NBA 2K21: How To Shoot And Pass - Full Controls, Pass Fake, Shooting Tips, Tricks And More!

The NBA 2K21 demo has released for players all over the world.

Fans of the series have been highly anticipating jumping into the new game once again.

However, for newcomers, they will have to learn the entirety of the controls, including shooting and passing.

Here are some tips and tricks for passing and shooting in 2K21! 

Shooting

The whole point of basketball is to score more points than the other team, and this is why knowing all of the shooting controls is by far one of the most important features of this game. 

There is an ample amount of shooting moves that can be performed in 2K; from Euro Step Layups to a simple pull-up; it is important to know at least a few of these. 

Usgamer.net has noted all of the shooting controls from NBA 2K20, and we assume these will not change.

  • Jump Shot - Move and hold the right analog stick then release, or hold Square then release.
  • Bank Shot - Move and hold the right analog stick up, and then release.
  • Free Throw - Move and hold the right analog stick then release, or hold Square then release.
  • Normal Layup - Move and hold the right analog stick up while driving.
  • Euro Step LayupMove and hold Right Stick down left while driving with ball in right hand ORDouble tap Square while driving while holding Left Stick toward the off hand.
  • Runner/Floater - Move and hold the right analog stick down while driving at close range.
  • Reverse Layup - Move and hold the right analog stick to the right while driving along the right baseline.
  • Two-Hand Dunk - Hold right trigger, and hold the right analog stick up while driving.
  • Dominant Dunk - Hold right trigger, and hold the right analog stick left or right while driving to determine the dunking hand.
  • Flashy Dunk - Hold right trigger, and hold the right analog stick down while driving.
  • Pump Fake - Tap Square, or quickly move and then release the right analog stick.
  • Hop Gather - Tap Square while dribbling with the left analog stick moving in either direction.
  • Spin Shot - Hold right trigger and double tap Square.

Passing

As much as some of us hate doing it, you are going to need to know how to pass the ball in 2K.

Especially if you are playing The Park or MyPlayer; do not be a ball hog and learn some of the basic passing controls. 

There are more passing options than one may think; and here are the complete passing controls below!

  • Normal Pass - Press X and use the left analog stick to select the receiver.
  • Bounce Pass - Press O to pass and use the left analog stick to select the receiver.
  • Overhead Pass - Press Triangle to pass and use the left analog stick to select the receiver.
  • Skip Pass - Hold X to target a receiver further away.
  • Fake Pass - Press Triangle and O while standing still or driving.
  • Jump Pass - Press Square and X while standing still or driving.
  • Icon Pass - Press the right bumper, then press the corresponding icon of the receiver.
  • Flashy Pass - Double tap O to pass and use the left analog stick to select a receiver.
  • Alley-Oop - Double tap Triangle to pass and use the left analog stick to select a receiver.
  • Alley-Oop to Self - Double tap Triangle and move the left analog stick towards the hoop.
  • Lead to Basket Pass - Press and hold Triangle to make the selected receiver cut to the basket, then release Triangle to pass.
  • Touch Pass - Press X before the initial receiver gets the ball, and use the left analog stick to select the second receiver.
  • Give and Go - Press and hold X until the receiver catches the ball. While keeping X held, use the left analog stick to move the initial passer, and release X to get the ball back.
expand image

Tips and Tricks

There are a few vital tips that we can leave you with at the end of this piece, and these include: 

  • Develop game sense while playing - knowing when to perform a bounce pass or a give and go is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of a 2K game to understand
  • Pump Fakes are one of the most underrated moves in 2K - defenders are more than likely going to bite on one eventually, so get used to performing them
  • Flashy Passes may look cool, but if your MyPlayer has an abysmal passing rating do not attempt these as it will result in a quick turnover