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Table of Contents
Any player looking to become lethal on the court needs to get accustomed to all the NBA 2K25 controls. While not every build or position will use every type of move, it's good to have at least a general understanding of all the weapons in your toolbox.
Learning a versatile moveset is key for players looking to spend time in MyNBA Eras, and it'll also help pinpoint the perfect MyPLAYER build for MyCAREER. In this NBA 2K25 controls guide, you'll find details for all the most important moves on offense and defense.
NBA 2K25 Controls Guide for Xbox and PlayStation
While you'll often have the choice to pause the game and check controls, having a handy reference can save time and speed things up as you're honing your skills in NBA 2K25. With the MyPLAYER builder letting players test things out even more this year, you might want to spend some time seeing which moves feel fluid with the position and build you're considering.
NBA 2K25 is still available this year on PS4 and Xbox One, but the gap between generations is only growing wider. With a new dribble engine and several gameplay upgrades exclusive to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, this controls guide will be specific to those platforms, but many of the controls are similar or the same on past gen editions.
With a massive amount of playmaking moves and specific shot variations, the best thing for players looking to step their game up is heading into Learn 2K and working on whatever best fits your build or playstyle. If you wanna become a lockdown defender, there are plenty of advanced maneuvers that are best practiced in Learn 2K while handling specific scenarios.
Offense Controls
First, we'll outline the core NBA 2K25 controls on offense that every player needs to know:
| Offense Controls | Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S |
PS4 & PS5 |
| Post Up | Hold LT | Hold L2 |
| Sprint | Press RT | Press R2 |
| Call Timeout | Press View Button | Press Touchpad |
| Coach's Challenge | Press View Button after a Foul or Violation, you are allowed one Challenge per game | Press Touchpad after a Foul or Violation, you are allowed one Challenge per game |
| Pause | Press Start Button | Press Options Button |
| Move Player | Move Left Stick | Move Left Stick |
| Offensive Gameplan | Press D-Pad Right | Press D-Pad Right |
| Substitutions | Press D-Pad Down | Press D-Pad Down |
| Favorite Plays | Press D-Pad Left | Press D-Pad Left |
| Gameplay HUD | Press D-Pad Up | Press D-Pad Up |
| Call Play (On-Ball) | Press LB | Press L1 |
| Icon Pass (On-Ball) | Press RB | Press R1 |
| Shoot (On-Ball) | Press X | Press Square |
| Dunk (On-Ball) |
Hold RT and Press X while driving in close range | Hold R2 and Press Square while driving in close range |
| Pump Fake (On-Ball) |
Tap X | Tap Square |
| Lob Pass (On-Ball) | Press Y | Press Triangle |
| Bounce Pass (On-Ball) | Press B | Press Circle |
| Pass (On-Ball) | Press A | Press X |
| Call For Screen (Off-Ball) | Press LB | Press L1 |
| Call For Alley-Oop (Off-Ball) | Double Tap Y while Cutting Towards the Hoop | Double Tap Triangle while Cutting Towards the Hoop |
| Tell Teammate To Shoot (Off-Ball) | Press X | Press Square |
| Set Screen (Off-Ball) |
Press and Hold B | Press and Hold B |
| Quick Screen (Off-Ball) | Tap B | Tap Circle |
| Call For Pass (Off-Ball) | Press A | Press X |
| Pro Stick | Move Right Stick | Move Right Stick |
| Hold Off Defenders | Holding LT allows you to use your body to shield off defenders while dribbling, use it against trailing defenders to prevent them from getting around you and make it easier to finish at the rim | Holding L2 allows you to use your body to shield off defenders while dribbling, use it against trailing defenders to prevent them from getting around you and make it easier to finish at the rim |
| Speed Burst | Tap RT while Driving for a quick burst of speed to break a defender off and set up an open shot | Tap R2 while Driving for a quick burst of speed to break a defender off and set up an open shot |
Defense Controls
Next up, let's take a look at the main NBA 2K25 defense controls:
| Defense Controls | Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S | PS4 & PS5 |
| Intense-D | Press LT | Press L2 |
| Double Team | Press and Hold LB | Press and Hold L1 |
| Intentional Foul | Press and Hold X when Near the Ball Handler | Press and Hold Square when Near the Ball Handler |
| Pause | Press Start Button | Press Options Button |
| Sprint | Press RT | Press R2 |
| Icon Swap | Press RB | Press R1 |
| Move Player | Move Left Stick | Move Left Stick |
| Block / Rebound | Press Y | Press Triangle |
| Steal | Press X | Press Square |
| Player Swap (closest to ball) | Press A | Press X |
| Take Charge | Press B | Press Circle |
| Hands Up | Move Right Stick Up | Move Right Stick Up |
| Precision Steal | Move Right Stick left or right to steal with that hand, using the hand closer to the ball increases chances of a steal | Move Right Stick left or right to steal with that hand, using the hand closer to the ball increases chances of a steal |
| Defensive Game Plan | Press D-Pad Right | Press D-Pad Right |
| Substitutions | Press D-Pad Down | Press D-Pad Down |
| Defensive Sets | Press D-Pad Left | Press D-Pad Left |
| Gameplay HUD | Press D-Pad Up | Press D-Pad Up |
| Team Intentional Foul |
Press View Button to have the Entire Team Attempt to Foul the Ball Handler | Press Touchpad to have the Entire Team Attempt to Foul the Ball Handler |
Once you've got a solid grasp on all these primary NBA 2K25 controls, you should have a better idea of the style you enjoy playing or what will be important for your MyPLAYER build. Spend some more time in Learn 2K until you've wrapped up the Advanced Tutorial and can start pushing yourself with Mini-Games. If you're in MyCAREER, you also have the options of just heading to your MyCOURT in NBA 2K25 where you can work on shooting or bring in friends to practice together.
