How to do the best basketball crossovers

The 10 Best Crossover Moves in the NBA | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

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The 10 Best Crossover Moves in the NBA

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Other than an earth-shattering dunk, there is no more jaw-dropping play on an NBA court than the ankle-breaking crossover dribble.

One of the first basic moves taught in youth basketball, the crossover can be equal parts frustrating when done poorly and scintillating when done well.

Sometimes these breakdowns are to set up a wide-open jumper, while other times it's all about how foolish a player can make his defender look.

When debating the best ball-handlers in the league, we often focus on a player's overarching ability to avoid turnovers while still providing a strong repertoire of breakdown moves.  

Here, however, we're just talking one thing—crossovers.

With that in mind, click through as we name the 10 best crossover moves in the NBA. 

10. Jameer Nelson (PG, Orlando Magic)

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No one would confuse Jameer Nelson with one of the NBA's elite point guards, but his ball-handling skills have always been underrated. 

In the accompanying video, he makes defender Jannero Pargo look so bad it feels like a scene from an awful sports movie. As Pargo went tumbling to the ground, I wondered whether I was watching the worst scene in a sports movie since any in The Replacements where Keanu Reeves threw a football.

Only one problem: This was real life, and Nelson actually made Pargo look that bad on the defensive end. 

9. John Wall (PG, Washington Wizards)

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Some may argue about John Wall's inclusion over fellow young point guard Kyrie Irving. However, the latter's ball-handling prowess is far more about a cavalcade of moves rather than one go-to guarantee.

Wall, on the other hand, has a killer crossover that he uses any time he can. 

Lulling defender Evan Turner asleep in the accompanying video, the Wizards guard uses his defender's hesitance to his advantage and blows right past him for an easy dunk. 

8. Manu Ginobili (SG, San Antonio Spurs)

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Manu Ginobili has perhaps the least conventional crossover moves in the NBA.

Instead of using the basic two-handed method that you see every day, the Spurs star's one-handed take on a crossover adds yet another wrinkle to his already-unique game.

Because it can come from anywhere at almost any moment, you never know when Ginobili is about to unleash the move and soar to the basket—as the Mavericks defense certainly found out in this scenario. 

7. Chris Paul (PG, Los Angeles Clippers)

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There are few people who deny Chris Paul's status as the NBA's best point guard. However, it's widely understood that his game is one based on precision over being overtly flashy.

His crossover move, however, shows almost straight-out-of-Rucker-Park levels of flash. 

In embarrassing Marc Gasol here, Paul tricks the Memphis center twice with his dribble. The first time he uses a step-back to get Gasol off-balance before putting the finishing touches on his defender with a fantastic crossover.

The best part about Paul? He could have probably dribbled right back out and done the same thing to Gasol without the center having a chance at stopping him. 

6. Rajon Rondo (PG, Boston Celtics)

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Though Rajon Rondo's passing ability is his main calling card as a player, he's also one of the best ball-handlers in the NBA.

And, as Tyson Chandler found out in the accompanying video, Rondo seemingly makes slight work of defenders with his crossover on a regular basis. 

The Celtics point guard's crossover lacks the unbelievable flair of his ball-fake, but the move's quickness is the key to its success. 

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Dwyane Wade has seemingly been on these type of lists ever since he entered the NBA, and even at 30 years old, he's still worthy of a top-five spot. 

The once-legendary explosion has subsided a bit, but he's more fundamental with the crossover and knows how and when to deploy it effectively. 

It also doesn't hurt that Wade has one of the best shoulder fakes in the league, which all but negates any quickness he's lost. 

With a screen on his left side and a Wade crossover oncoming, defender DeMar DeRozan had no chance here. 

4. Russell Westbrook (PG, Oklahoma City Thunder)

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It seems like every time you blink when watching the Thunder, Russell Westbrook is dashing to the paint for a score or passing the ball out of a successful drive.

For that, Oklahoma City fans can thank Westbrook's killer crossover. Not all defenders get completely embarrassed like Luke Ridnour did here, but the move is nearly unstoppable when Westbrook uses it correctly.  

3. Jamal Crawford (SG, Los Angeles Clippers)

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If you want to how fantastic Jamal Crawford's crossover move truly is, look no further than his nickname: J-Cross. 

Though it sometimes gets him in trouble, Crawford's ridiculous handle gives him the ability to break down almost any defender at will. In this case, he's working against Dwight Howard for a fourth-quarter score to get the Blazers within two points. 

This particular crossover is not as awe-inspiring as his legendary evisceration of Ray Allen, but the fact that Crawford can essentially pull something like that off in his sleep is mystifying. 

2. Derrick Rose (PG, Chicago Bulls)

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For Derrick Rose, his crossover almost mirrors the point guard's style of play perfectly.

Quick. Violently explosive. Unstoppable. With a move that's so consistently effective, it's tough to not put him atop this list—especially considering its fundamental soundness.

Though it will be interesting to see if his crossover will be as effective when he comes back from injury, there is no denying Rose currently has one of the most captivating moves in the NBA. 

1. Deron Williams (PG, Brooklyn Nets)

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He's been languishing in relative obscurity for nearly two years with the Nets, but Deron Williams' handles will hit the big stage this season when the franchise moves to Brooklyn.

Williams not only has the best crossover in the NBA heading into the 2012-13 season, he has the best move since Allen Iverson in his prime. 

A crisp drop of his dribble shoulder sets up his defender before a lightning-fast dribble leaves Williams' opposition in the dust and wondering what just happened. 

In this video, Williams makes Matt Barnes, a respected perimeter defender, look like Nikoloz Tskitishvili. 

Just pure, unadulterated fluidity of motion here. 

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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.

The best trick in basketball

Nikita Yamshchikov, founder of Ball In