Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas was one of the best ball handlers the NBA ever saw. His expertise with the crossover began at a time when the 3-point rule didn’t exist in the NBA. Considered a pioneer of the move, Thomas once appreciated the uniqueness brought to the move by the likes of Allen Iverson and Tim Hardaway. Thomas gave an in-depth analysis of the history of the move while speaking on a NBA pre-game show, 6 years before reacting to Jordan freezing up, back in 2016. The interview was recently shared by the “What Are NBA Celebs Upto?” account on Twitter.
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While Isiah Thomas himself made the crossover popular, he started at a time when the 3-point line didn’t exist in the NBA. For Iverson, the crossover was also a tool to claim space for long-range shots. This meant that the Philadelphia 76ers legend brought in a new era of ball handling that was ideal for the 3-point game.
Isiah Thomas praised Allen Iverson’s impact on the crossover
Speaking on the show, Thomas talked in detail about how Iverson changed the way, and the reason why the crossover was used. While Tim Hardaway and himself were both elite ball handlers, they didn’t go outside to take up shots.
However, Iverson used it to make space for himself on the outside of the defender. This set him up for 3-pointers. Thomas claimed that it was his ability to hold on to the ball, as well as his will to shoot from distance that was unique:
“Allen Iverson had, this thing, where he would hesitate, and put it out here, then he would stutter, he holding it, and you would stand up, and then he would come backwards. It’s the originality, the creativity, it’s the heart, it’s the imagination.”
Thomas went on to claim that both he and Tim Hardaway relied on a simpler version of the crossover. The move was then meant to only go inside on either side of the primary defender.
Thomas praised Iverson’s crossover on MJ during his rookie year
Isiah Thomas spoke about Iverson’s unique crossover multiple times. 6 years after his detailed analysis, he talked about one particular move, that AI pulled off during his rookie year.
The player he flummoxed was none other than Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan, back in 1997. Thomas praised AI for this. Additionally, he claimed that nobody had seen his version of the crossover when he first came to the NBA.
Iverson was successfully able to hold on to the ball for a few seconds before completely wrong footing MJ. He pushed towards the left twice before quickly turning to the right, leaving Jordan to block a ghost. The move is arguably one of the most iconic ones ever pulled off by a rookie in the NBA.
