30 most unguardable moves in NBA history: 28. Jamal Crawford, shake n’ bake
In terms of flashiness and spunk, few players compare with shooting guard Jamal Crawford. A ball-handling savant with blistering quickness and handles from heaven, Crawford could cross you up and take your lunch money whenever he wanted. In addition to being a walking bucket, Crawford was an underrated playmaker who used his mastery of ball control to initiate team offense and put his teammates in a position to succeed.
Now Crawford’s regular crossover was deadly enough to make the list, but instead, he’s being recognized for a one-of-a-kind move that no one besides himself can truly pull off. I’m talking about the iconic ‘Shake-and-Bake.’ A dazzling dribble move that’s sure to tip a defender off his axis, the ‘Shake-and-Bake’ requires a bit of forward momentum and keen observation of spatial awareness on the basketball court.
Usually, on the fastbreak or with downward momentum toward the rim, Crawford would throw one sexy dribble move at a defender that required him to switch hands. In many cases, that would mean a shifty crossover. However, instead of finishing his chain of dribbles, Crawford would corral the ball in one hand for a gather and switch it to the other. Sometimes, he’d even bring the ball behind his back on the gather. Meanwhile, he’d take a furious hop-step, generally stunning his defender in their tracks. Depending on where he is in proximity to the basket, J-Crossover would either take a layup, floater or short jumper.
It’s such a dazzling display of basketball heroics that words don’t really do it justice. If you’re unfamiliar with the move, go down a YouTube rabbit hole — I promise you won’t regret it.