Dribbling the Ball
Crouch down low by bending your knees and lowering your hips. In order to control the ball as you seamlessly shift it between your legs, you need to get into a basic dribbling stance. Lower yourself, pushing your back end out behind you. Lean forward a little bit to prepare in case you need to move, and make sure your stance feels stable. Crouching helps you protect the ball. When you’re standing up, the ball bounces higher, making it harder to control while giving your opponent plenty of time to swipe it away.
Raise your head and chest up to look straight ahead. Looking down actually impairs your balance. With your eyes focused on the floor, you also won’t be able to survey the court ahead of you. As you lean forward, stick your chest out a little to prevent yourself from feeling tempted to look at the ball. Try to keep your gaze focused toward the basket. Have someone stand in front of you so you can stare at them while practicing. If you’re on your own, stand in front of a hoop or find something interesting ahead of you to focus on.
Stand on the balls of your feet to prepare yourself to move. Lean forward on your toes to shift your body weight to the front part of your feet. Don’t move forward too far or else you may end up losing your balance. If you feel your heels lifting off the ground, lower them for stability. This stance allows you to move quickly and cut at a sharp angle while dribbling down the court. Balance is one of the most important parts of ball control. You can’t move effectively when you’re off-balance, so get the stance right before trying to dribble. If your feet start cramping, you most likely are putting too much weight on your toes. Lean forward very slightly, just enough to shift your weight.
Bounce the basketball in place with the pads of your fingers. Dribble the ball with your dominant hand, keeping it close to your body. Try to bounce the ball next to your knee. Then, instead of resting your palm on top of the ball, push down on it with your fingertips. Your knee provides a little protection from pesky opponents while your fingertips give you more precise control over the ball’s movements. To bounce the ball, snap your wrist down to push the ball with force. Keep your fingers spread apart to maximize the amount of control you have.
Use enough force to bounce the ball at knee height. The sweet spot for bouncing is pretty low to the ground. When you’re crouched down, the ball should go no higher than your thigh. If it’s up by your waist, you will have a hard time controlling it. Bouncing it up too high gives defenders a chance to steal it before you are able to cross it between your legs. Get familiar with the surface you’re playing on. Every surface is unique, but some surfaces are springier. Softer surfaces require you to push the ball down with more force in order to get it to bounce back up to your hand. Think of the ball as an extension of your body. Practice bouncing it a few times to get a sense of the court and how the ball moves on it. Once you get a feel for where the ball is in relation to your body, you won't need to look at it while dribbling.
Performing a Crossover
Dribble the ball in your dominant hand. Keep your knees bent, positioning them about shoulder-width apart. Remember to raise your chest and head as if you’re watching for oncoming defenders. Also, bounce the ball at a steady rate, keeping it low and close to your body. Stability is key when starting the move. If you’re off-balance, you’re going to end up losing the ball. Dribble it in place, leaning onto your toes when you’re ready to take off.
Shift your dominant hand so your thumb is on top. Wait for the ball to bounce back up toward your knees. Before it reaches your knees, shift your hand to the side. Turn it so the top of your thumb points slightly upward toward the sky. After putting the tip of your thumb on top of it, control the ball by touching your other fingers to its side. Move your hand in a single motion, but don’t look down! If you look down, you key in the defender to what you’re about to do no matter how good your ball-handling skills are. The shift has to be done quickly, right as the ball gets close to the top of its bounce. You won’t be able to get a good handle on it if it’s close to the ground. Bounce it until it reaches the proper height.
Bounce the ball about halfway toward your other hand. After bouncing the ball in place, prepare to shift it to the side. Aim for the patch of ground directly in front of your body. Use your fingertips to push the ball toward that spot. The ball will bounce back up at an angle so you can control it with your opposite hand. The ball moves in a V-shape during a crossover. When you push the ball diagonally, it bounces up diagonally in the opposite direction. Keep the ball close to you so you don’t have to lean forward to retrieve it. To do this, push the ball laterally across your body. Don't bounce it forward or backward.
Place your opposite hand over the ball to catch it. Keep your palm off the ball, however. You’re going to need to continue dribbling it. Get in the habit of letting the ball hit your fingertips. Immediately push the ball down with some force to continue bouncing it at knee-height. If you plan on doing another crossover right away, position your hand on the side of the ball instead of on top of it. Practice crossing the ball over while standing in place. When you’re comfortable with the motion, transition to trying to put the ball between your legs. It’s easier after you master the basic crossover.
Crossing the Ball between Your Legs
Dribble the ball with your dominant hand. Crouch down first to get into dribbling position. You will need to stay low to the ground in order to handle the ball. Lift your chest and head while bouncing the ball close to your foot. Get ready to move! Lean forward slightly on the balls of your feet so you're able to spread your legs apart during the dribble.
Take a diagonal step forward with your opposite foot. Take a generous step toward the sideline. Move your leg at about a 45-degree angle away from your body. While you’re doing this, keep your dominant side stable with your foot planted on the ground. Continue dribbling the ball near it to prepare for the crossover. For example, if you’re dribbling with your right hand, step forward with your left foot. Do the opposite while dribbling with your left hand. To cross the ball over effectively, take a quick step as the ball reaches the top of its bounce. This will give you a brief window to push the ball between your legs.
Shift your hand to the side of the ball as it bounces. Move your hand so your thumb ends up on top of the ball, preparing to push it with the tips of your fingers. Let the pad of your thumb land on top of the ball while your other fingers hit its side. When the ball reaches the top of its bounce, about knee-height, get ready to push it between your legs. If you’re having a hard time getting the motion right, practice at a slow pace. Bounce the ball up a little higher than normal, take a step, and then try to shift your hand to the side.
Push the ball between your open legs to start the crossover. Aim for the ground directly beneath your body. Look for that nice area of daylight between your legs. Then, use the tips of your fingers to push the ball there. Use enough force to arc the ball back up to about knee-height when it pops out the other side. Make sure you push the ball at an angle. Try to get a clean V-shaped bounce so the ball rises toward your other hand. If you’re having trouble getting the ball through without hitting your body, stand in place with your legs spread apart. Pass the ball back and forth several times. This will also give you an idea of how much force you need to apply so the ball bounces high enough.
Use your opposite hand to receive the ball when it emerges. Get your hand down close to your legs to control the ball as soon as it arrives. Let it hit your fingertips. As the ball travels, lower your front hand to protect the ball. An alert defender could poke the ball out from between your legs if you’re not careful. While the ball is moving, you can lean forward on your back foot to prepare to move. Lifting your heel is okay at this point.
Switch your positioning by stepping forward with your back leg. The hardest part of a between-the-legs crossover is timing your forward movement. As soon as you feel the ball hit your hand, move your dominant foot forward. Step at a 45-degree angle in the same direction you moved when setting up the crossover. It will shield the ball and allow you to dribble forward. For instance, if you cross the ball over to your left hand, step forward with your right foot. Do the opposite when catching the ball with your right hand. If you’re practicing in a stationary position, try doing a hop step. Quickly jump up and shift your leg positioning.
Dribble the ball again to keep moving down the court. Head in the direction you stepped toward while crossing the ball between your legs. Keep your body between the ball and the defender as you move. If you need to change directions again, you can repeat the steps to cross the ball back over to the opposite side. Practice dribbling to beat the defense and take the ball to the hoop! Try out the move until you feel comfortable doing it at a quick pace. The timing can be a little tricky when you’re first learning how to do it. Take it one part at a time to improve your control and agility. Once you get the hang of the move, practice doing it over and over so it will feel natural on the court.
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