In basketball, an airball occurs when a shot attempt completely misses the rim and backboard. Quantifying the frequency of this occurrence across entire careers presents challenges due to the lack of comprehensive historical data. Official statistics do not typically track the number of airballs players accumulate. Consequently, definitively stating which player has recorded the most airballs throughout their NBA career is difficult.
The perceived frequency of airballs can be influenced by a player’s shot volume, playing style, and role within a team. Players who attempt a large number of shots, particularly from long range or under pressure, may statistically be more likely to have more missed shots in general, including airballs. Furthermore, the visibility of a player, due to their status as a star or playing on a high-profile team, can impact the perception of their performance, potentially overemphasizing instances of missed shots.
