NBA: 30 most unguardable moves in league history

30 most unguardable moves in NBA history: 29. Tim Hardaway, crossover

A five-time All-NBA selection, point guard Tim Hardaway left a lasting impact on the game with his dazzling ball-handling skill, underrated defensive instincts and a killer crossover that would ruin any defender’s day. Few players were as talented at breaking down a defender with a chain of dribbles as Hardaway was and no one before his time knew how to execute a crossover as he did.

At one time, the NBA’s best ball-handlers used one hand and slapped the ball off the hardwood repeatedly to keep their dribble alive. Not only was Hardaway well ahead of his time, but he set the tone for generations of ball-handlers to come. To be fair, the game was officiated differently in its early days as hand placement played a much greater factor in the way games are called.

Hardaway’s crossover was devastating. It was faster than anyone else’s at the time and was usually followed by an energetic layup or pull-up jumper for two points. As one of the smaller players on the court at all times at 6-feet-tall, Hardaway used his size and quickness as an advantage over time. He learned to use his dribble to distract a defender before crossing over to lose them in their tracks. His blistering speed allowed him to zip past perimeter defenders and find his way to the paint or mid-range for a look at the basket.

He also used his crossover to initiate offense for others. Hardaway’s crossover grew in infamy over the years and defenders had to change their approach because of it. That generated better looks for his teammates and as time went on Hardaway learned to improvise on the fly to get the ball in his teammate’s hands.

This is the crossover that laid the foundation for generations of crossovers to come.