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NEW YORK (AP)—NBA players can now launch those long-range shots at the end of quarters without worrying about how it might skew their shooting stats.
The league has enacted a new method for recording these types of shots, potentially encouraging players to attempt more deep heaves in pursuit of a last-second miracle. The decision was reached during the board of governors meeting held on Wednesday.
This rule alteration was initially tested at the Summer League in Las Vegas in July, as well as in smaller leagues that took place in Utah and California that same month.
For the purposes of statistics, the NBA will classify any shot attempted within the last three seconds of the first three quarters, launched from a distance of at least 36 feet—provided it originates from the backcourt—as a team shot attempt, rather than an individual one.
In the past, many players refrained from taking those desperate 50-foot or farther shots at quarter’s end, as it could negatively impact their individual shooting percentages. With the introduction of this “heave rule,” the league aims to encourage more such attempts.
Data from SportRadar revealed that last season, players hit approximately 4% of shots taken within the last three seconds of the first three quarters from the 36-foot mark. Tracking data indicated that Golden State’s Stephen Curry made four of these shots last season, while Denver’s Nikola Jokic hit three.
During Wednesday’s conclusion of the board of governors meeting, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed optimism about finalizing the details for this season’s All-Star Game, which will feature a U.S. versus the world format, before the regular season kicks off.
As reported by the AP and other sources on September 3, the league is nearing the completion of another new structure for the All-Star Game, which may involve three teams of eight—two from the U.S. and one international team—competing in a round-robin format.
This setup of 16 All-Stars from the U.S. and eight from other nations aligns with the current demographics of NBA players, which consists of approximately two-thirds Americans and one-third international players.
“Fans have lasting memories of All-Star games. It’s integral to the league’s culture, the excitement surrounding it, and the players’ involvement,” Silver noted. “Therefore, we want to make improvements.”
The league has been steering towards this direction for several months, especially following last season’s All-Star mini-tournament—a series of untimed games to 40 points that involved four teams of eight, which did not receive a warm reception.
Silver has been advocating for a more competitive All-Star format for several years, noting that recent games have lacked defensive intensity—a 211-186 match in 2024 being a particularly notable incident—prompting the league to explore new tournament styles for the previous season.
Discussions about creating a new league in Europe, in collaboration with FIBA, are still ongoing, Silver stated.
“Our basketball executives are deeply engaged in how competition will be structured,” Silver remarked. “Our legal team is diligently considering how to implement a revenue-sharing model with players within a European context as part of a cap-based system.”
Additionally, Silver provided updates regarding domestic expansion plans during the meeting. The NBA announced in July its intentions to formally explore adding to its current roster of 30 teams, although no timeline has been established for this development.
Both Seattle and Las Vegas are widely regarded as top contenders if the league chooses to pursue expansion.
Starting in the 2026-27 season, the NBA Cup—currently featuring a Final Four format for its semifinals and finals held in Las Vegas—will undergo adjustments.
The league has decided that beginning next season, the semifinals will be hosted at the home venues of the higher-seeded teams in each conference. The final will remain the only game played at a neutral location and will not count toward any team’s overall record.
