How to do a perfect crossover in basketball

How to Do a Crossover in Basketball (3 Advanced Variations)

The ability to make a play off the dribble and get by your defender to attack the middle of the defense is one of the most useful offensive skills you can have on the basketball court.

Typically, getting past that defender requires changing speeds and directions, and the crossover dribble is the perfect way to do both of those things.

While it may seem elementary to some, the crossover dribble can be one of the most effective ways to beat your initial defender and create a scoring opportunity for yourself or a teammate.

The crossover dribble can be a detailed and intricate move when developed to a high level, but it is also one of the best moves that can be taught to beginning players.

Here are the basic steps to performing the crossover dribble:

The crossover is often most effective when the offensive player is on the move, but it can be executed from a stationary position as well.

Either way, you need to get the defensive player leaning in one direction by taking at least a dribble and a step that way.

If you are able to take 2 or 3 hard dribbles before making your crossover, you may be more likely to get your defender off balance.

The main reason the crossover may be more effective after a few dribbles is because it gets your defender on the move, making it more difficult for them to stop and change direction once you make your hesitation.

Once the ball returns to your hand after your dribble, come to a stop while faking your last step and let your defender’s momentum carry him slightly past you.

This hesitation is probably the most important split-second of the crossover dribble, as it will determine whether or not you can shake your defender.

Once you have your defender off balance, get low and wide to cross the ball from the hand you started dribbling with to the opposite hand.

This needs to be a quick change of direction to make the move effective, and the dribble needs to stay low so that it is out of reach for the defender.

At this point, you should be able to judge whether your crossover has created a scoring opportunity for yourself or a teammate.

A good crossover dribble could create a pull-up jump shot or an open driving lane for you, or it could also pull a help defender away from an open teammate.

Like any move in the game of basketball, the crossover will become easier to defend if you do it the same way every single time.

Even though the crossover is a basic move that a beginner can learn to execute, there are many variations that higher level players should implement in order to keep developing the move.

Countless players have executed the crossover dribble effectively throughout the history of basketball, but perhaps none better than Allen Iverson.

The flashy Hall of Fame guard perfected his crossover by putting extra emphasis on the set up, which led to embarrassment for many defenders.

Most famously when he used the move on Michael Jordan in 1997 and then stuck a jumper in his face.

While any standard crossover move relies on getting the defender going in one direction and then crossing back the other way, Iverson would often take a larger, over-emphasized step and bring the ball out wider to tempt the defender.

This added some style, and also some extra hesitation, which often froze defenders and made it impossible to guard his then quick and low crossover dribble.

Though it may not be considered a part of the Iverson Crossover itself, Iverson would also oftentimes set up the move by making multiple fakes to stall the defender before attacking with the crossover -- like going between the legs or behind the back to see if he could get the defender leaning.

Like any good move, the crossover will not be as effective if it is not paired with a strong counter move.

The In and Out Crossover is a way of faking the crossover and then continuing to dribble with the same hand and in the same direction you started in.

After you have set up the defender and hesitated, fake a crossover dribble by bringing the ball to the center of your body. Your hand should roll from the outside of the ball, then to the top of the ball, and finally to the inside of the ball.

Once your hand has rotated around to the inside of the ball, push the ball back to the outside of your body, and continue to power dribble in the same direction.

Following up a great crossover move with the In and Out will make it difficult for your defender to anticipate which move is coming next.

Tim Hardaway’s variation of the crossover also focused on setting up the move.

Though he may not be as legendary as Iverson, the 5-time NBA All-Star’s crossover dribble was still famous enough to be named after him. You may have also heard it referred to as the “UTEP Two-Step” from his time in college.

Instead of putting the ball out wide and making a quick change of speeds, Hardaway was known for making a quick power dribble between his legs to set his defender up in one direction, followed by another quick crossover back the other direction.

This forces the defender to change directions twice in order to stop Tim Hardaway’s Killer Crossover.

While the basic steps of the crossover in basketball are simple and can be taught to a player of any age, it is also a move that can be practiced and developed to the point where it can be effective on the highest level.

When done correctly, it will get your defender off balance and create a chance for yourself or a teammate to score. When varied, it has the potential to become a signature move that defenders fear.

The crossover has been an effective move for players at all levels for decades, and will continue to be a staple for any ball handler who aims to attack the defense and make a play.

How to Do a Crossover in Basketball (with Video Examples)

The crossover dribble, if done correctly, can be one of the most devastating moves in basketball. The simplicity of the move is what makes it so accessible to basketball players at any level but the best crossovers are done with equal parts quickness, technique, and a hint of the element of surprise.

The crossover dribble is essentially switching dribbling hands in mid-move so it isn’t rocket science. But it is usually the setup move or moves that accompany the crossover that turns a so-so one into an ankle breaker. Did I just call a good crossover an “ankle breaker”? (more on that in a minute)

If you are a new hooper or if you have been playing your whole life but looking to perfect the crossover, then this article is for all of you. This piece will instruct you on some key ingredients in constructing the perfect crossover, we will link you to some great online tutorials on the essence of an effective crossover, and we will check out NBA players, past and present, with signature crossover skills.

Contents

• The Crossover: Slang Terms
• How to Do a Crossover
• The Best of the Best: Players with the Best Crossovers
  • Tim Hardaway
  • Allen Iverson
  • James Harden
• Conclusion

The Crossover: Slang Terms

As is with every sport, basketball has some pretty clever slang terms to describe certain moves and situations within the game. The crossover dribble is no different, and below are some of the best slang terms to describe the move and how your defender probably feels like when the move is used on them.

1. Ankle Breaker/Breaking Ankles

The idea of a basketball move breaking the ankles of an opposing player is a bit far-fetched but when you see crossovers like these, you can see why the nickname is so fitting within its context.

2. Roller Skates

If a friend of yours is describing to you a crossover move he or she pulled off in a game they may say that they had their defender on roller skates. If you have ever seen someone on rollerskates that shouldn’t be on them, then you can picture this visual in a basketball game. But if you can’t, here’s a great example of someone doing just that.

3. Shook

This one is a bit more subjective than the ankle breaker or roller skate terms. For the first two, you can visualize the idea of someone breaking an ankle or looking silly on roller skates while defending someone. Getting “shook” is just that, someone shaking you out of your jersey due to a crossover. Speaking of getting shook, here is the greatest player in the world, LeBron James, getting shook by Steph Curry a few years back.

How to Do a Crossover

As I said earlier in the piece, the perfect crossover combines several different aspects and is really based on the timing of the move and the positioning of your defender when you make it. The beauty of a crossover is that there are so many different variations of the same move. This video that shows the best crossovers of the past decade epitomizes the vast differences in the move from play to play.

Certain players lean on specific crossovers more than others and some are more versatile with their crossover moves but at the end of the day, players have to feel where their defender is, what their footwork looks like when the player is planning on performing the crossover, and how well you can fake them out with your counter-move beforehand.

The counter-move is probably more important than the actual crossover because the key to crossing someone over is the get them either leaning one way or somehow off-balance and then quickly crossing the ball and making a move the opposite direction. Let’s break down the basics of the crossover and then go into some of the counter-moves you could incorporate to make the move most effective.

1. Firstly, you are dribbling the ball towards your defender and reading their body and footwork.
2. You then make a move in one direction.
3. Once your defender bites on the first move you make, you will dribble the ball from one hand to the other crossing it over in front of your body.

That is the crossover in its most basic explanation. Now to discuss some of the best counter-moves you can use to set your defender up for the ankle-breaker:

1. Speed Dribble

The speed dribble is when you put your head down and dribble the ball fast in a straight line. If you use the speed dribble, you will read your defender and once they are running in one direction you will stop on a dime and cross the ball over, heading in the opposite direction.

2. Between The Legs

Just like the speed dribble, you will dribble the ball between your legs and once the defender bites on that move quickly cross the ball over to the other hand and head in that direction.

3. In-and-out Dribble

The in-and-out dribble is tricky to pull off but a great move for any player’s arsenal if done right, can be your new favorite finishing move when playing basketball. You start by using one hand to push the ball to the middle of your body and then bring the ball back to the same side as the hand you are dribbling. Once the ball is back on that side of your body, and with the defender biting on the fake, you can complete the crossover.

The Best of the Best: Players with the Best Crossovers

As I said earlier, some are better at the crossover than others. Here are three of the best among NBA circles and also some of my favorites. You will note that each player approaches their crossovers differently and that is the beauty of the move. Let’s dive right in!

Tim Hardaway

With a signature move dubbed the “Killer Crossover” it’s hard to keep Hardaway off this list. Hardaway was a small guard that starred for the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat during his career, which consisted of many highlights of him breaking defenders’ ankles with his crossover move. He liked first going between his legs and, if the defender bit on the fake, would leave them in the dust with his crossover.

Allen Iverson

Iverson had sick handle and was fearless with the ball his entire career. Just check out the thirty-second mark of the above video that shows Iverson as a rookie crossing over the GOAT Michael Jordan like he had done it a million times before. Iverson’s move involved a higher dribble which drove fundamental coaches nuts when players tried to emulate it. But it worked for A.I. because of his quickness and ability to get his defenders off-balance.

James Harden

James Harden is at the peak of his powers in the league at the moment and a lot of those powers are due to his crossover skills. I mean, who else is talented enough to have a crossover highlight against every team in the league?! Harden is the gold-standard at the moment and his nightly highlights are proof.

Conclusion

The crossover is a great offensive move for any level basketball player to master. I would suggest that is the first move you do master because the variations from that move are infinite. Remember, anyone can master a crossover, no matter how fast you are. The most important thing about the move is that you set up your defender beforehand and explode after your crossover and you can execute it on even the best opponent.

Are you a student of the crossover? If so, who is your favorite crossover specialist? Let us know in the comments!

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In this article:

Performing a classic crossover

Performing various crossover variations

Additional articles

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The crossover, also known as the "anklebreaker", is a great dribbling technique to create space between yourself and a defender. The basic move involves faking to one side to get the opponent to follow you and then bouncing the ball back to the other hand when the defender is out of the game. A member of the opposing team loses both balance and position, which allows you to freely shoot, drive the ball closer to the basket or pass. Popular with greats such as Allen Iverson, Tim Hardaway, Pearl Washington and Deron Williams, it can be a deadly offensive weapon with some practice. This guide will help you improve your balance and technique, as well as develop the skills you need to be a killer crossover.

Steps

1. 1

   Develop your dribbling skills. Before attempting a crossover, make sure you have enough arm strength to dribble powerfully and control the ball. A good crossover requires you to be able to dribble the ball well with both hands and be able to change direction from any position.

2. 2

   Make a feint towards a favorable position for you. To perform an accurate feint, push the ball in the direction you are dribbling. Focus your eyes on the movement of the defender's hips and torso, not the arms or legs he will use as a distraction. If the hips turn in the direction of your feint, then you already know that you have effectively coped with the task. ^{[1] X The source of information}

   • Also consider feints from your wrong side, then transferring the ball to the dominant hand and then passing from the strongest position. Leave the defender guessing about your next move.

3. 3

   Make oscillatory movements. This is the most important and convincing element of the crossover. When the ball is flying overhead, some players will make a small jump, as if they are going to quickly move to a comfortable zone. The ball will be in your palm at this point, so all you have to do in such a situation is not dribbling, but rather feigning such gestures.

   • Watch videos of great crossover performers to practice imitating their deceitful moves. Be careful not to hold the ball longer than the allowed time, otherwise the referee will whistle for a dribbling violation (running).

4. 4

   Stand in a wide low stance. Since the crossover involves the ball bouncing between you and your opponent, you need to make sure you are low enough to the ground and point your foot to a vantage point. Allen Iverson was able to keep the ball very far from his body, but still completely control the bounce. You must evaluate how much you can achieve in this direction. Don't open so much that you could lose the ball.

   • Do not look at the ball when you are stepping. Focus on the defender and the court as a whole to assess possible open spaces, find free teammates, or come up with other playing opportunities.

5. 5

   Move the ball back and forth. When your defender turns in the direction you want, dribble quickly and powerfully, tossing the ball to your other hand. At this very moment, you must be open to take a jump shot or pass the ball to a team mate. This will happen in an instant, so be ready to act as soon as you have finished moving.

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1. 1

   Walk forward with the ball behind your back. Instead of guiding the ball between you and the defender, who can be a tricky and dangerous opponent, dribble behind your back to change direction on occasion. Use your torso to shield the ball and leave opponents with their noses.

   • Be sure to practice backward dribbling before attempting this move in play. You can't see where the ball is going, so this can be a tricky maneuver to learn. ^{[2] X The source of information}

2. 2

   Learn to dribble between your legs. Another effective defensive technique is dribbling between the legs. The most common way is when you dribble over your non-supporting foot and catch it with your awkward hand. But you are free to improvise in a variety of ways.

   • Attempt to walk backwards from an uncomfortable position towards an advantageous position, as if you were bluffing into the advantageous area, and then again suddenly dribble back between your legs.

3. 3

   Learn how to do a double crossover. If the opponent, remaining in the center position, holds you and, accordingly, does not allow you to perform a feint, then transfer the ball back to the supporting hand and move in the direction where you originally feinted. This double crossover is often used to confuse the defender. This movement coined the term "ankle-breaker".

4. 4

   Get creative. Try different combinations of footwork and change of direction to improve your offensive game. A simple crossover is really just a simple fast dribbling, but when you get it right enough, your attacking play is only limited by your imagination!

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Tips

• Don't forget to drop your shoulders to look more confident. In this case, the opponent is likely to fall for your feint.
• If you pass the ball under your knees, then the opponent is less likely to steal the ball from you.
• If you are not fully aware of this, the defender may take the ball.

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How to Crossover in Basketball - Wiki How English

The crossover, also known as the "anklebreaker", is a great dribbling technique to create space between yourself and a defender. The basic move involves faking to one side to get the opponent to follow you and then bouncing the ball back to the other hand when the defender is out of the game. A member of the opposing team loses both balance and position, which allows you to freely shoot, drive the ball closer to the basket or pass. Popular with greats such as Allen Iverson, Tim Hardaway, Pearl Washington and Deron Williams, it can be a deadly offensive weapon with some practice. This guide will help you improve your balance and technique, as well as develop the skills you need to be a killer crossover.

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Basketball players' mistakes during the crossover

Nikita Yamshchikov, founder of Ball In