NBA to Exclude Hail Mary Shots From Player Stats in Rule Change

As of September 10, 2025, the NBA officially rolled out a new rule. From now on, missed half-court shots taken in the final three seconds of the first three quarters will no longer count against a player’s field goal percentage. The change, which was first tested during the 2025 Summer League, comes after years of debate. According to league data from 2024, only about 1% of these wild, end-of-quarter heaves actually go in, which meant players were getting punished on their stats for even trying.

For many stars, this adjustment feels like a sigh of relief. Take Stephen Curry, for example. The Golden State icon owns a career field-goal percentage of 43.1% (cred NBA.com, 2025). Until now, he and other sharpshooters often hesitated to throw up desperation heaves because it chipped away at their efficiency numbers. By scrubbing these misses from the books, the league hopes to strike a balance which is letting players keep their stats intact while still encouraging highlight worthy attempts. A photo shared with the announcement shows Curry mid-heave, considerably a fitting image since no one represents long-range daring quite like him.

The rule didn’t come out of nowhere. During the 2024 NBA Finals, Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard drilled a couple of deep buzzer beaters against the Dallas Mavericks, proving that even the most improbable shots can shift momentum. Those moments lit up the crowd and reminded everyone how exciting these plays can be, even if they are rare. It likely pushed the league to rethink how much weight these heaves should carry in the stat sheet.

With the 2025-26 season just around the corner, everyone will be watching to see how this plays out. Coaches might change their end-of-quarter strategies, players may feel freer to launch shots, and fans could be treated to more electrifying buzzer-beaters. At the end of the day, the rule is a compromise because it protects player stats while keeping the thrill of the game alive.