NBA Signature Moves

[WoobieZarz]

Taken from ESPN..


Shattered there's no Dirk Step Back, 1-legged fade, etc...


Find it funny they advertise the fact that these players ARE committing offensive fouls (Dwight Howard shoulder tap, Tony Parker shove with the ball, etc).

Reaching the NBA demands rigorous practice of time-honored fundamentals, but the peculiar styles of individual players are what make it a rich, exciting league. No one will ever throw that looping shiver of a crossover quite like Allen Iverson; the move was his fingerprint.

These quirky, signature moves are everywhere in the NBA and are the texture of the league.

Here are 10 of my favorites (click the links to see videos of the moves):

Derrick Rose’s right-handed push shot
It’s not quite a floater and not quite a runner, but Rose’s phenomenally accurate one-handed push shot is one of the masterful shots in the game. Like no player before him, Rose has the ability to go from full speed to a two-foot stop, rise up (and often over much larger players) then coolly flick the ball either straight in or off the backboard with sublime touch.

Dwight Howard’s shoulder tap
As Ethan Sherwood Strauss explains, "Howard employs a tactic that is childish and brilliant, all at once. When you were a kid, did you ever tap a friend on the right shoulder, only to swoop in from the left? This was an effective means of taking a toy back, because your victim reflexively whips around to the wrong side and stares at air. Well, that's Dwight Howard's offensive rebounding move. When someone tries to box Dwight out, he taps them on right side, then crashes to the left (or vice versa)."

Chris Paul's side hop
A cousin of the far more prevalent step-back, Paul loves to set up his midrange jumper, usually off a ball screen, by faking to the middle of the court with his killer in-and-out dribble then bouncing sideways to the space just outside the elbow.

Rajon Rondo's standstill pass fake
People associate Rondo with his fake behind-the-back pass, but that one's been around for a while. What I haven't seen guards his size do is use pass fakes from a standstill as well as he does. Opponents play off Rondo to better obscure passing angles, especially after he picks up his dribble. To compensate, Rondo, like a quarterback sitting in the pocket, uses violent pass fakes to shift the defense and open avenues to his teammates.

Al Jefferson's no-turn jump hook
Jefferson, one of the most technical post players in the game, does something that a lot of players with bad fundamentals do: shoot a jump hook without first pivoting to get sideways with the hoop. When other people do it, it looks wild and desperate. But Jefferson has mastered the art of starting with his back to the basket, then simultaneously jumping and turning to drop in a soft hook shot.

Tony Parker's push-off with the ball
For being a relative shrimp who can't really jump, Parker sure is a killer finisher around the rim. His great footwork and dexterous finishing helps, but he also has a move that is probably an offensive foul yet may never be called as long as he plays. When his defender is able to get in front of him on a drive, Parker brings the ball to his waist and pushes his defender with the ball. The defender is sent backward, creating space for a finish, and often Parker gets the foul call to boot.

James Harden's extendo-scoop
This move became a major topic of conversation in the playoffs, when Harden used it to earn free throw after free throw. Typically, players are taught to conceal the ball on drives to the basket in order to protect against the defense's prying hands. But Harden holds the ball way out, often past his defender as he makes his move, exposing the ball but also plenty of arm. More often than not, the defender swipes down and hits his arm, and Harden, expecting the contact, is exceedingly adept at finishing with a score.

Luis Scola's low post scoop
Legend has it that Scola's first words were "juego del viejo hombre." His old-man game has tortured defenders since he entered the league, and one of his favorite weapons is the underhand scoop. Post defenders are taught to put their hands straight up to contest a shot. But that doesn’t do much with Scola, who loves to raise a defender with a fake then reach past his defender and flip in a low scoop shot. No jumping required.

Steve Nash's either foot runner
Steve Nash shoots a 15-foot runner about as well as it can be done, but that's not what gets him on this list. What's so uncanny about Nash's move is that he can shoot it by jumping off his right foot, which is a truly awkward motion for a right-handed player.

Paul Pierce's funky pull-up
Pierce isn't particularly quick, so how is he always able to get space for that jumper? Part of it is that he sometimes uses unorthodox footwork in his pull-up. The natural motion for a right-handed player moving to his right is to stride-stop, plant the (outside) left foot, plant the right (inside) foot and fire. But Pierce uses his outside right foot to stop his momentum, then uses his left foot and left shoulder to nudge his defender and create space. Pierce ends up firing the shot a half-beat earlier than his defender expects and uses a little muscle in the process.

 

[WoobieZarz]

EDIT: I'll take that back about Dwight, he's not fouling, but TP9s push off is questionable.

I really dig Big Al's no pivot jump hook tho, shit looks ugly, but is damn effective!!

 

[Matty4292]

I really like Dwight's Shoulder Tap and TP9's push off.

Very clever guys.

 

[pennysdaman]

Taken from ESPN..


Shattered there's no Dirk Step Back, 1-legged fade, etc...


Find it funny they advertise the fact that these players ARE committing offensive fouls (Dwight Howard shoulder tap, Tony Parker shove with the ball, etc).

Very unusual list i saw it on hoopshype.com and the Dirk one footer was missing pretty much un-defendable move imo!!
No Kobe Post up Fade away?No Lebron travel down the lane?

The Scola and Harden Scoops arent that much of a signature move either!!
Im sure we all could come up with our own list that would s@#t over the espn one...

 

[WoobieZarz]

Yeah I dunno, kinda like that Scola move, and can see how it's a signature move, up and unders were made famous by MJ weren't they? Might as well let a new-school(ish) player use them/re-create them.

I can see how Harden's is a bit of a signature, he scoops forward on the pickup step, draws the foul and tosses it up.

 

[pennysdaman]

Upper Deck did the signature moves in the 93 94 Base Set,

Goes with out saying try and match up the current ones with the old school ones, to some extent!

Jordan Hang Time
Drexler, Gliding Lay up
T Hardaway, Killer Cross Over
Dominique, Explosive Drive
Brad Daugherty, Sweeping Hook
Chris Mullin, Pull Up Jump Shot
Kenny Anderson, Lightning Drive
Ewing, Fadeaway
Isiah, Rapid Penetration
Dikembe, Right Handed Hook
Danning Manning, Quick Release
Robinson, Low post Spin Move
Karl Malone, "Special Delivery" Dunk
James Worthy, Finger Roll
Shawn Kemp, Alley Oop Dunk

 

[WoobieZarz]

Upper Deck did the signature moves in the 93 94 Base Set,

Goes with out saying try and match up the current ones with the old school ones, to some extent!

Just having my dinner, thought I'd have a crack, lol.

Jordan Hang Time - Gerald Green
Drexler, Gliding Lay up - not sure about this one... maybe Rondo?
T Hardaway, Killer Cross Over - Rose
Dominique, Explosive Drive - Lebron
Brad Daugherty, Sweeping Hook - Dwight Howard/Duncan
Chris Mullin, Pull Up Jump Shot - Westbrook
Kenny Anderson, Lightning Drive - TP9
Ewing, Fadeaway - Kobe
Isiah, Rapid Penetration - Wade
Dikembe, Right Handed Hook - Big Al
Danning Manning, Quick Release - Ray Ray
Robinson, Low post Spin Move - Duncan
Karl Malone, "Special Delivery" Dunk - Durant
James Worthy, Finger Roll - Harden
Shawn Kemp, Alley Oop Dunk - Griffin

 

[pennysdaman]

Well ill have a crack also:

Jordan Hang Time - Gerald Green
Drexler, Gliding Lay up - Parker/Rondo
T Hardaway, Killer Cross Over - Rose/Deron
Dominique, Explosive Drive - Lebron
Brad Daugherty, Sweeping Hook - Dwight Howard
Chris Mullin, Pull Up Jump Shot - Pierce
Kenny Anderson, Lightning Drive - Westbrook
Ewing, Fadeaway - Kobe
Isiah, Rapid Penetration - Wade
Dikembe, Right Handed Hook - Bynum
Danning Manning, Quick Release - Ray Allen
Robinson, Low post Spin Move - Duncan/Pau
Karl Malone, "Special Delivery" Dunk - Javalle McGee(Dont hate me)
James Worthy, Finger Roll - Harden
Shawn Kemp, Alley Oop Dunk - Griffin

 

[shammgod]

Just having my dinner, thought I'd have a crack, lol.

Jordan Hang Time - Gerald Green
Drexler, Gliding Lay up - not sure about this one... maybe Rondo?
T Hardaway, Killer Cross Over - Rose
Dominique, Explosive Drive - Lebron
Brad Daugherty, Sweeping Hook - Dwight Howard/Duncan
Chris Mullin, Pull Up Jump Shot - Westbrook
Kenny Anderson, Lightning Drive - TP9
Ewing, Fadeaway - Kobe
Isiah, Rapid Penetration - Wade
Dikembe, Right Handed Hook - Big Al
Danning Manning, Quick Release - Ray Ray
Robinson, Low post Spin Move - Duncan
Karl Malone, "Special Delivery" Dunk - Durant
James Worthy, Finger Roll - Harden
Shawn Kemp, Alley Oop Dunk - Griffin

I like it, but Kenny Anderson = Brandon Jennings

 

[WoobieZarz]

I like it, but Kenny Anderson = Brandon Jennings

Ah nice one, didnt think of Jennings!!!