Inbasketball, afour-point play is the rare occasion when an offensive player shoots and makes athree-point field goal while simultaneously being fouled by a defensive player, resulting in ashooting foul and onefree throw attempt, or a two-point field goal and is intentionally or flagrantly fouled on the shot and is awarded two free throws. If the player makes their free throws, they will have scored four points on a single possession.[1] The short-livedAmerican Basketball League first introduced the four-point play to the game of basketball, and it was later adopted by theAmerican Basketball Association during its inaugural season.[2] TheNational Basketball Association (NBA) introduced that rule in 1979;FIBA in 1984; theNCAA in 1986 (men only) and 1987 (women); theNHFS in 1987; and theWNBA in 1997.
Sam Smith of theChicago Bulls completed the first four-point play in NBA history on October 21, 1979, in a game against theMilwaukee Bucks.[3]Dale Ellis was the first player in NBA history to complete two four-point plays in the same game when he did so in a win against theSacramento Kings on January 26, 1988.[4]
Game 3 of the1999 Eastern Conference Finals was decided byLarry Johnson's four-point play. With theNew York Knicks trailing 88–91 and 5.7 seconds remaining, Johnson made the game-tying 3-pointer while drawing a controversial foul call against theIndiana Pacers'Antonio Davis. Johnson hit the subsequent free-throw to win the game, giving the 8th-seed Knicks a 2–1 lead in that series, which they won 4–2 (but lost to theSan Antonio Spurs in the Finals).[5]
On April 29, 2009,James Jones completed two four-point plays in a span of eleven seconds.[6]
TheHarlem Globetrotters also have afour-point field goal, with a line 30 feet from the basket as of December 2016. Previously, the Globetrotters also had a four-point circle, used since 2010.[7] While uncommon in professional basketball, leagues such as thePBA andBig3 have adopted different forms of a 4-point line, where one field goal is worth four points.[8] The NBA career leader in four-point plays is currentlyJames Harden, who had 95 as of November 2024.[9]
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