Our latest SGO tutorial guide covers how to improve your dribbling in NBA 2K24. Of course, this discusses the changes to the game, what to look for against defenders, and how to beat them.
NBA 2K24 Dribble Tutorial: Top Moves For Beginners
Sprint
- Controls: Hold RT(PS5) and R2(XBOX)
Sprint increases player speed at the cost of stamina. There’s no such thing as going too early using sprint, especially if your opponent doesn’t realize what you are up to. However, you can be more conservative and wait until you’re about even with the defender to activate sprint to catch them off guard.
In And Out
- Controls: Release RT (PS5) or R2 (XBOX), then Flick the right stick up and to your ball hand(PS5 and XBOX)
The In and Out’s purpose is to fake the ball’s direction using a feint. Players can utilize this move, against a human defender who has every reason to think you’re going to go one direction, and an in-and-out dribble can sell that dream to them, giving you space to drive. This move actually works against humans and AI this year.
Hesitation
- Controls: Flick the right stick directly to the left/right of your ball hand
This move’s purpose is to manipulate the defender’s timing to open up a jumper or drive for yourself.
Hesitation Escape
- Controls: Hold RT (PS5) or R2 (XBOX) and flick the right stick directly to the left/right of your ball hand
This move aims to create space for yourself laterally and give you windows to drive and depending on how human opponents react. Guys with the big moving hesitation escapes can get you around the pick and roll instantly, or in iso situations, create instant space for drives and counters for shots depending on how defenders react.
Crossover
- Controls: Flick the right stick directly up and to your off-ball-hand side.
This is best when the defender is about to block off your path, giving you a way to get around them when they try to cut you off. You just want to make sure you have enough room to cross back over, or else the ball will bounce off of their body.
Escape Crossover
- Controls: Hold RT (PS5) or R2 (XBOX) and aim the right stick directly to the left/right of your off-ball hand
Being an escape dribble, this can open up a driving opportunity when you pull this move off, or create space laterally against your defender rocking back and forth (if you flick the right stick twice).
Attacking Crossover
- Controls: Hold RT (PS5) or R2 (XBOX) and aim the right stick up and to your off-ball hand
Introduced last year, attacking crossovers get players from a standstill position moving laterally or downhill to attack the defender. You want to capitalize off the reaction or lack thereof by the defender.
Crossover Combo
- Controls: Flick the right stick back and forth (twice)
This allows you to pull off a 2-move combination cross, and the faster or slower you perform the 2-move combo can trigger different animations.
Crossover Combo Chain
- Controls: Flick the right stick back and forth repeatedly
This allows you to pull off three, four, or five-plus-move combos with your ball handler.
Regular Breakdown Dribble
- Controls: Flick the right stick up
This is the first version of the newly added Breakdown Dribbles in NBA 2K24. This offers a more subdued version of a dribble sequence that can catch the defender off balance.
Aggressive Dribble
- Controls: Hold RT (PS5) or R2 (XBOX) and Flick the right stick up
This adds a bit more movement to your combo that can free you up from the defender.
Between The Legs Cross
- Controls: Flick the right stick directly left/right to your off-ball hand
This move is amazing and effective because you can quickly change directions and break free from defenders who are trying to cut you off. This move doesn’t cover as much ground as let’s say a crossover, but again does offer an excellent way to get by defenders with the quick sharp cut. Due to its quick sharp movement, you can use this as close to the defender as possible.
Behind the Back
- Controls: Flick the right stick down and to your off-ball hand
You mostly going to be using the regular behind the back while on the move, as it protects the ball the best from defenders while eating up space to attack. The behind-the-back move is great for quickly changing directions in a hurry. You just want to make sure you’re aiming the left stick towards the rim when you do it and if you let go of the left stick while performing the behind-the-back you can force your player to quickly stop and leave defenders in the dust. This is a move you don’t want to be shy about utilizing heavily in NBA 2K24.
Behind the back Escape
- Controls: Hold RT (PS5) or R2 (XBOX) and Flick the right stick down and to your off-ball hand
You can use this from a standstill position as it’s great because you’re able to literally blow by a defender while standing there. You can troll a bit and spam the behind-the-back escape back and forth into and away from screens as you rock defenders back and forth.
Stepback
- Controls: Flick the right stick down
You use this to create space from defenders that are all in your face and or create better angles for you to attack from a standstill position as well as create space for jump shots on the move. If you’re facing a human opponent, just a simple stepping back may cause the user to error allowing you to blow right by them using this simple move and changing the angle they have on you.
Spin Move
- Controls: Rotate the right stick from your ball hand and swing it around the bottom to your off-ball hand.
The spin move is really good this year against computers and humans. This move helps you break free against a defender completely walling you off driving or trying to cut you off coming up the court.
Half Spin
- Controls: Rotate the right stick from your ball hand to the top
The half spin’s sole purpose is to be a counter after you have given your opponent a heavy dose of spin moves and if you feel like pulling off a half spin.
Blowout Dribble
- Controls: Double Tap the right trigger in the backcourt
New this year, the ball handler will throw the ball ahead of the ball handler gaining a speed burst.
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