Updated Oct 19, 2026
NBA & WNBA first basket stats
Who scores the first basket most in the NBA and WNBA, which teams score first, and how often the team that wins the tip scores first. Built from every tracked game.
NBA
- The team that wins the opening tip scores the first basket 66% of the time (1,209 games).
- The home team scores the first basket 53.2% of the time (1,231 games).
- Guards score 43.5% of first baskets, forwards 35.2% and centers 21.3%.
- The New York Knicks score first most often: 63.9% of 83 games.
- Bam Adebayo and Jamal Murray lead with 17 first baskets each.
| Player | First baskets | Starts | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bam AdebayoC · Miami Heat | 17 | 73 | 23.3% |
| Jamal MurrayG · Denver Nuggets | 17 | 75 | 22.7% |
| Jarrett AllenC · Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 56 | 26.8% |
| Jalen BrunsonG · New York Knicks | 15 | 74 | 20.3% |
| Victor WembanyamaF · San Antonio Spurs | 14 | 55 | 25.5% |
| Anthony EdwardsG · Minnesota Timberwolves | 13 | 60 | 21.7% |
| Neemias QuetaC · Boston Celtics | 13 | 75 | 17.3% |
| Evan MobleyC · Cleveland Cavaliers | 12 | 63 | 19% |
| Brandon IngramF · Toronto Raptors | 12 | 77 | 15.6% |
| Wendell Carter Jr.C · Orlando Magic | 12 | 78 | 15.4% |
| Player | First baskets | Starts | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| De'Andre HunterF · Cleveland Cavaliers | 7 | 25 | 28% |
| Jarrett AllenC · Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 56 | 26.8% |
| Miles McBrideG · New York Knicks | 4 | 15 | 26.7% |
| Kristaps PorzingisC · Atlanta Hawks | 6 | 23 | 26.1% |
| Victor WembanyamaF · San Antonio Spurs | 14 | 55 | 25.5% |
| Bam AdebayoC · Miami Heat | 17 | 73 | 23.3% |
| Jamal MurrayG · Denver Nuggets | 17 | 75 | 22.7% |
| Anthony EdwardsG · Minnesota Timberwolves | 13 | 60 | 21.7% |
| Joel EmbiidC · Philadelphia 76ers | 8 | 38 | 21.1% |
| Kel'el WareC · Miami Heat | 7 | 34 | 20.6% |
| Team | Scores first | Wins tip |
|---|---|---|
| New York KnicksTop: Jalen Brunson | 63.9% | 50.6% |
| Cleveland CavaliersTop: Jarrett Allen | 62.2% | 64.6% |
| Miami HeatTop: Bam Adebayo | 61% | 62.2% |
| Los Angeles LakersTop: Luka Doncic | 57.3% | 65.9% |
| Minnesota TimberwolvesTop: Anthony Edwards | 57.3% | 52.4% |
| Orlando MagicTop: Wendell Carter Jr. | 57.3% | 73.2% |
| San Antonio SpursTop: Victor Wembanyama | 56.6% | 75.9% |
| Denver NuggetsTop: Jamal Murray | 54.9% | 58.5% |
| Oklahoma City ThunderTop: Chet Holmgren | 54.9% | 52.4% |
| Phoenix SunsTop: Devin Booker | 54.9% | 70.7% |
| Utah JazzTop: Lauri Markkanen | 54.9% | 57.3% |
| Boston CelticsTop: Neemias Queta | 52.4% | 42.7% |
| Philadelphia 76ersTop: Tyrese Maxey | 52.4% | 50% |
| Atlanta HawksTop: Onyeka Okongwu | 50% | 50% |
| New Orleans PelicansTop: Herbert Jones | 50% | 24.4% |
| Toronto RaptorsTop: Brandon Ingram | 50% | 45.1% |
| Detroit PistonsTop: Jalen Duren | 48.8% | 43.9% |
| Golden State WarriorsTop: Draymond Green | 48.8% | 45.1% |
| LA ClippersTop: Derrick Jones Jr. | 48.8% | 46.3% |
| Charlotte HornetsTop: Brandon Miller | 47.6% | 42.7% |
| Houston RocketsTop: Alperen Sengun | 46.3% | 37.8% |
| Indiana PacersTop: Pascal Siakam | 46.3% | 48.8% |
| Sacramento KingsTop: DeMar DeRozan | 46.3% | 51.2% |
| Portland Trail BlazersTop: Deni Avdija | 45.1% | 52.4% |
| Memphis GrizzliesTop: Jaren Jackson Jr. | 42.7% | 37.8% |
| Dallas MavericksTop: Max Christie | 41.5% | 37.8% |
| Brooklyn NetsTop: Michael Porter Jr. | 39% | 57.3% |
| Milwaukee BucksTop: AJ Green | 39% | 29.3% |
| Washington WizardsTop: CJ McCollum | 36.6% | 34.2% |
| Chicago BullsTop: Matas Buzelis | 32.9% | 37.8% |
WNBA
- The team that wins the opening tip scores the first basket 67.1% of the time (343 games).
- The home team scores the first basket 50.9% of the time (348 games).
- Guards score 40.2% of first baskets, forwards 38.5% and centers 21.3%.
- The Indiana Fever score first most often: 59.6% of 47 games.
- Shakira Austin has the most first baskets: 12 in 45 starts (26.7%).
| Player | First baskets | Starts | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakira AustinC · Washington Mystics | 12 | 45 | 26.7% |
| Cecilia ZandalasiniF · Golden State Valkyries | 10 | 41 | 24.4% |
| Dominique MalongaC · Seattle Storm | 9 | 34 | 26.5% |
| Jonquel JonesC · New York Liberty | 9 | 48 | 18.8% |
| Kamilla CardosoC · Chicago Sky | 8 | 43 | 18.6% |
| Nneka OgwumikeF · Los Angeles Sparks | 8 | 43 | 18.6% |
| Paige BueckersG · Dallas Wings | 8 | 45 | 17.8% |
| Gabby WilliamsF · Golden State Valkyries | 8 | 46 | 17.4% |
| A'ja WilsonC · Las Vegas Aces | 8 | 47 | 17% |
| Aliyah BostonC · Indiana Fever | 7 | 43 | 16.3% |
| Player | First baskets | Starts | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakira AustinC · Washington Mystics | 12 | 45 | 26.7% |
| Dominique MalongaC · Seattle Storm | 9 | 34 | 26.5% |
| Cecilia ZandalasiniF · Golden State Valkyries | 10 | 41 | 24.4% |
| Maria CondeF · Toronto Tempo | 4 | 20 | 20% |
| Jonquel JonesC · New York Liberty | 9 | 48 | 18.8% |
| Marina MabreyG · Toronto Tempo | 6 | 32 | 18.8% |
| Megan DiLeoC · Portland Fire | 6 | 32 | 18.8% |
| Kamilla CardosoC · Chicago Sky | 8 | 43 | 18.6% |
| Nneka OgwumikeF · Los Angeles Sparks | 8 | 43 | 18.6% |
| Paige BueckersG · Dallas Wings | 8 | 45 | 17.8% |
| Team | Scores first | Wins tip |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana FeverTop: Kelsey Mitchell | 59.6% | 63.8% |
| New York LibertyTop: Jonquel Jones | 58% | 60% |
| Seattle StormTop: Dominique Malonga | 56.8% | 54.6% |
| Dallas WingsTop: Paige Bueckers | 55.3% | 40.4% |
| Las Vegas AcesTop: A'ja Wilson | 54.9% | 35.3% |
| Toronto TempoTop: Marina Mabrey | 54.5% | 59.1% |
| Golden State ValkyriesTop: Cecilia Zandalasini | 52.9% | 49% |
| Washington MysticsTop: Shakira Austin | 52.2% | 58.7% |
| Chicago SkyTop: Kamilla Cardoso | 50% | 61.4% |
| Connecticut SunTop: Leila Lacan | 47.7% | 72.7% |
| Atlanta DreamTop: Rhyne Howard | 46% | 58% |
| Los Angeles SparksTop: Nneka Ogwumike | 43.2% | 31.8% |
| Portland FireTop: Megan DiLeo | 40.9% | 36.4% |
| Phoenix MercuryTop: Alyssa Thomas | 38.6% | 50% |
| Minnesota LynxTop: Natasha Howard | 37% | 19.6% |
Today's picks
These numbers are what the model starts from. Its pick for every game today, one of them free, is on first basket picks today.
First basket stats questions
Yes. The team that wins the tip gets the first possession, and it scores the game's first basket clearly more often than not. The exact rate, and how many games it comes from, is at the top of this page.
That is why a first basket pick starts with the jump ball: who is likely to win it, and which team that puts on offense first.
The tables on this page rank every player by first baskets this season, and qualified starters by rate: first baskets per start. A high count can come from a long season of starts; the rate is the fairer comparison.
From every tracked game: the game's first scoring play, made free throws included, the team that won the opening tip, and which side was at home. A game the tip winner or the home side was not recorded for is left out of that one figure, and each figure says how many games it is out of.
The stats are rebuilt as games are played; the date at the top is when this page was last updated.
On the first basket picks page: the model's pick for every game today, one of them free, with every finished game graded.