Dribbling is directional, not a right-stick move. Know which hand has the ball before you tap. Switch hands with B / Circle, or the mobile Switch hands button, when you need a free change of direction without a full move.
Direction inputs
On a controller, flick the D-pad. On keyboard, Z is the left-hand side, C is the right-hand side, and X is down / step back.
| Move | Controller | Keyboard |
|---|---|---|
| Standing crossover | D-pad opposite the ball hand | C if left hand, Z if right hand |
| Moving crossover | Stick toward the rim, hold sprint, flick opposite D-pad | Hold Shift and tap the crossover key |
| Hesitation | D-pad toward the ball hand | Z left hand, C right hand |
| Behind the back | Ball-side D-pad, then Down | Z+X left hand, C+X right hand; hold sprint to move it |
| Between the legs | Down, then the off-hand direction | X+C, or X+Z on the left hand |
| Step back | Down once | X once |
| Snatch back | Down twice | X twice |
| Spin | Ball side, Down, opposite side, or double-tap the off-hand direction | Double-tap C (left hand) or Z (right hand) |
| Size-up | Up twice while standing | Use the in-game combo prompt |
Holding sprint turns a standing package into the moving version and spends more stamina. A tap of sprint right after a hesitation can add a burst animation. Holding RB/R1 with RT/R2 plus a cross or behind-the-back is a longer bumper variant; it is optional and slow.
Signature requirements
Animation slots open from ball handle, not from overall rating.
| Slot | Package | Ball handle |
|---|---|---|
| Escape | Young | 65 |
| Escape | Shifty | 75 |
| Standing behind the back | Beverly, Pro, or Chino; Legend at 80 | often 80 for Legend |
| Moving crossover | Volt or Pro; Vault is the faster option when the build can equip it | package-dependent |
| Spin | Shifty, Pro, or Normal | Shifty needs the higher handle band, about 70 to 75 |
| Snatch back | Beverly or Peter Wall; Alex Harden is the longer pullback | package-dependent |
| Between the legs | Pro | 60 |
| Moving behind the back | Default, Manny, or George | George is cited at 75 |
Below 70 ball handle, Pro or Normal spins avoid the slow turn frames of packages the build cannot play cleanly. Young is the wide escape most perimeter scorers use once they hit 65.
Combos that end in a shot
Do not chain moves with no finish. Stamina drops and the contest comes back.
- Spin back: sprint from the top toward the elbow, pull the left stick back to the arc, spin, and release sprint as your feet reach the line. Then shoot. Letting go of sprint stops the drift so Set Shot or Inside Shooter can apply.
- Prada slide: inside the arc, tap post (L2/LT) for a twitch, tap hand switch, release post while pulling the stick back, then behind-the-back (ball-side, then Down). The backward version is described as needing at least 60 post moves and silver Quick Handles.
- Young escape: face a wing, hold sprint, and flick the D-pad toward the off hand for a long lateral behind-the-back.
- Hellspin: tap post quickly enough to twitch without entering the full post animation, switch hands, and roll the left stick in a half circle (ball side through down to the other side) at the same time. You need a live dribble; a standing hellspin without a dribble does not start. Defenders who steal on the twitch beat this move. Practice the post-and-switch alone before you add the stick roll.
- Crab / moonwalk: cross, turn your back to the defender, and put your body between them and the rim. They have to drop hands-up and sprint to the paint or the contest sticks to your back.
POV camera makes these directions consistent. If the move fires the wrong way, you are still on the orbit camera.