How to Spin a Basketball on Your Fingertips (For Right Handers)

First get your hand in position.  Hold the basketball up in your right hand, at about eye level.  Have your thumb closest your face then move it in a twisting motion to the left so that your index finger is now facing your face.  Your hand is open, fingers cradling the basketball as it balances on your fingertips.  Next prepare to quickly twist your wrist, hand and fingertips to the right in a counter-clockwise motion and sort of lift the ball upwards at the same time.  Just practice this part until you sort of feel that you're snapping your hand in a twisting motion and it's a fluid motion, it should be fairly quickly done also.  After you feel you have practiced doing step 2 with the ball and you see that you can rotate the ball into a smooth spinning motion then concentrate on pointing your finger, (I use my index finger but use whichever one feels right for you, it may be your middle finger, just try until you're comfortable and have control over the ball) then quickly place your finger under the ball while dropping the thumb and other fingers downward away from the ball.  I like to use my fingertip but have seen others use the pad of their finger where you would get your fingerprints taken.  Remember the initial movement and consequent speed of the snapping of the ball into the twist/spin and lifting to set on your fingertip is something that you have to practice.  This is a skill that you can learn if you really want to but you have to be patient and just keep practicing until you get it.  Don't throw the ball up after your initial spin to the right (left if you're a lefty) just lift it enough to get your finger under it.  Yes, it must be kinda thrown slightly into the air to get your hand under it but too much and it doesn't settle gently back onto your finger.  I kinda use the upward motion to lift the ball then position my finger under the ball and then kinda move my hand around to compensate for the spin motion on the ball and you kinda move with it.

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