The handle: The basketball lexicon

🏀 Definition of the term

😵‍💫 Handling in basketball

Handling is THE foundation of basketball. It is the central element of the modern era of our sport for various reasons.

1. Creating space

When a player has quick and extremely effective ball handling skills, the defence tightens around the ball carrier to prevent them from dribbling away. This tactic could work, but it’s a double-edged sword. If the ball carrier passes, the entire defence becomes disorganised. And disorganisation inevitably means that spaces open up. When the player with the explosive dribble starts his attack, he allows his teammates to slip into the spaces left by the opposing defenders, who are forced to come to help prevent an easy basket. The ball carrier then has several options, and usually a decisive pass is found, either in the paint or for an open three-point shot. This move virtually guarantees a basket, which is every team’s worst nightmare.

2. The art of turning a game around

Like a dunk, ball handling can tip the balance of a game one way or the other. If, thanks to dribbling, the ball carrier manages to make a ‘cross’ and knock down his defender before passing to one of his teammates for an easy basket, the whole arena will rise to its feet, shout, cheer, and, above all, take the game to a whole new level. The momentum will be completely reversed, just as powerful as it was before. This is an opportunity to go on an offensive run to close the gap or increase the lead and, sometimes, seal the game once and for all.

⭐ Players associated with the handle in NBA history

Allen Iverson (Philadelphia 76ers) : Nicknamed ‘The Answer’, AI was the NBA’s mercurial star in the 1990s and early 2000s. Renowned for his unpredictable play and his atypical look in an NBA that was too closed to urban culture, Allen Iverson stood out for his agility, his vision of the game, but above all, his speed with the ball in his hands, which allowed him to outmanoeuvre any opponent with his handle. And Michael Jordan would be the first to agree, having been one of his victims in 1997.

James Harden (Houston Rockets) : NBA MVP in 2017, James Harden, known as ‘The Beard’, is the archetypal point guard with incredible dexterity, and many players have fallen victim to his ability to eliminate his defender, knock him to the ground, and then score a three-pointer in his face, humiliating his opponent to the very end. This move has become one of his signature moves.

Jamal Crawford (Los Angeles Clippers) : Now retired and a true NBA legend, Jamal Crawford was known as the best sixth man in NBA history, but above all, one of the best dribblers in the league. But it was with the Los Angeles Clippers that he was able to show off his talent and have fun. In the 2010s, the Clippers, led by Chris Paul, called themselves “Lob City”, in reference to their highly aerial and whimsical style of play. It was the perfect environment for Jamal to express himself with a series of crazy moves, usually ending with huge dunks by Blake Griffin or Deandre Jordan… Sniff… No, I’m not crying, I just have dust in my eye.

Jason Williams (Sacramento Kings) : For younger fans and those unfamiliar with the game, this name probably doesn’t mean anything to you. However, ‘White Chocolate’ was considered Allen Iverson’s number one rival for the title of ‘best ball handler in the league’ in the early 2000s and one of the best point guards the NBA has ever seen. Best known for his passes, each more impressive than the last, everything he touched turned to gold. His ball-handling was among the best in the league, but that was before the best dribbler in history appeared in the early 2010s.

Kyrie Irving : As you may have noticed, there is no team named after Kyrie Irving, for the simple reason that he has made a mockery of the entire NBA, playing for every franchise he has been with during his career. Considered by his peers to be the Greatest-Of-All-Time when it comes to ball-handling, Kyrie has many victims on his list. Speed, agility, reflexes, dexterity, quickness—all these words describe the ball-handling skills of the 2016 NBA champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers. It’s difficult to pick just one memorable moment because there are so many, so we invite you to enjoy his highlights !

🎬Legendary moment: Allen Iverson’s step-over on Tyronn Lue

Let’s set the scene. NBA Finals 2001, the Los Angeles Lakers duo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant are looking to win back-to-back titles and find themselves up against the Philadelphia 76ers led by Allen Iverson. It’s the first game of the series, and Allen Iverson wastes no time in pulling off one of the most iconic plays of all time. With only about 50 seconds left on the clock in overtime, The Answer decides to take on Tyronn Lue in a 1-on-1. He drove to the baseline, then reversed direction, passing the ball between his legs to get away from his opponent, before taking his shot. Tyronn Lue, caught off guard, tried to block it, but he was too short. The Angelino then fell on his backside at Allen Iverson’s feet, unable to do anything but watch as the point guard scored the winning basket for Philly, but the humiliation didn’t end there. On his way back to defence, The Answer decided to step over poor Tyronn, who was still on the floor, giving the world one of the most iconic photos and plays in basketball history. What happened next? Philadelphia won Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals, but the Lakers went on to win four consecutive games to clinch back-to-back titles and the 13th in franchise history. Since that day, Philadelphia has never reached the Finals again.