it at all costs. There will be opposing players looking to slap it out of your hands or otherwise nudge it from your grasp. Do not let them steal your hard earned rebound! Turn your back away from the basket, so you will be facing the rest of the court, as well as your teammates. Use both hands and squeeze the ball in between, with your elbows out and ball close to your chest. If you find it hard to shake off a pestering opponent, move your arms around from left to right to get him off your case. Once they have started going back to their end look for your guard or an available teammate and pass it off.http://www.guidetocoachingbasketball.com/rebound.htm

1. Offensive rebounds rely on all the same fundamentals as defensive boards. There are, however, a few key differences that you should be aware of.
2. Firstly, when you are going for an offensive board, you are typically behind the defender, who will have his back to you trying to box you out. The defender will be trying his hardest to keep you behind him by using his whole body and his arms to figure out where exactly you are standing. However, the fact is, he's looking at the basket, and not at you.http://www.basketball-plays-and-tips.com/basketball-rebounding.html
3. Exploit this by using the "tap out." This involves tapping one side of the defender's back, to give him the indication that you are on that side of his body. Then, make a quick movement to the other direction so that you can free yourself from his box out and get loose for the rebound.http://www.basketball-plays-and-tips.com/basketball-rebounding.html
4. Anticipation is the same as well, so you have superior anticipation, you can get yourself over to where the ball will land ahead of your defender, even if he has managed to box you out.
5. Finally, you can use a move called the "swim move", as Dwight Howard calls it. This involves using your arms and simulating a breast stroke by slipping free of the defender and going left or right around him for the rebound. Of course the fact that you are using your arms heavily means you may be called for the offensive foul, so don't use it too often until you can make it subtle enough for the refs not to notice.