Block (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, a block (short for blocked shot), not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt
Field goal (basketball)
In basketball, the term field goal refers to a basket scored on any shot or tap other than a free throw, worth two or three points depending on the distance of the attempt from the basket. "Field Goal" is the official terminology used by the National Basketball Association in their rule book,...
from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot is traveling upward or at its apex. If it is heading downward when the defender hits it, it is ruled as goaltending
Goaltending
In basketball, goaltending is the violation of interfering with the ball when it is on its way to the basket and it is in its downward flight, entirely above the rim and has the possibility of entering the basket, and not touching the rim...
and counts as a made basket. Goaltending is also called if the block is made after the ball bounces on the backboard (NFHS
National Federation of State High School Associations
The National Federation of State High School Associations is the body that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the United States. Most high schools, whether public or private, belong to their state's high school association; in turn, each state association...
excepted; the NCAA also used this rule until the 2009–10 season). Nicknames for blocked shots include "rejections," "stuffs," "facials," "swats," "denials," and "packs." Blocked shots were first officially recorded in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
during the 1973-74 season.
Largely due to their height and position near the basket, centers
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
and power forwards
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
tend to record the most blocks, but shorter players with high leaps can also be blockers, an example being Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
, the shortest player, at 6'4", to record 100 blocked shots in a single season. A player with the ability to block shots can be a positive asset to a team's defense, as they can make it difficult for opposing players to shoot near the basket and by keeping the basketball in play, as opposed to swatting it out of bounds, a blocked shot can lead to a fast break, a skill Bill Russell was notable for. To be a good shot-blocker, a player needs great court sense and timing, and good height or jumping ability. One tactic is that a shot-blocker can intimidate opponents to alter their shots, resulting in a miss.
Shot blocking records in the NBA
- Most blocks in a single game: Elmore SmithElmore SmithElmore Smith is a retired American professional basketball player. A 7'0" center from Kentucky State University, he played in the National Basketball Association from 1971 to 1979...
(17) - Most blocks in a single half: Elmore SmithElmore SmithElmore Smith is a retired American professional basketball player. A 7'0" center from Kentucky State University, he played in the National Basketball Association from 1971 to 1979...
, George T. Johnson, Manute BolManute BolManute Bol was a Sudanese-born basketball player and activist. At 7 feet, 7 inches , Bol was one of the tallest players ever to appear in the National Basketball Association, along with Gheorghe Mureşan. Unlike Mureşan, however, Bol was naturally tall and did not have a Pituitary disease...
(11 each) - Most blocks per game in a season: Mark EatonMark Eaton (basketball)Mark E. Eaton is a retired American professional basketball player who was a member of the NBA's Utah Jazz from 1982 to 1994. He was famous for his giant frame and his strong defense...
(5.56) - Most career blocks: Hakeem OlajuwonHakeem OlajuwonHakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
(3,830) - Most blocks per game in a career: Mark EatonMark Eaton (basketball)Mark E. Eaton is a retired American professional basketball player who was a member of the NBA's Utah Jazz from 1982 to 1994. He was famous for his giant frame and his strong defense...
(3.50) - Most blocks in NBA finals game: Dwight HowardDwight HowardDwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
(9)
See also
- Chase-down blockChase-down blockThe chase-down block is a type of block in basketball in which a player chases and then blocks the shot of an opponent player who had run ahead of the defense...
- List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders
- List of National Basketball Association season blocks leaders
- List of National Basketball Association players with most blocks in a game
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career blocks leaders
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leaders
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 13 or more blocks in a game