The 50 Greatest Ankle-Breakers in NBA History in GIFs

Because there's few things more satisfying to watch than a professional ballplayer collapsing because of a well-executed crossover.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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NBA players are near the center of America's sports-obsessed culture. Their athleticism attracts endless amounts of attention from sports fanatics, while their celebrity makes them a conversation topic even during the offseason. They aren't just giants in a physical sense, but also a metaphorical one. Stars like LeBron James, Allen Iverson, and Shaquille O'Neal aren't just good at their craft; they're part of lore.

Perhaps that's why it's always interesting to see these figures get broken down by a fraction of a second with twitches and quick misdirections. If facials are the main course, then well-executed crossovers are the dessert because you're always hitting that replay button. Every basketball fan will laud the sight of a fake that sends a star crumbling to the hardwood. Fundamentals be damned!

Andre Iguodala proved this for the umpteenth time last night. Even though his Golden State Warriors lost to the Denver Nuggets—and even though he only managed to score six points on 2-for-6 shooting from the field—Iggy has everyone talking today thanks to the sick double-crossover that he pulled off, which sent Nuggets forward Quincy Miller falling to the floor like a ton of bricks. It was one of the best crossovers we've seen during the 2013-14 NBA season and will definitely get added to Iggy's career highlights list.

In honor of it, take a moment to gawk at the fallen and frozen bodies and marvel at the ball-handling prowess that's displayed in our list of The 50 Greatest Ankle-Breakers in NBA History in GIFs. Welcome to the club, Iggy.

50. Stephon Marbury

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49. Kevin Durant

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48. Tyreke Evans

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47. Shaquille O'Neal

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46. Kyrie Irving

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45. Kobe Bryant

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44. Delonte West

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43. Derrick Rose

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42. Eric Gordon

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41. Brandon Jennings

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40. Chris Paul

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39. TJ Ford

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38. Jason Williams

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37. Speedy Claxton

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36. Michael Jordan

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35. Nate Robinson

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34. Norris Cole

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33. Russell Westbrook

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32. Hedo Turkoglu

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31. Steve Francis

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30. Kobe Bryant

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29. Nate Robinson

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28. Vince Carter

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27. Andre Iguodala

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26. Nate Robinson

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25. John Wall

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24. Beno Udrih

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23. Stephen Curry

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22. Tim Hardaway

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21. Baron Davis

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20. Michael Jordan

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19. Derrick Rose

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18. Jamal Crawford

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17. Deron Williams

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16. Jameer Nelson

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15. Jamal Crawford

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14. Dwyane Wade

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13. Deron Williams

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12. Chris Paul

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11. Deron Williams

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10. Kyrie Irving

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9. Allen Iverson

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8. Dwyane Wade

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7. Joe Johnson

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6. Allen Iverson

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5. Jason Kidd

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4. Allen Iverson

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3. Allen Iverson

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2. Michael Jordan

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1. Allen Iverson

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