The Double Crossover

Do you know what really gets the crowd excited and impresses the coaches? It is the double crossover dribble. The double crossover is when you use two crossovers in a row. The double crossover is a counter move of the crossover that even most good defenders can handle. The double crossover is considered the more ankles breaking than any other dribble in basketball!

Just imagine yourself, you use your crossover dribble, and you fake driving to the right and go left, But as soon as you crossover to the left hand the defender does not buy your fake to the right, and still remains in front. But little does he know the crossover dribble is reversible. So immediately, you crossover dribble back to the right and beat your defender. Your defender is so surprised that he become unbalanced and fall. The defender looks dumb and you just increased your coolness in front of the team.

What does it take to master the double crossover?

• Need to have already mastered the crossover
• Need to have good sense of how your defender is going to react against the first crossover
• Both of your legs should be equally strong because you will need to crossover even harder with the opposite leg to perform the second crossover
• Good Timing 
• Exceptional non-dominant hand dribbling

How to Perform the Double Crossover – Driving Towards the Right

1. Start dribbling towards the right of your defender slowly with your right hand

2. When your defenders start to guard you closer and follow you right, immediately make a low bounce crossover to the left

3. Move your momentum towards the left

4. When the defender jumps in front of you, counteract by push hard with your left leg and crossover hard with your left hand to the right in front of your opponent

5. Catch the ball with your right hand push hard with your right foot to blow by your opponent

How to Perform the Double Crossover - Driving Toward the Left

1. Start dribbling towards the left of your defender slowly with your left hand

2. When your defenders start to guard you closer and follow you left, immediately make a low bounce crossover to the right

3. Push your momentum towards the right

4. When the defender jumps in front of you, counteract by pushing hard with your right leg and crossover hard with your right hand to the left in front of your opponent

5. Catch the ball with your left hand push hard with your left foot to blow by your opponent

The Fake Spin

The fake spin is a deceptive dribble that should be added to your favorite list of moves. It turn out that when a player has already mastered that spin move, then it is time that he learns the fake spin to keep his opponents always guessing what he is going to do next. In the game of basketball the spin move made it so that an offensive can spin around his defender, and get by the defense in a flash. Well in the game of basketball , when you use the spin move too many times, the defense will catch and decide to play you off a bit too defend the spin move. Wouldn’t it be better if you could fake the spin and still create enough space to still score?

Just imagine, your defender is anticipating the spin move so he backs off to defend the basketball hoop. So anyway you decide to fake spin the around the defender and he jumps back, and you now have just created enough space for a jump shot. The fake spin is supposed to be used to create space.

What does it take to have a really good fake spin?

A player must have already mastered the Spin Move
A player must have already have mind-foot-hand coordination
The player must have a very deceptive mind

How to perform the Fake Spin For Right Handed People
1. Drive toward your defender at full speed with your right hand
2. When you are half a step from your defender, make a hard bounce right in front of him
3. Immediately switch your dribbling hand to the left one and quickly swing the ball around your back 180˚ till your back is facing the hoop and then take another dribble
4. Push your left dribbling shoulder into the right side of your body(going back into original position)
5. Lower body and dribble to score

How to perform the Fake Spin for Left handed People
1. Drive toward your defender at full speed with your right hand
2. When you are half a step from your defender, make a hard bounce right in front of him
3. Immediately switch your dribbling hand to the left one and quickly swing the ball around your back 180˚ till your back is facing the hoop and then take another dribble
4. Push your left dribbling shoulder into the right side of your body(going back into original position)
5. Lower body and dribble

Hesitation Dribble

The hesitation dribble also know as the stutter step dribble is just a way to get your defender jumpy to bite at what ever you have in stored for him. Or it can be a dribble that will intimidate your defender to back off from you. But that just really depends on who the defender is.

The hesitation dribble is when you are driving really fast and you slow down to a pause by taking 2 baby steps. The squeaking sounds from your feet are the most noticeable things by the defender when you use the hesitation. If mastered the hesitation could be the only dribble move you’ll ever need when you play against aggressive defender. The hesitation can leave defenders frozen in their feet while you blow by them for the score.

What does it take to master the Hesitation dribble?

• Practice- this dribble requires that a player do it in the game to see how well it works for them.
• Basketball smarts- the hesitation is advanced dribbling and requires experience, if not, just a good sense of when to use
• Good handle and footwork

 

How to perform the Hesitation Dribble with the ball in the Right Hand

1. Start dribbling the ball in your right
2. Dribble towards a target with your right hand
3. Immediately when you are 2 steps from your opponent take a hard dribble
4. Take two quick baby steps forward and make an eye fake (Example) and pause for a half second (This is the hesitation)
5. Then dribble again and push of your right foot
6. Drive past your frozen opponent to score or make a play

How to perform the Hesitation Dribble with the ball in Left hand

1. Start dribbling the ball in your left
2. Dribble towards a target with your left hand
3. Immediately when you are 2 steps from your opponent take a hard dribble
4. Take two quick baby steps forward and make an eye fake (Example) and pause for a half second (This is the hesitation)
5. Then dribble again and push of your left foot
6. Drive past your frozen opponent to score or make a play

Improving Your Off-Hand

Improving the off hand is the first thing a basketball player must do to become a better dribbler. Whether you are right handed or left handed, in the game of basketball you will need to be able to use your non-dominant hand when you are in the game. Otherwise you are limiting your potential of becoming a great basketball player.


There is no guide of how to use your non-dominant hand. But rather, this website can show you some drills that can improve the off-hand.


The Left Handed Dribble Drill in Basketball -- powered by eHow.com

The Right Handed Dribble Drill in Basketball -- powered by eHow.com

The Crossover

The crossover is the most important dribble to know how to do. In the game of basketball, the point of the game is to get by the defenders and put the ball in the basket. The crossover is the perfect dribble to trick the defenders into moving out of your way. The crossover is a simple change of direction that tricks the defender into moving out of your pathway towards the basket.

To perform the crossover effectively you must possess the following qualities:

• You must be a very deceptive mentality when performing the move
• You must have good control of the ball when performing the move
• You must have fast hands
• You must have strong legs
• You must be very flexible because there will be time when good defenders will not buy the fake. 

How to perform the crossover for Right Handed people:

1. Start dribbling the ball with your right hand
2. Dribble towards your opponent slowly while keeping the ball in your right hand
3. When you are two steps away from your opponent ,push hard with your left foot to lean your body towards the right.(This is suppose to make it look like you are about to drive to the right side of the basket)
4. Lean your left shoulder to make your driving look real.
5. Check your opponent’s defensive position to see if he is buying the fake
6. Then at the very last moment when your defender moves, push even harder with your right foot to lean your body towards the left.
7. While doing step 6 make a quick low bounce of the basketball in front of your opponent moving the ball from your right hand to the left hand
8. Then when you have created space from your defender, push hard with your left foot and dribble past your opponent for an open shot.

How to perform the crossover for Left Handed People:

1. Start dribbling the ball with your left hand
2. Dribble towards your opponent slowly while keeping the ball in your left hand
3. When you are two steps away from your opponent ,push hard with your right foot and lean your body towards the left.(This is suppose to make it look like you are about to drive to the left side of the basket)
4. Lean your right shoulder to make your driving look real.
5. Check your opponent’s defensive position to see if he is buying the fake
6. Then at the very last moment when your defender moves, push even harder with your left foot to lean your body towards the right.
7. While doing step 6 make a quick low bounce of the basketball in front of your opponent moving the ball from your left hand to the right hand
8. Then when you have created space from your defender, push hard with your right foot and dribble past your opponent for an open left handed layup or jump shot.

The In and Out Dribble

 

The in and out dribble is an advanced dribbling move that moves the defense from your lane so you can get more space to dribble forward. In a game situation there will be times when you will have a defender who is in a good defensive stance and he is playing the ball. This would be a good time to use the in and out dribble. The in and out dribble can be used to trick the defense in to moving into a different direction.

What does it take to master the in and out dribble?

• Practice
• Using the dribble in a basketball game 

How to Perform the in and Out Dribble right handed

1. Start dribbling in place with your right hand
2. Dribble towards a defender at moderate speed
3. Immediately dribble into your opponent and lean your right shoulder into left shoulder
4. Then quickly dribble away from your opponent by pushing off your left foot and driving past your defender.

How to perform the In and Out Dribble Left Handed

1. Start dribbling in place with your left hand
2. Dribble towards a defender at moderate speed
3. Immediately dribble into your opponent and lean your left shoulder into right shoulder
4. Then quickly dribble away from your opponent by pushing off your right foot and driving past your defender.

How to Perform the In and Out Dribble

The In & Out Dribble Drill in Basketball -- powered by eHow.com

The Between the Legs Dribble

The between the legs dribble is the most useful defensive dribble for the offense. The bet ween the legs dribble is suppose to be used when the you have multiple defenders trying to steal the ball from you. The between the legs dribble is suppose to be used when aggressive defense attacks an offensive player. The offense player should use this dribble when he is being over played.

How to perform the Between the legs dribble from Right to Left

1. Start dribbling in place
2. Drive towards a defender or target(Ball should be in right hand)
3. Immediately when you are 2 steps from your defender , lean your right shoulder forward
4. Push hard off your right foot ,and push your left foot forward
5. Immediately bounce the ball under your left leg, and catch the ball in your left hand

This is how to perform the between the legs dribble.

How to Perform the Behind the Back Dribble

The Between the Legs Dribble in Basketball -- powered by eHow.com

Improving The Post Up Dribble

The post up is a basketball dribbling move that is usually used by the forwards and center of a team, but it can be used by any player on the team also. The post up is simply backing down your defender towards the basket. Many players like use this move to protect the ball and to score in the game. An example of center that uses the post up is Shaquille O’Neal, and example of guard that uses the post up dribble is Chauncey Billups.

 

Post dribbling is when an offensive player turns his/her back towards the hoop, so that the face is facing away from the basket. Then once you are in post up dribble stance, the player then dribble in reverse towards the basket using their weight as a factor in backing down their opponent. Then once the offensive player has reached the appropriate spot that he/she desires, and then they use a post up move to score.

What does it take to do the Post Up Move?

• Strong lower and upper body 
• Aggressiveness
• Awareness of where your defender is
• Good foot work
• Moderate Ball Handling Skills
• Practice

How to Do the Post Up Move for the guard

1. Start dribbling and move towards a target
2. When you are 3 step away from your target turn your back to the basket or basketball hoop
3. Protect the ball with your back and use your legs and back to push the defender back towards the basket
4. Post the defense until you get to the spot you want to stop at

How to Do the Post Dribble for the Forward and Center Position on the right side

1 Call for the ball and catch the ball in post position
2. Catch the ball and start dribbling and use your back to protect the ball
3. Lean on your Opponent to perform the Post up
4. Immediately while dribbling, use your back and legs to push your opponent out of your way (For Dribble You push your Opponent backward)
5. Then once you get to your desired spot you take your left foot and get it behind your opponent,
6. Grab the ball with both hands and turn your body around towards the left till it faces the basket
7. Then finish and score!

How to perform the Post Up dribble for the Forward and Center Positions on the Left Side

1. Call for the ball and catch the ball in post position
2. Catch the ball and start dribbling and use your back to protect the ball
3. Lean on your Opponent to perform the Post up
4. Immediately while dribbling, use your back and legs to push your opponent out of your way (For Dribble You push your Opponent backward)
5. Then once you get to your desired spot you take your left foot and get it behind your opponent,
6. Grab the ball with both hands and turn your body around towards the left till it faces the basket
7. Then finish and score!

How To Use the Spin Spin Dribble

The spin move is a fancy move used to get past your quickly. In fact it is the quickest way to get past your opponent without dribbling too much. The spin Move is a move in which a player rotates 360˚ around his opponent. The best time to the spin move is when:

o A player is making his way up the court
o When the team is playing the fast break offense
o When a player the space on the court to do so

What does it take to master the Spin Move?

•  Flexibility
•  Good footwork
•  Hand and foot coordination

How to Do a Spin Move in Basketball -- powered by eHow.com

How to perform the Spin Move Right Handed

1. Drive toward your defender at full speed with your right hand
2. When you are half a step from your defender, make a hard bounce right in front of him

 3. Immediately switch your dribbling hand to the left one and quickly swing the ball around your back 180˚ till your back is facing the hoop and then take another dribble 

4. Heel Pivot your left foot and make another 180˚ turn around your opponent by lean your right shoulder into your left shoulder
5. Switch your dribbling hand from left to right and push off your right foot to drive by your opponent

How to perform the Spin Move Left Hand

1. Drive toward your defender at full speed with your left hand
2. When you are half a step from your defender, make a hard bounce right in front of him
3. Immediately switch your dribbling hand to the right hand and quickly swing the ball around your back 180˚ till your back is facing the hoop and then take another dribble
4. Heel Pivot your Right foot and make another 180˚ turn around your opponent by leaning your left shoulder into your right shoulder
5. Switch your dribbling hand from right to left and push off your left foot to drive by your opponent

The Behind The Back Dribble

                                        

Imagine yourself in a basketball game. Your teammate just stole the ball on defense and he passes the ball to you. You decide to dribble the ball up the court to try to score. Then as you approach the open floor just between half-court and the three point line, a defender attacks you trying to take the ball from you. This would be a time to execute the behind the back dribble.

The behind the back dribble is a dribble used to move the ball in a different direction if there is no space to perform the crossover. This move should be used when the defender tries to steal the ball from you. So when the defender tries to take the ball from you when you are dribbling in the open floor use this move and cross your opponent to make him look dumb. This move signals to other defenders that hey should not try to take the ball from you.

The Behind the Back Dribble in Basketball -- powered by eHow.com

What do you need to be able to perform the behind the back dribble?

• Versatility- the ability to maneuver your body around your defenders
• Vision – the ability to know where the other defenders are on the court.
• Strong Arms- bouncing the ball quickly requires strength so that your defender can’t get back in front of you
• Strong wrist- ball handlers need strong wrists so that they are able to control the movement of the ball
• A good sense of where the ball is going without looking at the ball

How to perform the Behind the Back Dribble for Right Handed people

1. Start dribbling in place
2. Now drive towards a defender or towards target
3. When the defender tries to snatch the ball ,bend your knees and move the ball to your back
4. Lean body momentum towards the left and cross the ball to the left side
5. Now push hard with your left foot and blow by your opponent.

How to Perform the Behind the Back Dribble for Left Handed people

1. Start dribbling in place
2. Now drive towards a defender or towards target
3. When the defender tries to snatch the ball ,bend your knees and move the ball to your back
4. Lean body momentum towards the right and cross the ball to the right side
5. Now push hard with your right foot and blow by your opponent.

Basketball Dribbling Moves

Dribbling is one of the three choices for the triple threat position. Dribbling is how a player is able to move around the basketball court without passing the ball. Especially in tight situations when the defense is playing the offense tight and aggressively, and there is no one to pass the ball to. The best basketball players are able to put the ball on the floor and dribble the basketball and create a play without getting the ball stolen.

Some Tips to learning how to dribble better are:

•  Stick to the fundamentals and know how to dribble pretty good in either hand
•  When dribbling look up
•  Protect the ball with your body all the time
•  Pass first and dribble second
•  Always dribble with purpose          
• Use your wrist and fingers to move the ball ,and never your palms
• When dribbling NEVER palm the basketball
• When dribbling up court ,never dribble by the sidelines to avoid the trap defense
• Never force the offense to score, take your time when dribbling
• Use your dominant hand when ever possible

Learning different types of basketball dribbles is important to be a better ball handler. To be a better ball handler you must master the following moves by completing basketball drills.

Behind the back dribble – a move behind the back that moves the basketball to the opposite side of your body.
Between the legs dribble- a move that puts the ball between the legs, while pushing the ball to the opposite side of the body.
Crossover- a move that quickly changes the direction of the basketball while dribble the ball directly in front of the defense.

Double Crossover – a double crossover is like the crossover except you cross your opponents twice.

Fake Spin - a move that rotates your body and the basketball 180˚.

Hesitation Dribble- also known as the stop-n-go, the hesitation is used to intimidate your opponent.

Improving the Off-hand- improving your non-dominant hand is the first step to improving your dribble.

In and out dribble – a dribble move used to evade the defense and get to the basket quickly.

Post Up Dribble- a low post dribble move used to back down the opponent towards the basket

Spin Move - a fancy dibble move that allows the offensive player to rotate (spin) around his opponent completely.

Stutter Step- also known as the hesitation dribble

How to Rebound the Basketball

Rebounding is the 3rd most important skill a team desires in a basketball game. Some teams have players where their only role on the team is to just get rebounds. A rebound is when the ball is available for the taking after a shot is missed. If you are a good rebounder, then more likely you will play more than other players on a team.

Just imagine yourself about to rebound the ball in a game, and suddenly there is a player who is on the other team and he jumps in and snatches the ball from your grasp. That can make you very angry or frustrated, because it is a hard game. Those types of people are very tough, athletic and very strong willed, and may have a very high vertical leap. Examples of these types of people are Dennis Rodman. Dennis Rodman, popular rebounder played ball for the Chicago Bulls during their championship years. Dennis possessed the strength and vertical leap power to get most of the rebounds in a game.


Rebounding in Basketball -- powered by eHow.com

Rebounding is very important in a game. The two types of rebounding are offensive rebounding and defensive rebounding. Offensive rebounding is when the offensive team rebounds the ball. Defensive rebounding is when the defense rebounds the ball. To be able to rebound you must be aggressive and agile. Determine where the ball will land after it hits the rim and find the quickest to get to the ball and grab it. Offensive rebounds are more valuable than defensive rebounds because it give your a second chance for your team to score.




Rebounding is the 3rd most important skill a team desires in a basketball game. Some teams have players where their only role on the team is to just get rebounds. A rebound is when the ball is available for the taking after a shot is missed. If you are a good rebounder, then more likely you will play more than other players on a team.

Just imagine yourself about to rebound the ball in a game, and suddenly there is a player who is on the other team and he jumps in and snatches the ball from your grasp. That can make you very angry or frustrated, because it is a hard game. Those types of people are very tough, athletic and very strong willed, and may have a very high vertical leap. Examples of these types of people are Dennis Rodman. Dennis Rodman, popular rebounder played ball for the Chicago Bulls during their championship years. Dennis possessed the strength and vertical leap power to get most of the rebounds in a game.



Rebounding is very important in a game. The two types of rebounding are offensive rebounding and defensive rebounding. Offensive rebounding is when the offensive team rebounds the ball. Defensive rebounding is when the defense rebounds the ball. To be able to rebound you must be aggressive and agile. Determine where the ball will land after it hits the rim and find the quickest to get to the ball and grab it. Offensive rebounds are more valuable than defensive rebounds because it give your a second chance for your team to score.

How to make Better Passes

Passing is an essential skill that contributes to the chemistry of a team. Passing is one of the options to the triple threat stance. To be a good passer a player must have good awareness of his teammates. That is why passing skills are valued just as much as dribbling at the point guard position.


Passing the ball helps boost the morale of a team. When a player passes the ball to a teammate it signifies that the player that passed the ball, trusts the teammate he passed the ball to. This can eventually lead to better teamwork and faster ball movement and floor spacing. Passing the basketball around the court moves the basketball a lot faster than dribbling.

The Chest Pass

There are several ways to pass the ball. One way is the chest pass. The chest pass is a forward throw of the ball into the chest of a teammate.


Basketball Drills: Chest Pass -- powered by eHow.com


The Overhead pass

The Overhead pass is for when a player is trapped and needs to pass the basketball to an open teammate. This is I believe the 2nd most important type of pass.


Basketball Drills: Overhead Pass -- powered by eHow.com


The Bounce Pass

The Bounce pass is the 3rd most important pass. This pass is used when a player needs to avoid a pass from being stolen. A bounce pass is difficult for defenders to steal and helps keep your teammates in position. To perform a bounce pass follow these steps:

1. Hold the ball in your triple threat stance
2. Look for a teammate to pass the ball to
3. Aim the ball 3 quarters of the way to the teammate
4. Pass the ball by pushing off your back foot while stepping into your pass with your dominant foot.


Basketball Drills: Bounce Pass -- powered by eHow.com



The Behind the Back Pass

This bass is the most difficult pass for defenders to defend against. The behind the back pass is can be used when a player stands still, or when they are dribbling. The behind the back pass can be used off the dribble. This kind of pass is difficult to execute, but if it is done right than it can be very useful. This pass can create plays on the court that can turn into points made. A coach loves players that have good enough court vision to make this pass. Practicing this pass can make you better basketball players. To execute this pass:

1. Hold the ball in your hands
2. Lean your shoulders towards your back
3. Take your dominant and put the ball in that hand
4. Push the ball quickly to directly behind your back
5. Quickly let go of the ball and pass the ball.

*Be patient because this is a difficult pass to make. If you do not like this pass then you should not use. (Not everybody uses this pass)

The Alley-Oop

The ally-Oop is the most exciting pass in a basketball. An alley-Oop is when a player passes the ball over the basketball rim while another player catches the ball and dunks the ball. This pass boosts the confidence of the players who play the game the home crowd. Many exciting NBA duos like Michael Jordan & Scottie Pippen, Lebron James & Moe Williams, use this play to build their team’s confidence during a slow game.



A team should only use the alley-Oop during fast breaks, or when the person who is dunking the ball has a lane towards the basket to perform the dunk. Alley-Oops should be practiced with your teammates before games. There will be times when a team goes to play a game, and the opposition will be too aggressive for the team to get an open jump shot. This is when the alley-Oop is most useful; because all the passer has to do is toss the ball at the rim and another player can put the ball.

The alley Oop has some critical requirements for it to be effective in a basketball game.

The person who passes the ball must have great passing skills and great court. This type of player should be able to position the ball where only his teammate can get the ball and easily get put the ball in the hoop. The second requirement is that the person who is performing the dunk of the alley-Oop should be able to easily get his/her hands above the rim to dunk the ball.



How to Perform the Alley-Oop

1. The person with ball must find a player who can dunk the ball and has a lane towards the basket.
2. Make eye contact with the player to signal that you want to perform the alley-Oop
3. Immediately toss the ball softly towards the rim so that it is barely above the rim
(The dunker should be at most 3 steps away from the rim by the time the ball is above the rim)
4. The dunker now leaps towards the rim and catches the ball and immediately dunks the ball in to the hoop.

*Alley-Oops take practice and the timing of it should be worked on ALOT.

How to Shoot Better

One day when Michael Jordan returned home from the Chicago Bulls practice, Jordan noticed that his sons were practicing dunking a basketball. Michael Jordan noticed this and told his kids “stop dunking and start shooting”. Marcus and Jeffery were puzzled because they did not understand what their father was talking about. So they asked him “why can’t we learn how to dunk like you”. Michael Jordan chuckled and explained that dunking is not as important as shooting because you will more likely shoot more shots in a game than dunk the basketball. Michael Jordan explained that if a person really wanted to “be like mike” then that person should learn how to shoot.

Shooting is how most players who score in basketball, score the most amount of points for their team. When a person shoots the ball it is called a jump shot. When a person shoots the ball falling away from the basket, it is called a fade away. If a basketball player can shoot a jump shot and a fade away very good, then they are a good shooter on a team. If you want to shoot the basketball properly and score more effectively, then follow these steps:

How To Shoot For Right Handed People

1. Hold the basketball in your hand
2. Point your feet into a 10 O ‘clock position
3. Bend your knees half way to create power in the legs (this is where your power comes from)
4. Spread your right hand fingers over the ball
5. Use your left hand to support the ball from the left side of the basketball
6. Next raise the ball over your head to create a good arc toward the basket. (Your wrist and elbow joints should be in a 90˚ angle.
7. Finally jump with your legs and shoot the ball by extending your arms and snapping your wrist. Use your index finger, thumb, and middle finger to guide the ball 

For Left Handed People 

1. Hold the basketball in your hand
2. Point your feet into a 2 O ‘clock position 
3. Bend your knees half way to create power in the legs (this is where your power comes from)
4. Spread your left hand fingers over the ball
5. Use your Right hand to support the ball from the left side of the basketball
6. Next raise the ball over your head to create a good arc toward the basket. (Your wrist and elbow joints should be in a 90˚ angle.
7. Finally jump with your legs and shoot the ball by extending your arms and snapping your wrist. Use your index finger, thumb, and middle finger to guide the ball.

Finally in order to shoot the basketball effectively, practicing shooting the ball often will make you a better shooter. The best shooter and scorer on a basketball team is the person who can shoot the best and dribble the best also.