The crossover dribble can be the most effective offensive move in a player's arsenal if it is done properly. A quick crossover dribble allows an offensive player to get past her defender, gaining defensive penetration, and forcing the defense to adjust to prevent an easy layup. The modern game places a premium on penetrating moves off the dribble.
The crossover dribble combines quick footwork with exceptional ball handling skills. If either element is missing, the crossover dribble will not be effective.
The initial move which sets up the crossover dribble is a quick jab step with the "strong-side" foot. In other words, if the crossover dribble is a right hand to left hand cross, the offensive player must first jab with her right foot in a convincing manner so that her defender reacts by moving to the right to prevent the offensive player from going past her on the right side. As the offensive player jabs with her right foot as if to go past her defender on the right side, the ball should be moved by the dribbler in unison to the right. This quick jab step should be no greater than one foot in length. A longer jab step will create a weight imbalance which will only slow down the crossover. A shorter jab step makes the defensive player react to the move, and allows the dribbler to maintain the proper balance essential to make the next move in the crossover dribble.
As the jab step is performed, the dribbler's body height should drop. If the dribbler's body height does not drop as the jab step is made, the defender will not react to the jab step. The jab step will not be convincing enough to set up the defender for the crossover dribble, and therefore, the move will be doomed to fail from the outset.
The idea is to make the jab step correctly in order to get the defender to believe that the dribbler will go past him on the right side. If the jab step is done properly, the defender will literally jump to her left (the dribbler's right). As soon as this occurs, the offensive player has a great advantage in beating the defender with the crossover dribble. Without dropping the body height as the jab step is made, the offensive player will never be able to beat the defender. As the body height drops with the jab step, the height of the dribble with the right hand must also drop. Maintaining the same dribble height throughout the crossover dribble is a grave mistake since it takes away from the convincing nature of the jab step, and also allows the defender to steal the ball. If the dribbler does not get the defense to react by jumping to the right with a correct jab step and body drop, the crossover dribble will be unsuccessful.
As the correct jab step is made, the offensive player's weight should be on the inside of the right foot. This is essential so that a quick push-off can be made from the right foot to the left at about a 45 degree angle. If the dribbler's weight is not on the inside of the right foot, she will not be able to move quickly enough to the left to beat her defender. When done properly, the push-off from the right foot to the left should occur as the defender is reacting to the jab step.
In essence, a good crossover dribble results when the defender is moving in the opposite direction of the dribbler.
Maintaining the 45 degree angle on the push-off from the inside of the right foot to the left is critical. A shallower angle will result in an offensive player control foul. A larger angle will slow down the move and enable the defender to recover from the jab step before the dribbler is able to get past her.
As the push-off is being made from the inside of the right foot, the ball must be pushed from the right hand to the left hand. Just prior to the push-off, the ball should be in front of the right leg and to the right of the right foot as the jab step is being made. If the ball is too far behind the right foot or right leg, the crossover dribble will not work. It will take too long to move the ball from behind the right foot and leg to the left hand. Improper ball position during the crossover dribble is the "kiss of death" to the move.
In order to push the ball from the right hand to the left hand, the dribbler must have complete control of the ball. This means being able to dribble the ball with the hand on either side of the ball, not just directly on top of the ball. Being able to dribble the ball with the hand in various spots on the ball is essential to a quick, penetrating crossover dribble. As the ball is pushed, the right hand must be on the right side of the ball. If it isn't, then the movement of the ball from in front of the right foot and right leg to the left hand will not be fast enough. In an effective crossover dribble, the ball should move at least two feet laterally and forward from right to left as the ball is pushed in one dribble from the right hand to the left hand following the jab step. The ball must be kept very low (about one foot off the ground) during the push from the right hand to the left hand. This is important since it enables the move to be made faster (the lower the dribble, the faster the dribble) and it reduces the chances of a steal by the defender.
As the ball moves to the left hand to complete the crossover dribble, the dribbler's right shoulder should drop slightly and turn in a counter-clockwise direction. This maneuver puts the dribbler's body in front of the defender and enables the dribbler to protect the ball from the defender who is now to her right.
Once the ball is in the left hand, the offensive player must go hard and fast in a straight line to the basket. This acceleration past the defender can only be accomplished if the offensive player has complete control of the ball.
Sounds complicated, right? It is. It takes practice to develop a "killer crossover". Playing one-on-one is the best way to find out if you are making the move correctly. Forcing the defense to react to the ball and being quick enough to take advantage of the reaction is the key. There are a lot of players with crossover dribbles, but there are very few with a crossover dribble which breaks down the defense.
The crossover dribble combines quick footwork with exceptional ball handling skills. If either element is missing, the crossover dribble will not be effective.
The initial move which sets up the crossover dribble is a quick jab step with the "strong-side" foot. In other words, if the crossover dribble is a right hand to left hand cross, the offensive player must first jab with her right foot in a convincing manner so that her defender reacts by moving to the right to prevent the offensive player from going past her on the right side. As the offensive player jabs with her right foot as if to go past her defender on the right side, the ball should be moved by the dribbler in unison to the right. This quick jab step should be no greater than one foot in length. A longer jab step will create a weight imbalance which will only slow down the crossover. A shorter jab step makes the defensive player react to the move, and allows the dribbler to maintain the proper balance essential to make the next move in the crossover dribble.
As the jab step is performed, the dribbler's body height should drop. If the dribbler's body height does not drop as the jab step is made, the defender will not react to the jab step. The jab step will not be convincing enough to set up the defender for the crossover dribble, and therefore, the move will be doomed to fail from the outset.
The idea is to make the jab step correctly in order to get the defender to believe that the dribbler will go past him on the right side. If the jab step is done properly, the defender will literally jump to her left (the dribbler's right). As soon as this occurs, the offensive player has a great advantage in beating the defender with the crossover dribble. Without dropping the body height as the jab step is made, the offensive player will never be able to beat the defender. As the body height drops with the jab step, the height of the dribble with the right hand must also drop. Maintaining the same dribble height throughout the crossover dribble is a grave mistake since it takes away from the convincing nature of the jab step, and also allows the defender to steal the ball. If the dribbler does not get the defense to react by jumping to the right with a correct jab step and body drop, the crossover dribble will be unsuccessful.
As the correct jab step is made, the offensive player's weight should be on the inside of the right foot. This is essential so that a quick push-off can be made from the right foot to the left at about a 45 degree angle. If the dribbler's weight is not on the inside of the right foot, she will not be able to move quickly enough to the left to beat her defender. When done properly, the push-off from the right foot to the left should occur as the defender is reacting to the jab step.
In essence, a good crossover dribble results when the defender is moving in the opposite direction of the dribbler.
Maintaining the 45 degree angle on the push-off from the inside of the right foot to the left is critical. A shallower angle will result in an offensive player control foul. A larger angle will slow down the move and enable the defender to recover from the jab step before the dribbler is able to get past her.
As the push-off is being made from the inside of the right foot, the ball must be pushed from the right hand to the left hand. Just prior to the push-off, the ball should be in front of the right leg and to the right of the right foot as the jab step is being made. If the ball is too far behind the right foot or right leg, the crossover dribble will not work. It will take too long to move the ball from behind the right foot and leg to the left hand. Improper ball position during the crossover dribble is the "kiss of death" to the move.
In order to push the ball from the right hand to the left hand, the dribbler must have complete control of the ball. This means being able to dribble the ball with the hand on either side of the ball, not just directly on top of the ball. Being able to dribble the ball with the hand in various spots on the ball is essential to a quick, penetrating crossover dribble. As the ball is pushed, the right hand must be on the right side of the ball. If it isn't, then the movement of the ball from in front of the right foot and right leg to the left hand will not be fast enough. In an effective crossover dribble, the ball should move at least two feet laterally and forward from right to left as the ball is pushed in one dribble from the right hand to the left hand following the jab step. The ball must be kept very low (about one foot off the ground) during the push from the right hand to the left hand. This is important since it enables the move to be made faster (the lower the dribble, the faster the dribble) and it reduces the chances of a steal by the defender.
As the ball moves to the left hand to complete the crossover dribble, the dribbler's right shoulder should drop slightly and turn in a counter-clockwise direction. This maneuver puts the dribbler's body in front of the defender and enables the dribbler to protect the ball from the defender who is now to her right.
Once the ball is in the left hand, the offensive player must go hard and fast in a straight line to the basket. This acceleration past the defender can only be accomplished if the offensive player has complete control of the ball.
Sounds complicated, right? It is. It takes practice to develop a "killer crossover". Playing one-on-one is the best way to find out if you are making the move correctly. Forcing the defense to react to the ball and being quick enough to take advantage of the reaction is the key. There are a lot of players with crossover dribbles, but there are very few with a crossover dribble which breaks down the defense.
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