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.
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
| Action | PS4 / PS5 Controls | Xbox One / Series X Controls |
| Signature Size-up | Move & hold RS stick up from a standing dribble | Move & hold RS up from a standing dribble |
| Signature Park Size-up | Repeatedly tap L2 from a stand dribble | Repeatedly tap LT from a stand dribble |
| In and Out | Move RS right then quickly release while dribbling with right hand. | Move RS up right then quickly release while dribbling with right hand |
| Hesitation | Move the RS then quickly release when dribbling with right hand | Move the RS right then quickly release when dribbling with right hand |
| Momentum Hesitation | R2 + move RS right then quickly release when dribbling with right hand | RT + move RS right then quickly release when dribbling with right hand |
| Hesitation Escape | Move and hold RS right when dribbling with right hand | Move and hold RS right when dribbling with right hand |
| Crossover | When dribbling with the right hand. Move RS up left then quickly release | When dribbling with the right hand. Move RS up left then quickly release |
| Momentum Crossover | R2 + move RS up left then quickly release when dribbling with right hand | R2 + move RS up left then quickly release when dribbling with right hand |
| Crossover Escape | When dribbling with right hand move & hold RS up left | When dribbling with right hand move & hold RS up left |
| Between Legs Cross | Move RS left then quickly release when dribbling with right hand | Move RS left then quickly release when dribbling with right hand |
| Momentum Between Legs Cross | R2 + move RS left then quickly release when dribbling with right hand | RT + move RS left then quickly release when dribbling with right hand |
| Between Legs Escape | Move and hold RS left when dribbling with right hand | Move and hold RS left when dribbling with right hand |
| Behind the Back | Move RS down left then quickly release when dribbling with right hand | Move RS left then quickly release when dribbling with right hand |
| Momentum Behind the Back | R2 + move RS down left then quickly release when dribbling with right hand | RT + move RS down left then quickly release when dribbling with right hand |
| Behind the Back Escape | When dribbling with right hand, move & hold RS down left | When dribbling with right hand, move & hold RS down left |
| Stepback | Move RS down then quickly release | Move RS down then quickly release |
| Momentum Stepback | R2 + move RS down then quickly release | R2 + move RS down then quickly release |
| Spin | Rotate the RS clockwise then quickly & release when dribbling with right hand | Rotate RS clockwise then quickly & release when dribbling with right hand |
| Half Spin | Rotate RS in a quarter-circle from right to up then quickly release when dribbling with right hand | Rotate RS in a quarter-circle from right to up then quickly release when dribbling with right hand |
| Hard Stop / Stutter | Tap L2 while driving for a quick change of speed | Tap LT while driving for a quick change of speed |
| Hold Off Defenders | Hold L2 | Hold LT |
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. |
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