NBL Asks FIBA to Consider Three-Point Dunks and Four-Point Shots Trial

Australia's National Basketball League has asked for approval to test a scoring system that would award three points for a dunk and four points for a successful shot from mid-court. The Guardian reported on Monday that the proposal was lodged with Basketball Australia, which referred the matter to international governing body FIBA.

The NBL had hoped to use the changes during its preseason NBL Blitz tournament in Bendigo this week. That plan did not proceed because the approval window was too short for Basketball Australia to involve FIBA in the process. The league nevertheless remains interested in conducting the experiment at a later date.

The proposed trial would change the value of two conspicuous scoring plays while leaving their difficulty and location as the central distinction. A dunk, normally worth two points, would receive three. A made shot from around mid-court, sometimes called a logo three, would be worth four rather than the standard three points awarded from beyond the arc.

Reaction within Australian basketball has been mixed. The Guardian reported that South East Melbourne Phoenix owner Romie Chaudhari was among those critical of the proposal on social media. Perth Wildcats owner Mark Arena supported the league's willingness to test ideas and said the Blitz was an appropriate setting for experimentation, while expressing particular interest in a four-point long-range shot.

Basketball already operates under different rules across major competitions. FIBA games use 10-minute quarters and a three-point line closer to the basket than the NBA's, while the NBL generally follows the FIBA rulebook with limited differences involving timeouts and coaches' challenges. The Philippine Basketball Association introduced a four-point arc in 2024, providing an existing example of a professional league expanding its scoring system.

No date has been confirmed for an NBL trial, and the proposal remains subject to the approval process involving Basketball Australia and FIBA. As a result, the three-point dunk and four-point mid-court shot will not be part of this week's Blitz. The NBL's 2026-27 regular season is scheduled to begin in September.