Basketball moves
Basketball moves are generally individual actions used by players in basketball to pass by defenders to gain access to the basket or to get a pass to a teammate to score.
Dribble
Dribbling is bouncing the ball continuously with one hand at a time without holding the ball. Dribbling is necessary in order to take steps while possessing the ball.Crossover
In a crossover, the ball handler changes the ball from one hand to the other using a single dribble. The crossover is a common dribbling move and is used when changing direction. A crossover functions best when the ball handler looks and acts like they are headed in one direction, before crossing over to the other direction. This can often be achieved by a simple head fake, or a step in that intended direction. Lean with the step in the intended direction to get the defense to move.Between the legs
This is a commonly used variation of the crossover in which the ball-handler bounces the ball off of the floor between their legs and catches it with the other hand on the opposite side of their body. It is used as a safer way to cross over while directly facing a defender, but requires more slowing of forward momentum than the normal crossover dribble, as it requires more precise timing and execution.Behind-the-back dribble
The behind-the-back dribble consists of moving the ball from one hand to the other hand by bouncing it behind one's back. This dribble is frequently used when a basic crossover dribble could be stolen.This dribble is especially useful when the offensive player is close to a defender and needs to switch the ball to the opposite hand, but does not have room to use a regular crossover.
Behind-the-back pass
An advanced pass involving the player with the basketball passing to a teammate by wrapping the ball behind their body.Behind-the-back shot
A shot which the ball is passed behind the back to one hand then shot.Wraparound
The wraparound is similar to behind-the-back crossover, except instead of the ball being thrown in a sideways direction and bouncing behind the ball handler's back, it is swung further around the back and thrown in a forward direction, bouncing on the side or in front of the ball handler's body. This move is mostly used when a defender lunges toward one side of the ball handler's body for a steal. The ball handler would then simply throw the ball around their body and quickly pass their defender.Hesitation
A hesitation or hesi is a split-second freeze while dribbling meant to trick the defender into changing direction to give the dribbler a chance to move around the defender or take a shot.In and out dribble
An in and out dribble is widely used as a counter move to a crossover, whereby the ball handler fakes the crossover and pushes the ball back out on the same hand.V dribble
Ball is dribbled with same hand in a V motion. Almost looks like a double crossover but ball stays in hand.Different heights dribble
This technique involves dribbling the ball in different heights. This is usually combined with other dribbling techniques to make it more effective. It is mostly effective on players smaller or taller than the dribbler but not quite as much on players that are the same height as the dribbler. If you are facing a shorter opponent, you can lure them by pretending to bring the ball low and then suddenly turning the ball very high. If the opponent is taller than you, you can lure them by pretending to bring the ball high and quickly lowering the height of the dribble. If your opponent does not bite on your lure/trap, maintain the height of your dribble, and you can drive past them with more speed. If you're going to pass or shoot after your dribble, make sure that you will go back to your usual pace to maintain the momentum for your dribbling.Ankle breaker dribble
This is when an offensive player does a move that makes their defender stumble to the ground. Players collapsing due to this rarely occurs under normal circumstances. Typically this happens when a defender loses balance, trips over their own feet, or even slips. An offensive player can't consistently control whether the defender falls, but using speed, body momentum, body contact and sharp changes of direction make it much more likely to happen. This move usually embarrasses the defender.After the dribble
Euro step
The Euro step is a move developed in European basketball in which a player, after picking up their dribble, takes a step in one direction bumping into their defender, and then quickly takes a second step in the other direction before they attempt a layup. It is an attempt to evade at least one defender before attacking the basket.Šarūnas Marčiulionis, a Lithuanian, and Manu Ginóbili, an Argentine who arrived in the NBA from the Italian league, are credited with bringing the move to the NBA. It has since been widely used by many US-born players, such as Dwyane Wade, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook.
Jump stop
In a jump stop, the player takes one small step and lands on both feet simultaneously. It can be used after a dribble. A player who receives a pass with a jump stop can pivot after the stop using either foot.Pro-Hop
The combination of a euro step and a jump-stop, the pro-hop is a move in which a player picks up their dribble with a synchronized right hand dribble/right foot step, or a synchronized left hand dribble with left foot step. The player then rips the ball to the opposite side of their body while landing on a jump-stop. The pro hop's ability to split defenders, or throw an opposing defender off rhythm through 'change of direction speed' is a move popularized by Shantay Legans, former point guard for University of California at Berkeley.Pro-hop euro step
The Pro-hop Euro Step combines the pro-hop and Euro step while removing the pro-hop's jump stop. The player picks up their dribble with a synchronized right hand dribble/right foot step, or a left hand dribble with left foot step. Player then rips the ball to opposite side of their body, takes two steps, and finishes with a reverse layup.Power up
The power up is a move in which the player lands on their outside foot then inside foot, and powers up toward the basket. An effective move because of its balance and power resulting from a two-foot gather and take off.Over-the-head
The over-the-head move is a move in which the player rotates the ball over their head in a circular fashion. This is done as the player is stepping to one side of the defender, while trying to get past them at the same time. It is essentially used as a way to prevent the ball from getting stolen. It is typically used when driving to the basket, and on fast breaks.Shots
Layups
A layup is a two-point attempt made by leaping from the ground, releasing the ball with one hand up near the basket, and using one hand to tip the ball over the rim and into the basket or banking it off the backboard and into the basket. The motion and one-handed reach distinguish it from a jump shot. The layup is considered the most basic shot in basketball.An undefended layup is usually a high-percentage shot. The main challenge is getting near the rim and avoiding blocks by taller defenders who usually stand near the basket. Common layup strategies are to create space, releasing the ball from different spots or using an alternate hand. A player tall enough to reach over the rim might choose to perform a more spectacular and higher percentage slam dunk instead.
As the game has evolved through the years, so has the layup. Several different versions of the layup are used today. Layups can be broadly categorized into two types: the underarm and the overarm. The underarm layup involves using most of the wrist and the fingers to 'lay' the ball into the basket or off the board. The underarm layup is more commonly known as the finger roll. A notable NBA player who uses the underarm [|finger roll] is Dwyane Wade.
Finger-rolls today have many forms, including the Around the World which involves a complete circle around the player before the layup and a variety of faking in the approach to the rim. A classic example is a play by former Kings point guard Jason Williams during his time with Sacramento, in which Williams brings the ball behind his back with his right hand, in a fake of a back pass, and then brings it front again with the same hand for the finish.
The other layup is the overhand shot, similar to a jump shot but from considerably closer range. Overhand layups almost always involved the use of the backboard. Players like Scottie Pippen and Karl Malone have used this move to great effect.
In addition, another variation of the lay-up is the wrong-foot layup. Typically, this move can be seen by inexperienced players with poor footwork, however, when done intentionally, a wrong-footed layup can deceive a defender into mistiming their block attempt. In a normal layup, the left foot is used to step off when laying in with the right hand, and vice versa. However, in a wrong-footed layup, the right foot is used to step off when laying in with the right hand. This also helps to shield the defender from reaching across to block the shot; in reaching across however, the defender will likely get called for a defensive foul. Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs relied heavily on the wrong footed layup, largely due to his smaller size and deceptive quickness.