How to do a Crossover Dribble in Basketball

How to Crossover like Kyrie Irving and Allen Iverson

The basketball crossover is by far my favorite move when I need to get some space from a pesky defender! I love this move because not only does it give me the room that I need, but I can now explode by the defender as he will be off balance.

You have to be quick and decisive with this move for it to be effective. I picked up the crossover move from one of my favorites! Allen Iverson did it the best and now Kyrie Irving is making his way as one of the deadliest ball handlers in the league.

Without further ado, if you are looking to learn how to crossover like Kyrie Irving and Allen Iverson, look no further, you will learn this celebrated and explosive move step-by-step!

Before I get in to the steps, I wanted to provide some context regarding the crossover dribble. The crossover dribble is used by a lot of basketball players! I bet if you asked a really good player what he thought about the crossover dribble, I guarantee that he will tell you it is one of his favorite moves!

Really good ball handlers are able to switch the ball quickly from one hand to the other. This tactic is a great technique to fake out the defender. Where the crossover dribble is the most effective is when you are able to switch the ball from hand-to-hand and change direction pretty quickly.

The Good and Not So Good Crossover Dribble

Most tips on the crossover dribble will only talk about how to perform the move. I wanted to discuss what will happen if you don’t execute the move effectively. I think this is important to know if you want to be able to perform the crossover like Iverson and Irving! The crossover forces you to change your direction so fast that you could get off balance. If you are not careful, you could make yourself fall!

The other down side is that if you do not do this maneuver correctly, the opponent can easily steal the ball from you. This ankle-breaker technique can easily work for both teams.

The Crossover is Quick and Simple

The simplicity of the crossover dribble, involves a quick bounce across the body. This quick switch of hands dribbling the basketball, when done correctly throws the opponent’s momentum and direction off to the point that the technique is supposed to drive the defender toward the hoop unguarded. It takes practice and repetition for a basketball player to develop the crossover technique

How to Perform the Crossover Dribble Step-by-Step,

1. Become comfortable with the basic dribble through consistent practice.

2. Study the Crossover Dribble of the ball.

3. During practices, start dribbling the ball with your dominant hand, take a step with the foot that is on the same side as the basketball, push off of that foot, look as if you were going to go in that direction, push the ball across the front of the body below your knees, to the opposite side of the body. The easiest way to do this is to bounce the basketball in a “V” pattern across the body.

4. One you change direction and switch the basketball to the other hand, explode towards the basket.

5. Make sure you make the crossover low and quick, so that the defender doesn’t have a chance to steal the basketball.

Note: Keep your hand on top of the basketball, so that you don’t get called for a carry.

Practice Makes the Crossover Perfect

Even though the crossover dribble is easy and simple, it takes a lot of practice, repetition, and actually doing it against defenders. Another good way to sharpen your crossover is to watch a teammate who has made this maneuver an art form. Actually, take a second and watch the video below to see visually how to perform the crossover dribble

Body Control and Hand Dexterity are Essential

When practicing the crossover technique you need to have an acute hand dexterity to maintain control of the ball and not let it slip out of your grasp. The reason why control is important is because this move can happen in a blink of an eye! Having strong and stable legs will help you be successful with the crossover dribble.

Conclusion

Thanks for reading and don’t forget to share this article! Watch the video, read and practice the crossover steps, and then use it to break some ankles! Oh yea, not to forget, here are 3 easy crossover drills to get you started on working on your killer crossover. I believe in you, go get it!