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How to break someones ankles in basketball
How to break someones ankles in basketball
How to break ankles and destroy defenders in basketball
by Mofe Owolabi | Oct 21, 2020
The defender is LOST… the crowd lets out a collective gasp… and it feels like time itself freezes for a split second. But, being able to break ankles is much more than a gimmick.
It grants you the ability to create shots for you AND your teammates.
That’s priceless.
Let’s get into three ways you can get to snapping ankles and shifting defenders.
Change of direction
When trying to create space from your defender, a change of direction is lethal, when done right.
I’m sure that those who play/watch a lot of basketball can agree that lots of ankle breakers come from a crossover, or some sort of stepback/dragback dribble.
This is no surprise.
These two dribbles are so effective because they involve a violent change in direction.
With the crossover, it’s from side-to-side, and with a stepback/dragback dribble, it’s from forwards to backwards.![]()
The reason these changes of direction are so deadly, is because they convince your defender you’re going one way…
Then, BOOM.
You’ve gone in the opposite direction, with your defender in the lost and found.
Here are two keys to making sure your change of direction is effective:
- Make it quick – If it’s too slow, it’s easier for defenders to recover. Consistent dribbling workouts will help you speed up hour dribble
- Make the change of direction DRASTIC – Often, players will fail to shift their defenders because – even though they perform the dribble move – they barely change the direction they dribble in.
This leads on to the next point…
Use your eyes and body to deceive the defender
So, let’s assume you’ve been training your handles and can do all your moves well, with control of the ball.
But, maybe your dribbles still aren’t working on actual defenders.
This could be because your moves aren’t convincing enough.
When using moves that fake from one side to the other, your eyes are a weapon.
Stare in the direction you are faking towards, before exploding towards the opposite direction.
You can also use your body to trick defenders.
Face your chest and shoulders, again, in the direction you’re faking towards. Then, take the dribble quickly in the other direction.
Even on a stepback/dragback dribble, leaning forwards with your upper body at first can help to deceive your defender.
It will look as if you’re driving to the basket. Then, when you dribble backwards they are less likely to expect it.
Change of pace
As you probably know, dribbling slowly in front of your defender the whole time won’t be too effective.
However, dribbling fast the whole time can also actually make it harder for you to break ankles.
Although an ankle-breaker is definitely not impossible, dribbling fast will often alert your defender.
This can ruin the element of surprise, making it easier for them to react to your moves.
(Not only that, but it will probably tire you out too!)
Varying between slow and fast dribbles is MUCH more effective.
This is because the slow dribbles will often “lull your defender to sleep”.
Then, you can catch them on their heels with a quick dribble or fake.
This concept is what makes a hesitation dribble so effective. The ball hangs in the air and under/by the side of your hand as you dribble.
This gives you time to assess your defender, and make a decision.
Once they get too relaxed, often all it takes is one quick move to burn your defender.
As well as the hesitation, here are some more dribbling moves to help you blow by defenders and break ankles.
Broken Ankles: The 10 Best Crossovers in the NBA (With Video) | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
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Kelly Scaletta@@KellyScalettaTwitter LogoFeatured ColumnistDecember 30, 2010
Broken Ankles: The 10 Best Crossovers in the NBA (With Video)
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Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
There are two moves in the NBA that will go viral on YouTube: the dunk and the crossover.
Allen Iverson made the second popular by perfecting the move. He wasn't the first to ever use it. Ranging back to the likes of Bob Cousey and "Pistol" Pete Maravich, the crossover has long been a part of the NBA, but AI made it into an art form.
Now there are several players in the NBA that have made his signature a part of their game. Some are young and some are savvy veterans, but they are all players you don't want your girlfriend to see you guarding because sure enough, at some point in the game some ankles are going to be broken, and you're going to watch their backs as they go the basket while you're picking yourself up off the floor.
Here are the top 10 ankle-breakers in the NBA. We'll call these a fluid ranking though. Make a case if you want someone to be moved up, and if five votes are cast to move someone up, down or off I'll adjust it.
10: Rajon Rondo
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Rajon Rondo may have the enviable task of deciding which future Hall of Famer to pass the ball to most of the time, but every once in a while, he lets you know he can score if he wants to.
He sure let Morris Peterson know here.
9: Eric Gordon
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Usually when you're talking about breaking ankles, it's not literal. This very nearly was, although some of the credit goes to Curry's teammate. Still, this isn't the first, nor will it be the last, time Gordon sent someone sprawling to the ground.
8: Manu Ginobili
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Manu has this weird one-handed crossover thing that will get him past a defender quicker than you can say "Ginobili," which, well in all honesty, might not be that quick.
7: Brandon Jennings
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I'm not picking on Steph; it just seems that way. Jennings didn't get the shot to fall on this one, but he did get Curry to. Hopefully Jennings will be back to breaking ankles in no time, but it's hard to break ankles when you have a broken foot.
6: Kobe Bryant
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I don't know what they're talking about, but I'm pretty sure the words "Marion," "broken," and "ankles" are in there.
Kobe isn't quite where he once was on the crossovers, but he's still got a lightning quick move that can leave you looking for excuses.
5: Deron Williams
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When you can crossover Kobe, arguably the best on the ball defender in the NBA, like this, you deserve a place in the top five. If you're going to be playing the Jazz, make sure you bring the Ace bandages for after the game.
4: Jamal Crawford
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Jamal Crawford has been bounced from team to team. Maybe one of the biggest reasons to have him on your team is you don't have to guard him and look silly doing so. I bet Kirk Hinrich was at least briefly wishing for the good old days when they were teammates here.
3: Chris Paul
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Chis Paul does it all. Watch him jet past Jet right here and the pretty pass under the basket. Too bad it goes for naught, but more times than not, when Paul does this it ends with a ball in the net.
2: Dwyane Wade
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D-Wade has been doing it for years now. He doesn't just knock people over; he sends them sprawling and sliding across the floor. What's amazing about this is that the highlights don't even mention the crossover move because with Wade, you don't even think about it. You just get used to it.
1: Derrick Rose
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I mean really, how do you defend that? It's just downright ludicrous. It's borderline cheating!
Or, as Stacy King would say, "Too big, too strong, too fast, too good!"
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The 5 Most Common Basketball Injuries and How to Prevent Them
We'll take a look at the types of injuries most common among basketball players according to the National Athletic Coaches Association report to see what the numbers can tell us. As with most sports, sprains, deformities, and common injuries are all the nasty things that can happen, but this information doesn't tell you the interesting details.
Let's take a closer look at what injuries basketball players usually get and what to do to avoid them.
1. Foot/ankle injuries
As stated in the report, lower extremity injuries were the most common, with foot or ankle injuries considered the most serious problems. This could have happened after an ankle slip or an awkward jump after a ball. Also, the player can accidentally stumble. Naturally, basketball makes athletes more prone to this kind of injury.
Prevention: To prevent injury to the ankle, it must be supported. Before entering the playground, make sure your shoes are suitable for this activity. Closed basketball shoes help prevent slipping on smooth playground surfaces. In general, a good pair of basketball shoes will create a higher profile and better ankle support. It will not be superfluous to tape the leg with a special tape to provide additional preventive measures. This method is recommended for people prone to ankle injuries.
2. Hip and calf injuries
Spinning, running, jumping and bouncing put extra strain on the legs and hips, making players vulnerable to various kinds of injury. Hip sprains and bruises can occur from contact with the ground or from overstretching of the ligaments and muscles.
How to Prevent: Some contact injuries cannot be prevented, but there is no doubt that stretching has always been a good start to any workout or game. The more elastic your muscles and tendons are, the less likely you are to overstretch them and injure yourself while playing. Stretching your thighs is the key to warming up before a workout or game.
3. Knee Injuries
Severe injuries such as ACL tears are not common in basketball. But knee injuries, which are mostly minor sprains and deformities, still rank third on the list of the most common injuries in basketball.
Prevention: Strengthening the leg muscles will help create good support for the knees, so this is where going to the gym can really help.
And, as mentioned above, never forget to stretch well before training and playing. If you know that you have problems with your knees, that you are prone to frequent injuries, it would be a good idea to put on a knee brace or fix a brace around your knee.
4. Wrist/Hand Injuries
In fact, it is surprising that these parts of the body are not the most vulnerable to injury, given that the game is played mainly with the hands. But according to the study, only about 11% of basketball injuries occur in the wrist, hand, or forearm.
Prevention: keep hands and wrists healthy and in good physical condition. Be sure to make sure that the ball goes straight into your hands when someone makes a strong pass to you. If you lose visual contact with the ball just before catching it, you can easily injure your fingers. Also, always be careful on the court and avoid clashes of the hands with other players. The less you deal with them, the better. Although, of course, in the context of basketball, this advice seems ridiculous.
5. Head/Face Injuries
When players hit their heads or an unintentional elbow to the face occurs, it is not funny at all. Hitting the ball in the face, of course, is less traumatic, but still unpleasant and also creates an awkward situation.
How to prevent: The most important task is to be able to recognize the symptoms of a concussion. There are no methods to avoid contact with the head, but if it does occur, you need to look at your condition and not miss the first symptoms. If there are even the slightest signs of a concussion, you should immediately seek help from a professional.
There is one more conclusion made after studying the report. It consists in the fact that approximately 60% of injuries occur in the second half of the game. This suggests that fatigue has a significant impact. So, in addition to the prevention mentioned above, always work on staying in great shape. Running a few extra miles at the gym or in the park is certainly not a lot of fun for many basketball players, but it will help you be physically fitter than your opponent in the second half, and, more importantly, it can simply protect you from injury.
Injuries in basketball - types of injuries, their causes and prevention
According to statistics, every third basketball player during his sports career faces five minor, two moderate and one severe injuries. Injuries in basketball can put a player out of action for a long time, and therefore special attention in this sport should be paid to the prevention of player injuries.
Consider what kind of injuries in basketball, and what rules must be followed to avoid them.
The most common injuries when playing basketball
Abrasions and bruises are, of course, the most common injuries when playing basketball. Such injuries do not require specialized treatment and it is enough for the player to treat the wound and, if necessary, apply a cold compress. But there are more serious injuries in this sport.
Most common basketball injuries and first aid:
- Anterior cruciate ligament tear. With this injury, the player's knee loses stability and may move to the side.
The main causes of ACL rupture are abrupt stop, unsuccessful landing and lateral movement. First aid for torn ligaments - applying cold to prevent swelling and immobilize the joint. The victim must be urgently taken to the hospital for fixation of the joint. In case of untimely access to a doctor, treatment is carried out surgically; - Ankle sprain. The main cause of a sprain is a sudden change in direction of movement, in which the foot turns inward or outward. In case of sprain of the ankle joint, first aid consists in applying cold to the injury site and complete rest for 48 hours in the position of the leg above the level of the body with the imposition of a fixing bandage. After the swelling is reduced, the athlete is required to wear a fixing bandage until complete recovery;
- Achilles tendonitis. Achilles tendon injuries are the most common injuries in basketball. Injuries occur when there is excessive stress on the foot while jumping. With a sharp pain in the heel area, it is required to immediately provide the athlete with peace and apply cold.
Next, the victim must be shown to the doctor. Treatment consists in fixing the leg until complete recovery, followed by rehabilitation; - Finger injuries. Despite the fact that in basketball the fingers receive a significant load, their injuries account for only about 11% of all injuries. Most often, players experience finger sprains and joint damage, but there are also fractures. First aid in case of damage to the finger - cold and see a doctor. For proper diagnosis and adequate treatment, an x-ray of the injured finger is required;
- Head injuries. Players receive such damage during collisions and falls. Most often, these are mild concussions. Even with a slight concussion, the victim must be taken to a medical facility. The recovery period depends on the severity of the injury and includes complete rest and taking prescribed medications.
Types of injuries in basketball
There are three main types of injuries in basketball, as in any sport, they are:
- Acute.
Such damage occurs when a sudden sharp overload of muscles or joints. In case of acute injury, the victim must be taken to the doctor as soon as possible. With timely medical care, complete recovery occurs in 90% of cases; - Chronic. Such types of injuries in basketball are most often the result of improper treatment, as well as the player entering the field contrary to the recommendations of doctors. Chronic injuries are difficult to treat and it is not uncommon for a player to require surgery;
- Fatigue. Fatigue damage occurs due to the constant load on certain muscle groups as a result of monotonous movements. The most common injury in basketball players is the knee and ankle.
Causes of injuries in basketball
Recent studies have shown that the causes of injuries in basketball often depend on the age category of players. For example, in children's basketball, craniocerebral injuries, bruises and fractures most often occur, while chronic and fatigue injuries predominate among representatives of adult basketball.
Causes of childhood injuries:
- Violation of training schedule and technique;
- Neglect of warm-up and stretching;
- Disobedient players;
- Shortcomings in the organization of competitions;
- Poor equipment of sports halls.
Causes of adult injury:
- Early return to play after illness;
- Body overload;
- Violation of the training regimen;
- Rudeness during a duel;
- Overwork and overtraining.
These are the main causes of injuries in basketball, but there are also accidents that can lead to serious injuries, even if the player is disciplined and strictly follows all the recommendations of the coach.
That is why every basketball player should have reliable sports insurance. Athletes' insurance is a mandatory condition in professional sports; without a policy, an athlete cannot be allowed to participate in training camps and competitions.
Particular attention should be paid to children's insurance.
In the insurance calculator you can calculate the cost of child insurance with 24/7 coverage and worldwide coverage.
Injury prevention in basketball
Every athlete should know how to avoid injuries in basketball, because following simple rules will help maintain health and build a successful sports career.
Accident prevention in basketball includes:
- Mandatory warm-up before training;
- Compliance with the regime of loads and rest;
- Compliance with the recommendations of the doctor in case of injury;
- Timely visit to the doctor;
- Compliance with the drinking regimen;
- Compliance with the diet;
- Fulfillment of all instructions of the coach;
- Acquisition of high-quality sportswear;
- Keeping a sports diary to track the results of classes.
Injuries in basketball are not uncommon, but by adhering to the rules of prevention, they can be easily avoided.
