Crossover Basketball Move: How to Do It and Teach It

The crossover in basketball moves the ball from one hand to the other to change direction. It works because a fake first pulls the defender one way, and the cross then takes the handler the other way. Crossover basketball is usually the first move players learn, and it stays useful as long as the setup changes. This guide covers the four steps, change of pace, the footwork after the cross, the counters, the read that follows and the drills.

The Crossover at a Glance

Crossover Basketball Move: The Four Steps

Crossover basketball move. The handler (1) dribbles left to fake, the defender (X1) slides that way, then 1 changes direction sharply right past X1 toward the right elbow.

1. Fake. Make a dribble or step fake one way. Two or three hard dribbles help, because they get the defender's feet moving. Drop the foot and the shoulder toward the fake and keep the eyes there.

2. Hesitate. Pause as the ball comes back to the hand. The defender's momentum carries him slightly past.

3. Cross. Push the ball low and wide across the body to the other hand. Cross it at a slight backward angle. A hand under the ball and a high cross are both errors. Bring the opposite foot forward as the ball crosses so the drive starts right away.

4. Decide. Pull up, attack the driving lane, or pull a help defender off a teammate.

Fake first, and the cross takes care of itself.

Where the Space Comes From

Change of pace does most of the work. Go from slow to fast so the defender cannot settle into a rhythm. To slow down, shorten the stride and keep the upper body forward. To speed up, lengthen the stride and push off the back foot.

The steps after the cross finish the job. A one-two step footwork out of the cross creates the separation for a shot, and the same steps create a driving lane. The hips matter too. After the cross the handler's hips should sit ahead of the defender's hips, along with the ball. Then the handler can get between the defender and the basket.

Change pace first, then cross.

After the cross the handler (1) is a step past the defender (X1) toward the rim, with X1 trailing and 1's hips ahead of his.

Counters and Variations

A crossover done the same way every time gets scouted. Change the setup and the finish. Use the cross as a counter against a defender who has committed to stopping a straight drive, and save it for that moment.

• In and out. Sell the cross by rolling the hand from the outside of the ball to the top and then the inside. Push the ball back outside and keep going the same way. Use it once defenders begin to jump the real cross.
• Two-step cross. A quick power dribble between the legs sets the defender up one way, and a second quick cross takes the handler back. It forces two changes of direction instead of one.
• Wider cross. A bigger step and a wider ball placement add hesitation. The full breakdown is on Allen Iverson Crossover.
• In and out into a pull-up. Sell the attack with the in and out, then cross and shoot. It gives smaller players space without relying on size. See Tony Parker In and Out Crossover Pull Up.
• Crossover step. A right-handed player going left can use a crossover step instead of a crossover dribble, because the dribble can be stolen.

In and out. The handler (1) fakes the cross to the right, the defender (X1) jumps it, and 1 continues left past X1.

The crossover step from triple threat. The crossover step changes direction with the feet from triple threat.

• Jab and read. The player jabs and reads the defender. If he holds his ground instead of dropping back, go at his forward foot.
• Swing and cross. With the defender's inside foot forward, swing the ball low and across, cross the jab foot over without first returning it, and drive hard and straight past the defender's inside shoulder.
• Ball before pivot. The ball leaves the hand on the dribble before the pivot foot leaves the floor. The heel may lift, but the toe stays down.
• Front crossover drive. Rip the ball low across the shoe tops, step the free leg across and start the dribble with the opposite hand.

The jab itself is on jab step basketball.

Crossover step footwork from above, left foot pivot (right-handed player). The left foot is the pivot in every panel. 1, triple threat. 2, the right foot jabs. 3, without coming back, the same right foot crosses over to the left and the dribble goes out with the left hand. The ball leaves the hand before the left foot leaves the floor. The heel may lift, but the toe stays down.

The Read After the Cross

The read after the cross. The handler (1) can pull up, drive, or pass to the corner (4) if the helper (X5) steps over.

The move ends in a decision. If the defender is beaten, drive. If a helper steps over, pass. If neither happens, the space is enough for a pull-up. Teach this read with the move.

Watch the crossover in a 2-on-1. It carries the ball back toward the teammate and collapses the spacing. In that spot attack first and pass second.

See the helper before you decide.

How to Teach It

• Teach why a move is used along with how to do it.
• Start with the base menu, crossover, in and out, hesitation, behind the back, between the legs and spin. Add counters and doubles after players own the base.
• Check three things every rep: change of pace, eyes up and hips ahead of the defender after the cross.
• Ask every player to name a go-to move and a counter, and make sure the counter has a different setup.
• Add live resistance early. Stationary reps do not transfer until a defender is involved. Coaches split here: open with stationary work, or teach the move inside a game after a short introduction.
• Doing too much often never moves the defender, so keep the move menu small for younger players.

Teach the why and the read, and keep the menu small.

Crossover Drills

• Called-move lines. The coach calls a move and blows a whistle. Players perform it at half court and at each wing. Cue: knees bent, stay low, protect the ball.
• Cone drill. Players do the called move two steps from a cone, explode out of it and finish with a layup at both ends.
• Token defender. A full-court drill that pairs each named move with a token defender and a finish at the rim.
• Weak hand. Run every drill with the opposite hand too.
• Move on. If a drill is not landing after about 10 minutes, bring it back next practice.

More work is on Ball Handling Drills, 50 Basketball Dribbling Drills, Hesitation Pull Up Shot and Basketball Drills for Guards.

Rep it with a defender, from both hands.

Questions Coaches Ask About the Crossover

All skill pages sit under the Player Development hub and Basketball Dribble Moves. Related pages are Double Dribble in Basketball and Ball Handling Dribbling Workout.

More Skill Guides

• Euro Step in Basketball: Footwork, Rules and Drills
• Box Out in Basketball: Technique and Drills

Back to Basketball Dribble Moves and every Player Development page.

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