Basketball Dribbling: The Crossover Dribble

The crossover dribble is an effective offensive basketball move that can help you beat a defender on the way to the basket.

There’s less than a minute to play, and your team needs a score. All that separates you from a layup for your team is an aggressive defender. As you go left, you get cut off. You head right, and the defender is there, too. This is when a crossover dribble could be the difference between points and a missed opportunity.

Being able to beat a defender is the key to success for any ball handler in basketball. To help improve your chances of beating a defender during a game, you’ll want to add moves like the crossover dribble to your arsenal.

“This is an off-the-bounce attacking move transitioning the ball from one side of the body to the other,” college basketball coach Jason Crafton says. “The [crossover dribble] is an effective way to get by your defender to score or attack an open area to make a fundamental basketball play.”

HOW TO

To execute a crossover dribble:

• Start by attacking the defensive player aggressively.
• Cross the basketball over to your other hand, bouncing the ball in front of your body, while staying low to the ground.
• As you make the crossover, stay low and move your inside shoulder to go past the defender’s hip.
• Push the ball out after the crossover and explode off your back foot to create separation from the defender.

Working on your crossover dribble regularly in practice can help set you apart during the big game. Try the Crossover Tournament Drill to boost your stationary ball-handling skills.

Working on your dribbling and ball control is vital for any ball handler when they step onto the basketball court. Add the Dribble Tunnel Ball-Handling Drill to your next practice to work on ball handling and ball security.