In Basketball, the crossover is one of the most basic moves in basketball. In other words, the crossover is just the idea of pushing the ball from one hand to the opposite trying to move defender one way and we’re moving to the opposite way. But it can be a little bit harder than you think and if you know a few keys than it can help you out a lot if you are a beginner or young player. So let’s get into the different ideas on how to do crossover like a pro.
Read Defender Gap
So the first thing we have to know is where the defender is located. Lots of players practice crossover over and over again when the defender is not in the spot. They still try to cross the ball and that’s where they get ripped or get sealed by their opponent. So you have to know where your defender’s hand is located or how he/she is defending you. Mostly defender defends three types of position high gap, mid-gap, and low gap.
We have to work on three different gap crossovers to beat the defender and they are low, mid and high crossover in basketball. If the defender is defending you in a low gap position than you have to cross it with high or mid crossover. If the defender is defending you in mid-gap position than you have to use the low or high crossover. So the whole key to crossover your opponent is by reading their body or gap position and their hand.
Spin the Ball in Your Hand
A lot of players have rigged or tight handles but the key to smoothen your handle is by letting the ball spin on your hand when you are dribbling. If you watch the best ball handlers in the world most of the time the ball is controlled and seen spinning in the hand. So when they are doing a crossover, as the ball comes up in their hand they let the ball rotate.
When you are practicing the crossover, let the ball slide in your hand whip it back to the other way and let it slide again. Practice this slide or spin moves on your palm when you are doing a crossover in basketball. In this way, you can shake and bake and get the crossover nice and smooth.
Change of Pace
Most of the players’ mistake is they want to go fast whole time as the defender know where they are going because they are predictable. So while you are going in the one direction quickly change your pace with crossover in the other direction. While you are doing this move, penetrate in fast motion and then deaccelerate your speed and immediately change your pace fast with crossover.
The normal change of pace may not be effective enough so you need to cross it like a pro. So if you learn how to change your pace and speed than it is for sure that you will break a lot of defender’s ankle on the court.
Shell the Crossover/Move
When you are doing crossover in basketball, not only crossing the ball is enough. Body movement is most important to make super effective moves and a lot of players don’t realize it. We are talking about the eye shoulder and feet. So when you are ready to plan a cross over if you don’t match your move with your body than it is not going to be that effective.
So when you are about to right cross the ball your eyes must be on the other direction and your shoulder and feet should be on ready position as if you are trying to move where you are watching and vice versa. If you love breaking ankles than this type of move is very effective.
So these are the main ideas to do a crossover in basketball. Keep practicing these four moves until you get used to it because this is a huge deal and devastating moves. Even the world’s best handlers use these types of moves to hesitate their defender.