Most Missed Shots in NBA History

For better or worse, these NBA legends always had the green light.

Most Missed Shots in NBA History

One of the common threads which connect the greatest basketball players of all time is a short memory. Especially when it comes to failure. That's the kind of mental makeup a player needs to not only take, but miss thousands and thousands of shots throughout a career.

This point was underscored best in the famous Michael Jordan Nike commercial where he talks about missing over 9,000 shots in games, including 26 potential game-winners. "I've failed over and over again in my life," Jordan said in the commercial. "And that's why I succeed."

These players missed the most shots in NBA history.

30. Dolph Schayes — 9,564 Missed Shots

College: NYU

Seasons: 16 seasons (1948-64)

Teams: Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers

Position: Power forward/center

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 220 pounds

NBA titles: 1 (1955)

Bottom line: Bronx native Dolph Schayes led NYU to the NCAA tournament final as a 16-year-old college freshman in 1945, then became a 12-time All-Star and 12-time All-NBA pick.

Schayes won his lone NBA title in 1955 and played his entire career with one franchise, the Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers.

His son, Danny, played 18 seasons in the NBA.

29. Jamal Crawford — 9,715 Missed Shots

College: Michigan

Seasons: 20 seasons (2000-20)

Teams: Chicago Bulls (2000-04), New York Knicks (2004-08), Golden State Warriors (2008-09), Atlanta Hawks (2009-11), Portland Trail Blazers (2011-12), Los Angeles Clippers (2012-17), Minnesota Timberwolves (2017-18), Phoenix Suns (2018-19), Brooklyn Nets (2020-present)

Position: Shooting guard/point guard

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 200 pounds

NBA titles: None

Bottom line: Jamal Crawford's 20-year career has been defined by being one of the great teammates in NBA history — even if he's never won an NBA championship.

Crawford is a three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year and was named NBA Teammate of the Year in 2018.

In his prime, Crawford could fill it up with the best players in the NBA.

28. Moses Malone — 9,790 Missed Shots

College: None

Years: 19 seasons (1976-95)

Teams: Buffalo Braves (1976), Houston Rockets (1976-82), Philadelphia 76ers (1982-86, 1993-94), Washington Bullets (1986-88), Atlanta Hawks (1988-91), Milwaukee Bucks (1991-93), San Antonio Spurs (1994-95)

Position: Center/forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-10, 215 pounds

NBA titles: 1 (1983)

Bottom line: If you lead the NBA in rebounding six times and average 12.3 rebounds for your career, in all likelihood you're creating a lot of your own shooting opportunities.

So if you miss a lot of shots, your team can live with it. That was Moses Malone, one of the more respected, talented post players in league history.

27. Joe Johnson — 9,897 Missed Shots

College: Arkansas

Years: 17 seasons (2001-18, 2020)

Teams: Boston Celtics (2001-02), Phoenix Suns (2002-05), Atlanta Hawks (2005-12), Brooklyn Nets (2012-16), Miami Heat (2016), Utah Jazz (2016-18)

Position: Forward/guard

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 240 pounds

NBA titles: None

Bottom line: Joe Johnson's nickname of "Iso Joe" for his success on isolation plays is usually said tongue-in-cheek.

Being a great isolation player isn't exactly a recipe for wins. But it is a recipe for taking a lot of shots, which Johnson did throughout his entire NBA career.

He took 17,719 shots in 1,276 games and is one of 46 players in NBA history to score at least 20,000 points.

26. Gary Payton — 9,990 Missed Shots

College: Oregon State

Years: 17 seasons (1990-2007)

Teams: Seattle SuperSonics (1990-2003), Milwaukee Bucks (2003), Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04), Boston Celtics (2004-05), Miami Heat (2005-07)

Position: Point guard

Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 180 pounds

NBA titles: 1 (2006)

Bottom line: The great Seattle SuperSonics teams of the mid-1990s were built around point guard Gary Payton, who also was routinely given his team's toughest defensive assignment.

The only point guard in NBA history to win Defensive Player of the Year, he's also one of the best "pure" point guards on the offensive end.

25. Jerry West — 10,016 Missed Shots

College: West Virginia

Seasons: 14 seasons (1960-74)

Teams: Los Angeles Lakers

Position: Point guard/shooting guard

Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 175 pounds

NBA titles: 1 (1972)

Bottom line: Jerry West, aka "The Logo," is still the only player in NBA history to win NBA Finals MVP honors on a team that didn't win the championship.

West won his lone NBA title in 1972 and spent his entire career with the Lakers.

As an NBA executive, he's won eight championships — six with the Lakers and two with the Golden State Warriors.

24. Tim Duncan — 10,049 Missed Shots

College: Wake Forest

Years: 19 seasons (1997-2016)

Teams: San Antonio Spurs

Position: Forward/center

Height/weight: 6-foot-11, 250 pounds

NBA titles: 5 (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)

Bottom line: Arguably the greatest power forward in NBA history, Tim Duncan won five NBA titles with the Spurs in his 19-year career.

His offensive workload was made much easier to bear with the addition of guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

And Duncan's 50.6 career field-goal percentage speaks to his efficiency.

23. Oscar Robertson — 10,112 Missed Shots

College: Cincinnati

Years: 14 seasons (1960-1974)

Teams: Cincinnati Royals (1960-1970), Milwaukee Bucks (1970-1974)

Stats: 1,040 G, 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG, 48.5 FG%

Position: SG

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 205 pounds

Other stats: 1,040 G, 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG, 48.5 FG%

NBA titles: 1 (1971)

Bottom line: The original "Mr. Triple Double" was Oscar Robertson, the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season in 1961-62.

Robertson's crowning achievement was helping lead the Bucks to their only NBA title in 1971 alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

How important is Robertston to the game? He's even credited with creating the head fake and the fadeaway jumper.

22. Hakeem Olajuwon — 10,242 Missed Shots

College: Houston

Years: 18 seasons (1984-2002)

Teams: Houston Rockets (1984-2001), Toronto Raptors (2001-2002)

Position: Center

Height/weight: 7-foot, 255 pounds

Other stats: 1,238 G, 21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.5 APG, 51.2 FG%

NBA titles: 2 (1994, 1995)

Bottom line: One of the greatest centers in NBA history, Hakeem Olajuwon was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft — just two spots ahead of Michael Jordan.

Olajuwon's dizzying array of post moves was truly something to behold. Want to know how LeBron James became great in the post later in his career? He credits several summers spent training with Olajuwon.

21. Bob Cousy — 10,300 Missed Shots

College: Holy Cross

Seasons: 14 seasons (1950-63, 1969-70)

Teams: Boston Celtics (1950-63), Cincinnati Royals (1969-70)

Position: Point guard

Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds

Other stats: 924 G, 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5 APG, 37.5 FG%

NBA titles: 6 (1957, 1959-63)

Bottom line: Bob Cousy won six NBA championships with the Boston Celtics and was the 1957 NBA MVP.

Cousy made the All-Star team in all 13 seasons with the Celtics and led the NBA in assists for eight consecutive years in that stretch.

Cousy desperately wanted to play for the Celtics. He was drafted by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks but refused to report to the team.

20. Hal Greer — 10,307 Missed Shots

College: Marshall

Seasons: 15 seasons (1958-73)

Teams: Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers

Position: Shooting guard/point guard

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 175 pounds

Other stats: 1,122 G, 19.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 45.2 FG%

NBA titles: 1 (1967)

Bottom line: Hal Greer was the first Black college basketball player at a public university in West Virginia and led Marshall to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 1958.

Greer was at his best teamed with center Wilt Chamberlain and led the 76ers with 27.7 points in the 1967 NBA playoffs on the way to the only title of his career.

19. Alex English — 10,377 Missed Shots

College: South Carolina

Seasons: 15 seasons (1976-91)

Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1976-78), Indiana Pacers (1978-80), Denver Nuggets (1980-90), Dallas Mavericks (1990-91)

Position: Small forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 190 pounds

Other stats: 1,193 G, 21.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 50.7 FG%

NBA titles: None

Bottom line: Few players in NBA history could fill it up like Alex English, who is best known for his decade with the Denver Nuggets from 1980 to 1990, when he scored more points than any player in the NBA.

Considering how many shots he took, English's 50.7 career field-goal percentage is remarkable.

18. Ray Allen — 10,388 Missed Shots

College: Connecticut

Years: 18 seasons (1996-2014)

Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1996-2003), Seattle SuperSonics (2003-07), Boston Celtics (2007-12), Miami Heat (2012-14)

Position: Shooting guard

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 205 pounds

Other stats: 1,300 G, 18.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 45.2 FG%

NBA titles: 2 (2008, 2013)

Bottom line: Ray Allen was the greatest 3-point shooter in NBA history, and his jump shot was truly a work of art.

The reason Allen wound up with so many misses was that he had the green light to put up shots on any team he was on.

His corner 3-pointer against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals is one of the most clutch shots in NBA history.

17. Kevin Garnett — 10,637 Missed Shots

College: None

Years: 21 seasons (1995-2016)

Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves (1995-2007, 2015-16), Boston Celtics (2007-13), Brooklyn Nets (2013-15)

Position: Power forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-11, 240 pounds

Other stats: 1,462 G, 17.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 49.7 FG%

NBA titles: 1 (2008)

Bottom line: Much like Moses Malone, Kevin Garnett was a player so active on the boards that he was able to create a lot of his own offense that way.

Garnett came straight out of high school to the NBA and played a staggering 21 seasons — one of the longest careers in NBA history.

16. Paul Pierce — 10,797 Missed Shots

College: Kansas

Years: 19 seasons (1998-2017)

Teams: Boston Celtics (1998-2013), Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Washington Wizards (2014-15), Los Angeles Clippers (2015-17)

Position: Small forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 235 pounds

Other stats: 1,343 G, 19.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.5 APG, 44.5 FG%

NBA titles: 1 (2008)

Bottom line: No one in the NBA had more of a green light than Paul Pierce during his first decade in the league. The biggest reason for that was the Celtics didn't surround Pierce with very much talent early in his career.

When they did, he thrived, and teamed with Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to win the 2008 NBA title, bringing home Finals MVP honors.

15. Wilt Chamberlain — 10,816 Missed Shots

College: Kansas

Years: 14 seasons (1959-73)

Teams: Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1959-63), Philadelphia 76ers (1965-68), Los Angeles Lakers (1968-73)

Position: Center

Height/weight: 7-foot-1, 275 pounds

Other stats: 1,045 G, 30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG, 4.4 APG, 54.0 FG%

NBA titles: 2 (1967, 1972)

Bottom line: Wilt Chamberlain won seven scoring titles and, almost out of spite, led the league in assists one season when fans and media complained he took too many shots.

Chamberlain could score at will, but at times in his career, he played with a very pronounced indifference toward the game itself.

His career, with only two NBA titles, will always have a certain degree of "what if" hanging over it.

14. Russell Westbrook — 11,242 Missed Shots

College: UCLA

Seasons: 15 seasons (2008-present)

Teams: Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-19), Houston Rockets (2019-20), Washington Wizards (2020), Los Angeles Lakers (2020-23), Los Angeles Clippers (2023-present)

Position: Guard

Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds

NBA titles: None

Bottom line: Russell Westbrook's career and legacy are looked at in a much different light thanks to the last four seasons. Take into account that Westbrook wasn't even on this list following the 2019-20 season and now he's at No. 14.

The truth about Westbrook is he's a terrible teammate when you're on the floor with him and has shot almost every team he's been on out of contention — even if he's the one that got them there in the first place.

13. Allen Iverson — 11,439 Missed Shots

College: Georgetown

Seasons: 14 seasons (1996-2010)

Teams: Philadelphia 76ers (1996-2006, 2009-10), Denver Nuggets (2006-08), Detroit Pistons (2008-09), Memphis Grizzlies (2009)

Position: Point guard

Height/weight: 6-foot, 165 pounds

Other stats: 914 G, 26.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.2 APG, 42.5 FG%

NBA titles: None

Bottom line: Allen Iverson was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft and led the 76ers to the NBA Finals in 2001 — the same year he won his lone NBA MVP award.

"The Answer" played with reckless abandon for someone his size and became one of the most popular players in NBA history and one of pop culture's all-time greatest antiheroes.

12. Elgin Baylor — 11,478 Missed Shots

College: Seattle

Seasons: 13 seasons (1958-71)

Teams: Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers

Position: Small forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 225 pounds

Other stats: 846 G, 27.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, 43.1 FG%

NBA titles: 1 (1972)

Bottom line: Elgin Baylor was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1958 NBA draft after leading Seattle University all the way to the NCAA tournament championship game.

While Baylor technically won an NBA title in 1972, he only played nine games that season before retiring because of knee injuries and was not on the roster.

11. Dominique Wilkins — 11,026 Missed Shots

College: Georgia

Seasons: 16 seasons (1982-1997, 1999)

Teams: Atlanta Hawks (1982-94), Los Angeles Clippers (1994), Boston Celtics (1994-95), San Antonio Spurs (1996-97), Orlando Magic (1999)

Position: Small forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 220 pounds

Other stats: 1,074 G, 24.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.5 APG, 46.1 FG%

NBA titles: None

Bottom line: Hands-down one of the most exciting players in NBA history, Dominique Wilkins was a marvel on the basketball court. Few players have been as creative or had as much success playing above the rim.

What doesn't get enough credit is his mid-range game. Through hard work, Wilkins developed a pop-and-drop jumper that was almost impossible to defend.

10. Carmelo Anthony — 11,670 Missed Shots

College: Syracuse

Seasons: 17 seasons (2003-present)

Teams: Denver Nuggets (2003-11), New York Knicks (2011-17), Oklahoma City Thunder (2017-18), Houston Rockets (2018-19), Portland Trail Blazers (2019-present)

Position: Small forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 240 pounds

Other stats: 1,122 G, 23.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.9 APG, 44.8 FG%

NBA titles: None

Bottom line: There aren't many players who have seen their legacy almost solely tied to the offensive end of the court like Carmelo Anthony, who led Syracuse to a national title in his one college season in 2003.

Anthony never saw a shot he didn't like and his inability to create offense for anyone other than himself is likely the reason he's never won an NBA title … or even come close, for that matter.

9. Vince Carter — 12,046 Missed Shots

College: North Carolina

Years: 22 seasons (1998-2020)

Teams: Toronto Raptors (1998-2004), New Jersey Nets (2004-09), Orlando Magic (2009-10), Phoenix Suns (2010-11), Dallas Mavericks (2011-14), Memphis Grizzlies (2014-17), Sacramento Kings (2017-18), Atlanta Hawks (2018-2020)

Position: Guard/forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 220 pounds

Other stats: 1,541 G, 16.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.1 APG, 43.5 FG%

NBA titles: None

Bottom line: Probably the greatest dunker who ever lived, Vince Carter played an NBA record 22 seasons before he retired in 2020.

"Vinsanity" took over the NBA in the early 2000s, and Carter was the first superstar for the Raptors, teaming with cousin Tracy McGrady to take a very, very high percentage of the team's shots in that stretch.

8. Michael Jordan — 12,345 Missed Shots

College: North Carolina

Years: 14 (1984-1993, 1995-1998, 2001-2003)

Teams: Chicago Bulls (1984-1993, 1995-1998), Washington Wizards (2001-2003)

Position: Shooting guard

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 210 pounds

Other stats: 1,072 G, 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 49.7 FG%

NBA titles: 6 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)

Bottom line: Michael Jordan was a scoring machine his entire career, but in the first six seasons of his career, almost every offensive possession for the Chicago Bulls ran through His Airness.

When Jordan started shooting less and getting his teammates involved more, the Bulls were unstoppable and won six NBA titles in eight seasons.

7. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — 12,470 Missed Shots

College: UCLA

Years: 20 seasons (1969-1989)

Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1969-1975), Los Angeles Lakers (1975-1989)

Position: Center

Height/weight: 7-foot-2, 225 pounds

Other stats: 1,560 G, 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 55.9 FG%

NBA titles: 6 (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)

Bottom line: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar didn't get to the top of the NBA career scoring charts without taking a lot of shots, but that's not to say he wasn't a team player.

Abdul-Jabbar benefited greatly from playing with some fantastic guards, and his career field-goal percentage of 55.9 percent is one of the best in NBA history.

6. Dirk Nowitzki — 12,565 Missed Shots

College: None

Years: 21 seasons (1998-2019)

Teams: Dallas Mavericks

Position: Small forward/power forward

Height/weight: 7-foot, 245 pounds

Other stats: 1,522 G, 20.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 47.1 FG%

NBA titles: 1 (2011)

Bottom line: Dirk Nowitzki can claim the throne as the greatest European-born player in NBA history and has had little serious competition for that title. Until recently.

If there's anyone who might be able to knock Nowitzki out of that spot, it seems like it could be young Dallas guard Luka Doncic, one of the more prodigious young talents the league has seen in the last 20 years.

5. Karl Malone— 12,682 Missed Shots

College: Louisiana Tech

Years: 19 seasons (1985-2004)

Teams: Utah Jazz (1985-2003), Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04)

Position: Power forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 250 pounds

Other stats: 1,476 G, 25.0 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.6 APG, 51.6 FG%

NBA titles: None

Bottom line: Karl Malone had the great luck of spending almost his entire career playing alongside point guard John Stockton, a player who could create offense for other players in a variety of ways.

Stockton, the NBA's career assists leader, is also the career steals leader and was a perfect complement to the hard-running Malone, who was almost impossible to stop with a head of steam.

4. Elvin Hayes — 13,296 Missed Shots

College: Houston

Years: 16 seasons (1968-84)

Teams: San Diego/Houston Rockets (1968-72, 1981-84), Baltimore/Washington Bullets (1972-81)

Position: Forward/center

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 235 pounds

Other stats: 1,303 G, 21.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 45.2 FG%

NBA titles: 1 (1978)

Bottom line: Elvin Hayes had to take a lot of shots when he was playing for the San Diego Rockets to start his career. If he didn't, there was no way his team had a chance at winning.

Hayes got a lot of shot opportunities because of his ability to rebound, and his 18.4 rebounds per game average in 1974 is the third-highest in NBA history.

3. John Havlicek — 13,417 Missed Shots

College: Ohio State

Years: 16 (1962-78)

Teams: Boston Celtics

Position: Guard/forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 203 pounds

Other stats: 1,270 G, 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 43.9 FG%

NBA titles: 8 (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976)

Bottom line: John Havlicek was the first true swingman in NBA history — a player who was indistinguishable from a guard or a forward because he did everything on the floor for both positions.

His eight NBA titles trail only teammates Bill Russell and Sam Jones for the most in league history, and he also won an NCAA title playing for Ohio State in 1960.

2. LeBron James — 13,892 Missed Shots

College: None

Years: 17 seasons (2003-present)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2006-10, 2014-18), Miami Heat (2010-14), Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present)

Position: Guard/forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 250 pounds

Other stats: 1,265 G, 27.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.4 APG, 50.4 FG%

NBA titles: 4 (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)

Bottom line: LeBron James made his NBA debut at the age of 18 in 2003 and has logged a lot of minutes. But he's still going strong.

After winning the NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 — his 17th season in the league — it begs the question of how long James will play in the NBA.

He has long stated his desire to play at least one season in the league with his oldest son, Bronny James, a high school sophomore who would not be able to play in the NBA until at least 2024 or later.

1. Kobe Bryant — 14,481 Missed Shots

College: None

Years: 20 seasons (1996-2016)

Teams: Los Angeles Lakers

Position: Shooting guard

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 212 pounds

Other stats: 1,346 G, 25.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, 44.7 FG%

NBA titles: 5 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)

Bottom line: The late Kobe Bryant's legacy was tied in large part to the fact he was a player who didn't need the green light from coaches or teammates to take a lot of shots — it was going to happen whether they liked it or not.

The stat line from the final game of his career, in his 20th season, tells the story best. Bryant scored 60 points on 22-of-50 shooting in a 101-96 win over the Utah Jazz, including 10-of-12 from the free-throw line and 6-of-21 from beyond the 3-point arc.