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Last updated: Jan 24, 2023
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Table of Contents
- What Is the Shot Clock?
- NBA Shot Clock
- College Basketball Shot Clock
- Starting the Shot Clock
- Shot Clock Stoppages
- Shot Clock Resets
- Shot Clock Violation
- Shot Clock History
- Use of Basketball Shot Clocks
- Basketball Shot Clock Operator
- Buy a Basketball Shot Clock
- FAQ
What Is the Shot Clock?
Basketball shot clocks are a necessary piece of equipment for a competitive basketball game. The purpose of a shot clock is to set a timer for how long a team can have the ball in one possession before shooting the ball. If this timer runs out, the team with the ball is assessed a shot clock violation and loses possession of the ball.The shot clock is located on top of the backboard for any competitive basketball game. In the NBA, the shot clock is set to 24 seconds, while in the NCAA, it is 30 seconds.
The shot clock in basketball keeps track of how long the team on offense can possess the ball before they have to shoot it. The shot clock was invented so that teams would play the game at a quicker pace.
NBA Shot Clock
In the NBA, the shot clock lasts 24 seconds.The NBA did not have a shot clock until 1954, but it was deemed a necessary change to make the game more high-scoring and exciting, as games were relatively low-scoring compared to the present. Forcing quicker shots created the offensive style we see today at the NBA level, which consists of fast ball movement and more scoring.
College Basketball Shot Clock
In college basketball, the shot clock lasts 30 seconds.The first college shot clock was implemented in 1985, and was a 45-second clock. In 1993, the college shot clock was shortened to 35 seconds, and in 2015, it was further shortened to 30 seconds.
Starting the Shot Clock
The shot clock begins counting down as soon as a possession begins. This occurs immediately when the ball is touched after an inbounds pass, possession changes during the run of play, or jump ball.
Shot Clock Stoppages
The shot clock stops ticking when the ball is declared dead by referees for any reason.At these times, the game clock also stops. The shot clock resumes once the ball is put back into play with a jump ball or a throw-in.
Shot Clock Resets
Some scenarios require the shot clock to reset. In college, all shot clock resets are set to 20 seconds.In the NBA, the shot clock may reset either fully (to 24 seconds) or partially (to 14 seconds).
In the NBA, the shot clock fully resets to 24 seconds when:
- There is a change of possession
- Personal foul or violation that requires an inbound in the backcourt
- Jump balls resulting from a held ball by the defense
The NBA shot clock resets to 14 seconds after the following:
- An offensive rebound after a missed shot or free throw hits the rim
- The defense commits a loose ball foul after a missed shot or free throw hits the rim
- The ball goes out of bounds off the defense after a missed shot or free throw hits the rim
Shot Clock Violation
When the shot clock reaches zero, the buzzer and red lights go off to signal a shot clock violation. A shot clock violation results in a turnover. The opposing team will get to inbound the ball and start a new possession. A shot clock violation will be called on a team if they haven’t shot the ball and still have possession when the shot clock reaches zero.As long as the ball has left a player's hands and is in the air by the time the shot clock hits zero, it is not considered a shot clock violation, although the ball still needs to hit the rim.
Shot Clock History
The shot clock rule was added to basketball in 1954. Before the days of the shot clock, teams could hold onto the ball forever with no time limit, resulting in many boring, low-scoring games.Danny Biasone came up with the 24-second shot clock by dividing the number of seconds in a game (48 minutes makes 2,880 seconds) by 120 shots (Biasone found that entertaining games had about 120 shots per game). Thus, the 24-second shot clock was born.
The college shot clock was not developed until 1985 when a 45-second clock was implemented. This was shortened to 35 seconds in 1993 and then to 30 seconds in 2015.
There is no standardized American high school shot clock, although 10 states have already implemented either 35 or 30-second shot clocks statewide.
Use of Basketball Shot Clocks
The shot clock counts down how many seconds the team is allowed possession: in the NBA this is 24 seconds, while in the NCAA, it is 30 seconds.When it hits zero, it will buzz, indicating that the possession is over, and the other team gets the ball if a shot did not go up during the possession. Shot clocks can also show the game time to help players see how much time is left in the game without having to locate a scoreboard around the arena.
For example, a shot clock may say you have 15 seconds left in the possession, but on top of that, in a smaller font, it will show the game time, like 8:33. Players must make quick and timely decisions in order to accomplish what they must offensively without the shot clock running out. Teams can rush things or go too slow, leading to lost possessions due to the shot clock.
Basketball Shot Clock Operator
With every shot clock, there needs to be a shot clock operator who is in charge of resetting the shot clock every time a new possession begins during a game.Shot clocks are not able to know when a new possession begins, so the shot clock is programmed to reset with the touch of a button, which the operator is in charge of hitting. The operator must be paying full attention in order to not mess up the shot clock, therefore messing up the possible outcome.
Buy a Basketball Shot Clock
Shot clocks are advanced pieces of equipment, which is why they are typically very expensive. Purchasing a shot clock will typically cost you more than $1,000.This is not a problem in the NBA, as they are a multi-million dollar operation; however, at some colleges and high schools, this can be a lot of money.
FAQ
What is the shot clock in basketball?
The shot clock in basketball is a timing device that starts counting down as soon as a team gains possession of the ball; if the team fails to shoot before the shot clock reaches zero seconds, then they will commit a shot clock violation.Shot clocks are used to increase the pace of play and prevent teams from wasting time by holding the ball for long periods. The shot clock is displayed at each end of the court, over each basket, and throughout the arena so that players, officials, and fans all have a clear view of the shot clock throughout the game.
How long is the shot clock in the NBA and NCAA?
The shot clock is 24 seconds long in the NBA and 30 seconds long in NCAA basketball games.Like the NBA, the WNBA and FIBA use 24-second shot clocks in their games.Women’s NCAA basketball utilizes the same 30-second shot clock used in men’s play.In the case of an offensive rebound after the shot clock has wound down, the shot clock is reset to 14 seconds.
What is a shot clock violation?
In basketball, a shot clock violation is a type of infraction which occurs whenever a team is unable to make a successful shot at the basket prior to the shot clock elapsing.A shot clock violation will be called if the shot clock runs out and the possessing team has not done one of three things: made a shot that struck the rim, made a successful score, or lost possession of the ball.
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Pages Related to Basketball Shot Clock
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- Basketball Rules List
- Basketball Throw Ins
- Basketball Roster Size
- Basketball Substitutions
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