NBA 2K21: Complete Controls Guide for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4 & PS5

The controls in NBA 2K21 can be broken down into the following major categories. This includes Offense, Defense, Shooting, Dribbling, Passing, Post moves.

Having a good knowledge of these controls will give you the best opportunity to succeed in the game on both ends of the floor.

In this NBA 2K21 controls guide, RS and LS denote right and left analog sticks.

Contents hide

1. NBA 2K21 Offense Controls

1.1. NBA 2K21 On Ball Offense Controls

1.2. NBA 2K21 Off Ball Offense Controls

2. NBA 2K21 Defense Controls

2.1. NBA 2K21 On Ball Defense Controls

2.2. NBA 2K21 Off Ball Defense Controls

3. NBA 2K21 Shooting Controls

4. NBA 2K21 Passing Controls

5. NBA 2K21 Dribbling Controls

6. NBA 2K21 Post Offense Controls

NBA 2K21 Offense Controls

Offensive controls can be broken down into two sub-categories; On-Ball Offense and Off-Ball Offense.

On-Ball Offense is used when you are controlling the player with the ball in hand. Off-Ball Offense is used when you are controlling a player without the ball in hand.

NBA 2K21 On Ball Offense Controls

Action	PS4 / PS5 Controls	Xbox One / Series X Controls
Pass	X	A
Bounce Pass	Circle	B
Lob Pass	Triangle	Y
Shoot	Square or RS	X or RS
Sprint	R2	RT
Icon Pass	R1 (choose receiver)	RB (choose receiver)
Call Timeout / Coaches Challenge	Touch Pad	Back Button
Move Player	LS	LS
Pro Stick	RS	RS
On the Fly Coaching	Arrow-Pad	Arrow-Pad
Call Play	L1	LB
Post Up	L2	LT

NBA 2K21 Off Ball Offense Controls

Action	PS4 / PS5 Controls	Xbox One / Series X Controls
Call For Pass	X	A
Quick Screen	O	B
Tell Teammate To Shoot	Square	X
Call For Alley-oop	Triangle	Y
Sprint	R2	RT
Call Timeout / Coach’s Challenge	Touch Pad	Back Button
Call for Screen	L1	LB
Post Up	L2	LT
On the Fly Coaching	Arrow-Pad	Arrow-Pad
Move Player	LS	LS
Pro Stick	RS	RS

NBA 2K21 Defense Controls

Defensive controls can be broken down into two sub-categories; On-Ball Defense and Off-Ball Defense

On-Ball Defense is used when you are controlling the player that is directly defending the ball handler. Off-Ball defense is used when you are controlling a defender that is not defending a ball handler.

NBA 2K21 On Ball Defense Controls

Action	PS4 / PS5 Controls	Xbox One / Series X Controls
Move Player	LS	LS
Hands Up	RS	RS
Player Swap	X	A
Take Charge	O	B
Block/Rebound	Triangle	Y
Steal	Square	X
Sprint	R2	RT
Icon Swap	R1	RB
Double Team	L1	LB
Intense Defense	L2	LT
Intentional Foul	Touch Pad	Back Button
On the Fly Coaching	Arrow Pad	Arrow Pad

NBA 2K21 Off Ball Defense Controls

Action	PS4 / PS5 Controls	Xbox One / Series X Controls
Move Player	LS	LS
On Ball Steal	RS	RS
Player Swap	X	A
Take Charge	O	B
Block/Rebound	Triangle	Y
Steal	Square	X
Sprint	R2	RT
Icon Swap	R1	RB
Double Team	L1	LB
Intense Defense	L2	LT
Intentional Foul	Touch Pad	Back Button
On the Fly Coaching	Arrow Pad	Aarrow Pad

These basic offensive controls are essential across every game mode in NBA 2K21. This is perhaps the most important knowledge every player needs to have to be able to compete in 2K21.

NBA 2K21 Shooting Controls

Knowledge of these shooting controls is essential for players looking to succeed at the intermediate or advanced level.

Action	PS4 / PS5 Controls	Xbox One / Series X Controls
Jump Shot	Press & hold Square then release	Press & hold Y then release
Free Throw	Press & hold square then release (when at the line)	Press and hold Y then release (when at the line)
Layup	Move & hold RS up (when driving)	Move & hold Rs up (when driving)
Runner / Floater	Move & hold RS down while driving	Move & hold RS down while driving
Reverse Layup	Move & hold the RS right (while driving along the baseline)	Move & hold RS right (while driving along the baseline)
Euro Step Layup	Double tap square while driving & hold LS towards the off hand	Double tap Y while driving & hold the LS towards the off hand
Cradle Layup	Double tap square when driving & hold LS towards the ball hand	Double tap Y when driving & hold LS towards the ball hand
Two-Hand Dunk	R2 + move & hold RS up while driving to basket	RT + move & hold RS up while driving to basket
Dominant or Off-Hand Dunk	R2 + move & hold RS up, left or right in close range	RT + move & hold RS up, left or right in close range
Flashy Dunk	R2 + move & hold RS down when driving, release to finish dunk	RT + move & hold RS down when driving, release to finish dunk
Pump Fake	Tap Square	Tap Y
Hop Gather	Tap Square while dribbling with L deflected	Tap Y while dribbling with L deflected
Spin Gather	Hold R2 + double tap Square	Hold RT + double tap Y
Spin Gather	Hold R2 + double tap square	Hold RT + double tap Y
Half Spin Gather	Rotate RS in a quarter-circle from right to up then hold while driving with ball in right hand	Rotate RS in a quarter-circle from right to up then hold while driving with ball in right hand
Step Through	Near basket, pump fake, then press & hold square	Near basket, pump fake, then press & hold Y
Putback	Press square when attempting an offensive rebound	Press Y when attempting an offensive rebound

NBA 2K21 Passing Controls

Action	PS4 / PS5 Controls	Xbox One / Series X Controls
Normal Pass	Press X	Press A
Bounce Pass	Press O	Press B
Lob Pass	Press Triangle	Press Y
Skip Pass	Hold X to target a receiver further away	Hold A to target a receiver further away
Fake Pass	Triangle + O while standing or driving to the basket	B + Y while standing or driving to the basket
Jump Pass	Square + X while standing or driving to the basket	A + X while standing or driving to the basket
Icon Pass	Press R1 then press the icon button of the desired receiver	Press RB then press the icon button of the desired receiver
Flashy Pass	Double tap O	Double tap B to pass
Alley-oop	Double tap Triangle	Double tap Y
Alley-oop to Self	Double tap triangle + move LS to the hoop	Double tap Y + move LS to the hoop
Lead to Basket Pass	Press & hold triangle to make the selected receiver cut to the basket. Then Release to pass.	Press & hold Y to make the selected receiver cut to the basket. Then Release to pass.
Full Receiver Control	Press & hold O to freely move the selected receiver with LS. Release O to pass.	Press & hold B to freely move the selected receiver with LS. Release B to pass.
Touch Pass	Press X before the first receiver gets the ball (Use LS to select the second receiver)	Press A before the first receiver gets the ball (Use LS to select the second receiver)
Pro Stick Pass	Press & hold R1 + move RS in the desired pass direction	Press & hold RB + move RS in the desired pass direction
Give and Go	Press & hold X until the receiver catches the ball. Hold X & use LS to move the initial passer. Release X to get the ball back	Press & hold A until the receiver catches the ball. Hold A & use LS to move initial passer. Release A to get the ball back
Rolling Inbound	Press triangle during baseline inbounds	Press Y during baseline inbounds

NBA 2K21 Dribbling Controls

NBA 2K21 Post Offense Controls

Post offensive moves are crucial for bigs (C and PF’s) or even smaller players wanting to score in the paint.

* Press and hold (L2 – PS4) / (LT – Xbox One) button to post up.

Action	PS4 / PS5 Controls	Xbox One / Series X Controls
Dropstep	Hold LS to the left or right toward hoop, then tap Square	Hold LS to the left or right toward hoop, then tap X
Spin or Drive	Rotate RS to either shoulder	Rotate RS to either shoulder
Jab Stepback	Hold R2 & move RS up then quickly release.	Hold RT & move RS up then quickly release.
Straight Stepback	Hold R2 & move RS down then quickly release.	Hold RT & move RS down then quickly release.
Post Layup	Move LS toward hoop + hold RS up left or up right	Move LS toward hoop + hold RS up left or up right
Post Hook	With LS on neutral, move & hold RS up left or up right.	With LS on neutral, move & hold RS up left or up right.
Post Fade	Move & hold RS left or right away from the hoop	Move & hold RS left or right away from the hoop
Post Shimmy Fade	With LS neutral, hold R2 + move & hold RS down left or down right	With LS neutral, hold RT + move & hold RS down left or down right
Post Shimmy Hook	With LS neutral, hold R2 + move & hold RS up left or up right	With LS neutral, hold RT + move & hold RS up left or up right
Post Hop	Move & hold LS left, right or down then tap square	Move & hold LS left, right or down then tap X
Up and Under	Use RS to pump fake, then let go of L2 and quickly move & hold RS again before the pump fake ends	Use RS to pump fake, then let go of LT and quickly move & hold RS again before the pump fake ends
Dunk Attempt	Hold R2 & move LS + RS up.	Hold RT & move LS + RS up.