Who Is The Best Ankle Breaker In The NBA?

Take a look at some of the best ankle breakers in the NBA today. From Russell Westbrook to Kyrie Irving, these players have a knack for leaving their opponents in the dust.

Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets is one of the best ankle breakers in the NBA. He has a lethal crossover that has left many defenders in the dust. Kyrie also has great handles and can get to the rim at will. If you’re looking for someone to break your ankles, Kyrie Irving is your man.

Career highlights

Kyrie Andrew Irving (/ˈkaɪri/; born March 23, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named the Rookie of the Year after being selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. A six-time NBA All-Star and two-time member of the All-NBA Team, he won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016.

He has also played for USA Basketball, winning gold medals at the 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics. Irving was born in Melbourne, Australia, to American parents. He grew up in West Orange, New Jersey, before moving to Connecticut to play basketball for Duke University.

ankle-breaking moments

Ankle-breaking moments are typically unexpected and lead to an immediate score or advantage for the player who breaks their opponent’s ankles. In the NBA, there have been many iconic ankle-breakers, with some players becoming known for their ability to create them.

Kyrie Irving is one of the best ankle breakers in the NBA. He has a wide variety of moves that he uses to get past his defenders, and often leaves them looking silly in the process. Some of his most memorable moments include:

-The between-the-legs move he used to fake out Darren Collison in 2015
-The nutmeg he put on Tyler Ulis in 2016
-The behind-the-back crossover he used to freeze Derrick Rose in 2017

These are just a few examples of Kyrie’s incredible handles and ability to create separation from his defenders. If you’re ever looking for a highlight reel of ankle-breaking moments, Kyrie Irving is sure to be featured prominently.

Russell Westbrook

Arguably the best ankle breaker in the NBA, Russell Westbrook has a few tricks up his sleeve when it comes to crossing up his defender. With a quick first step and explosive lateral movement, Westbrook is able to get by his defender and into the lane where he can finish at the rim or dish it out to an open teammate.

Career highlights

-Westbrook was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics, who then relocated to Oklahoma City six days later.
-He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, and was selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game five times and named an All-Star MVP in 2015. He is also a nine-time member of the All-NBA Team and won the NBA scoring title in 2014–15.
-In 2017, Westbrook averaged a triple-double for the season, becoming only the second player in NBA history to do so after Oscar Robertson in 1962. He also set a new record for most triple-doubles in a season with 42.
-Westbrook went on to win his first NBA championship while also being named Finals MVP during the 2020 NBA Finals.

ankle-breaking moments

Russell Westbrook is one of the best ankle breakers in the NBA. He has a wide repertoire of moves that he uses to get by defenders, and he seems to always find a way to get his man off balance. Here are some of his best ankle-breaking moments:

1) Against LeBron James in the 2016 Finals
2) Against Kyrie Irving in the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals
3) Against Goran Dragic in the 2018 Western Conference Finals
4) Against Danny Green in the 2019 NBA Finals
5) Against Russel Westbrook in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game

James Harden

There’s no doubt that James Harden is the best ankle breaker in the NBA. He’s done it to some of the best players in the league, and he always makes it look so easy. If you’re thinking about challenging Harden to a game of one-on-one, you might want to think again.

Career highlights

James Harden is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is one of the best ankle breakers in the NBA, and he has Dynamic Court Vision.

Harden was born in Los Angeles, California, and he played college basketball for Arizona State University. He was selected with the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In his first three seasons with the Thunder, Harden was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team and helped lead Oklahoma City to the 2012 NBA Finals. He was traded to Houston in 2012, and he became one of the best players in the league.

Harden has been named an All-Star six times, and he has won two Olympic gold medals (2012, 2020). He was also named the 2017-18 NBA Most Valuable Player.

ankle-breaking moments

While there are many great players in the NBA today, one player who always seems to impress with his ankle-breaking moves is James Harden. Harden has become known for his unbelievable crossovers and step-backs, which often leave his defenders clutching at air.

In fact, Harden has become so good at breaking ankles that he now has his own signature move, which is known as the “Harden hesitation.” This move involves Harden crossing over one way, before quickly changing direction and going the other way. This often leaves defenders frozen in their tracks, allowing Harden to blow by them for an easy basket.

If you’re looking for some of the best ankle-breaking moments in the NBA today, then you need to check out James Harden. With his amazing handles and ability to score at will, Harden is sure to leave you entertained time and time again.

Damian Lillard

The Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard is one of the best ankle breakers in the NBA. Lillard has a lethal crossover that has taken down many defenders. Lillard also has a great step-back jumper that is almost unguardable.

Career highlights

Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr. (born July 15, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Weber State Wildcats and earned third-team All-American honors in 2012. After being selected by Portland with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft, Lillard was unanimously voted the NBA Rookie of the Year.

He has been selected to two All-Star teams and has earned four All-NBA Team selections. In 2019, he was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.

Lillard played high school basketball at Oakland High School in Oakland, California. As a freshman he was an unheralded 5’9″ point guard on a team full of seniors. In his sophomore year he grew five inches and made Oakland’s varsity team where he averaged 20 points per game, helping his team finish with a 25-4 record and reach the state semifinals. For his senior year, he led Oakland to a 28-3 record and a berth in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state championship game. On March 17, 2008, Oakland defeated Mater Dei of Santa Ana 73-66 to win their first CIF state title in school history.

In college, Lillard averaged 19 points per game as a freshman and then 24 points per game as a sophomore while leading Weber State to back-to-back Big Sky Conference regular season championships as well as an appearance in the 2010 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. As a junior in 2011–12, Lillard averaged 24.5 points per game—fourth highest in Division I—and led Weber State to its first conference tournament title since 2007 while also being named both Big Sky Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year—the first player ever to achieve that feat—as well as becoming just the third player ever to sweep those awards in consecutive seasons.

ankle-breaking moments

Community discussion about Damian Lillard’s best moments when he breaks his opponents’ ankles.

Some of the best moments include:
-When he made Khris Middleton fall
-When he crossed over Wesley Matthews
-When he made De’Aaron Fox look foolish

Do you have a favorite?

Other ankle breakers in the NBA

Eric Bledsoe

Eric Bledsoe is one of the best ankle breakers in the NBA. He has a great first step and he knows how to use his body to create space. He also has a great handle and can change directions quickly.

Jamal Crawford

Ranked as one of the top ankle breakers in the NBA, Jamal Crawford has been wowing audiences for years with his killer crossovers. The 36-year-old currently plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he’s been around the league since 2000, when he was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Crawford is known for his quickness and ball-handling skills, which often leave his defenders flat on their backs. He’s got a signature move called the “shammgod” that became popularized in streetball, and he’s used it to devastating effect against some of the best players in the NBA.

While Crawford may not be the most prolific scorer in the league anymore, he can still light it up when given the chance. He’s currently averaging 10.3 points per game off the bench for the Timberwolves, and he recently scored a season-high 27 points against the Charlotte Hornets.

So if you’re looking for someone to provide a little excitement on the court, Jamal Crawford is definitely your man. Just don’t expect him to take it easy on you if you happen to be guarding him.

Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose may not be the most prolific scorer in the NBA, but he is certainly one of the league’s best “ankle breakers.” Throughout his career, Rose has used his quick first step and amazing stop-and-start ability to leave defenders in the dust time and time again.

While Rose may not have the fanciest handles in the league, he is more than capable of crossing up even the best defenders. Just ask former MVP Kobe Bryant, who was once on the receiving end of a nasty crossover from Rose.

In addition to his impressive handles, Rose is also an elite level athlete. His combination of speed, quickness, and power make him a handful for any defender tasked with stopping him.

If you need further proof of just how good Rose is at breaking ankles, just take a look at this compilation of some of his best crossovers.