Image via Complex Original
It's been said that there can be beauty found in destruction. A lot of the people who do say that can be sadists, but it's a true statement when referring to ankle-breakers. A crossover isn't just a moment of flash, but a true art form in itself. It's a perfect combination of fast-twitch reflexes, intuition, and straight up talent all for the ambition of transcending one's ankle bone out of its place. This is an art form that the masters of the shakes—Allen Iverson, Baron Davis, and others—honed in college. Keep in mind that there are dozens of more teams in the NCAA than in the NBA. That not only means there's a lot more broken ankles; only the best of the best can make it on the Greatest College Basketball Ankle-Breakers of All Time list. It doesn't matter if it's professional or collegiate. Defenders will be broken down. Badly.
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25. Jonny Flynn
Victim: Anthony Farmer
Date: 1/10/2009
Game: Syracuse @ Rutgers
First he crossed Farmer up, then he climbed the ladder and dunked on his teammate. That's what you call a double-whammy.
24. Ivory Latta
Victim: Alana Beard
Date: 3/8/2004
Game: UNC vs. Duke
Ivory gets busy. Props to Beard for at least trying to play defense as she fell to her death.
23. Jimmer Fredette
Victim: Mickey McConnell
Date: 11/27/2010
Game: St. Mary's vs. BYU
Why can't Jimmer bring that playground handle to the NBA? The Kings needs to let him loose!
22. Scoop Jardine
Victim: Sandro Carissimo
Date: 3/20/2010
Game: Vermont vs. Syracuse
Scoop should be arrested for what he did to that poor kid.
21. Jason Williams
Victim: Kenyan Weaks
Date: 1/10/1998
Game: Georgia @ Florida
White Chocolate's crossover has been sweet for a long time. One of the best to ever handle the rock.
20. Ray McCallum Jr.
Victim: Jordon Crawford
Date: 11/27/2012
Game: Detroit @ Bowling Green
The stutter step has ruined many lives. Jordon Crawford hasn't been heard from since.
19. CJ McCollum
Victim: Josh Hairston
Date: 3/16/2012
Game: Lehigh vs. Duke
Oh my God, Hairston never stood a chance. C.J. was looking like a young Kyle Lee Watson (google it, fool).
18. Dwayne "Pearl" Washington
Victim: Gene Smith
Date: 3/18/1985
Game: DePaul vs. Syracuse
Nothing like an old school stutter step to get you through the day.
17. Juwan Buchanan
Victim: Unknown
Date: 2/11/2013
Game: Snow College @ SLCC
Word is homie needed several titanium plates to put his ankles back together. Now he's stronger and faster than ever before.
16. Austin Rivers
Victim: Jordan Sibert
Date: 11/30/2011
Game: Duke @ Ohio State
He was called for an offensive foul but still, did you see that crossover? That's what's important here.
15. Ray Allen
Victim: Victor Page
Date: 3/9/1996
Game: Georgetown vs. Villanova
Victor Page isn't having the best life, right now. Maybe this crossover had something to do with it.
14. Randy Culpepper
Victim: Scottie Haralson
Date: 1/5/2011
Game: Tulsa @ UTEP
That spin is ridiculous. At least Scottie Haralson is fresh and clean.
13. Allen Iverson
Victim: Unknown
Date: 1994-96
Game: Unknown
A.I. was born with that crossover. He doesn't practice, remember?
12. Baron Davis
Victim: Unknown
Date: 1998
Game: Unknown
If it weren't for the injuries, B. Diddy would've been an all-time great.
11. Jeffery Taylor
Victim: Rob Wilson
Date: 3/17/2012
Game: Vanderbilt vs. Wisconsin
Taylor with an arsenal of fakes. Rob Wilson could only look up in shame.
10. A.J. Price
Victim: Jerel McNeal
Date: 2/25/2009
Game: Connecticut @ Marquette
Damn. The crossover, the step-back, the wet jumper. Perfect.
9. Kemba Walker
Victim: Gary McGhee
Date: 3/10/2011
Game: UConn vs. Pittsburgh
Being the team to lose the Big East Championship by a last second jumper must be a horrible feeling. To be the guy that the scorer made the jumper on and left crawling (literally) in the agony of defeat? Damn, we can hardly imagine.
8. Kenny Anderson
Victim: Bobby Hurley
Date: 1/28/1990
Game: Duke @ Georgia Tech
When you're this close to the ballhandler and you still manage to get crossed up like this, it's time to start practicing your wrap-up tackles. Yes this is basketball, but dignity is at stake here. Forget the rules in this case.
Side Note: This is extra hilarious to the author since Bobby Hurley currently coaches at his alma mater. Although his ankles broke, he can confirm Hurley can stand without needing any help.
7. Daryll Hill
Victim: Dwight Brewington
Date: 2/29/2004
Game: Providence @ St. John's
St. John's ended up finishing the season 6-21, which is just awful if you've just gone 21-13 the previous year. This crossover is so good that automatically made the entire season a success.
6. God Shammgod
Victim: Michael Dickerson
Date: 3/23/1997
Game: Providence vs. Arizona
Michael Kickerson's main mistake is guardig God Shammgod. You should never, ever guard somebody who has a damn crossover named after him. If you're assigned to him, just stand aside and let him do his thing. And if your coach and teammates ask why you stopped guarding him, simply say, "I didn't know that was my assignment" no matter how many times it happens in the game. If you get kicked out the team and lose your full scholarship you've worked so hard for, that's fine. The ability to walk is pretty dope if you ask us.
5. Lance Stephenson
Victim: Tu Holloway
Date: 12/12/2009
Game: Cincinnati @ Xavier
Ugh! Don't you just hate it when the ground suddenly moves while you're playing defense to make you lose your footing? Wait, you're saying the ground didn't move? Well, very well then...
4. Nolan Smith
Victim: Tim Hardaway Jr.
Date: 3/20/2011
Game: Michigan @ Duke
It looks like Nolan Smith is more like Tim Hardaway, Sr. than his own son. Damn shame.
3. Trey Burke
Victim: Dave Sobolewski
Date: 1/4/2013
Game: Northwestern @ Michigan
Trey Burke, your 2013 National Player of the Year.
2. Elijah Johnson
Victim: Marcus Smart
Date: 2/20/2013
Game: Kansas @ Oklahoma State
Michael Cobbins must have been so emotional when he made the shot block.
Marcus Smart's Ankle: **Breaks**
Cobbins: NO! I'll avenge you. **Goes up and dominates shot**
Elijah Johnson: **Smirks as he knows the breakdown of Smart's ankle will be on constant replay on YouTube for years to come***
Cobbins: **Turns to Smart's Ankle with tears streaming down his face** They didn't have to do you like man.
Smart's Ankle: Sorry, boys, all the stitches in the world can’t sew me together again...Lay down. Lay down. Gonna stretch me out in right on campus... Always knew I’d make a stop there, but a lot later than a whole gang of people thought. Last of the Cowboys. Well, maybe not the last. Oklahoma State is going to be a good team. New, improved Cowboys. Hope they use this lesson to stick better defense. No room in this city for big hearts like ours... Sorry, boys, I tried the best I could. Honest. Can’t come with me on this trip, though... Gettin’ the shakes now. Last call for drinks. Bar’s closin’ down. Sun’s out. Where we goin’ for breakfast? Don’t wanna go far...Rough night. Tired, baby...Tired.
1. Randolph Childress
Victim: Jeff McInnis
Date: 3/12/1995
Game: UNC vs. Wake Forest
The author watched this around 120 times or so. The first 60 is because of how hilarious and absurd the manner Jeff McInnis' ankle gets blown out. Yeah, this crossover happened nearly two decades ago. But to refute that, didn't Mobb Deep's The Infamous come out in 1995 as well? Is that not still one of hip-hop's greatest albums? Precisely. So basically this Randolph Childress crossover is The Infamous of crossovers.
The other 60 times, he was perusing the victim's ankle to see if there was any type of red dot. Because, you know, this ankle-breaker was too good for him not to have potentially been sniped from afar. But nope. He became the victim to one of the greatest ankle-breaking moments in history.