Overview

• Qualifying plays are shots from at least 36 feet taken in the final three seconds of the first three quarters on possessions that begin in the backcourt, which will be logged as team attempts only if missed.
• Made heaves will still count for the shooter, preserving individual credit for successful long-range buzzer beaters.
• SportRadar data shows such attempts went in about 4% of the time last season, with Stephen Curry making four and Nikola Jokic making three under the rule’s criteria.
• The change follows Summer League testing and was approved at the Board of Governors meeting that also tweaked coach’s-challenge reviews and moved NBA Cup semifinals to higher seeds’ home courts starting in 2026–27.
• Reaction was mixed, with Richard Jefferson and Zach Lowe criticizing the move as letting players avoid downside while keeping credit for makes.