Most basketball players will never suit up for any game with actual basketball odds, but two popular names are often the go-to scream when firing off a potential game-winning shot.
“Kobe!” Or, “MJ!”
Those aren’t random choices. Jordan and Bryant spawned iconic moments throughout their careers, but they also connected on more game-winning shots than virtually any other player in the history of professional basketball.Â
Damian Lillard was the most recent player to tickle the twine as time expired, sinking Sacramento and hitting his trademark wrist-point on Jan. 14.
DAME TIME FOR THE WIN IN OT ⌚
🎥 @NBA pic.twitter.com/tDfgdvZZHJ
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 15, 2024
Lillard’s four career game-winning shots aren’t quite enough to crack the top 10 all-time list. He is getting close, though!
Here is the updated list of the NBA players with the most buzzer beaters in basketball history.
Most Game Winners In NBA History
| Player | Number of Buzzer Beaters |
|---|---|
| Michael Jordan | 9 |
| Kobe Bryant | 8 |
| Joe Johnson | 8 |
| LeBron James | 7 |
| Paul Pierce | 7 |
| Andre Iguodala | 5 |
| Gilbert Arenas | 5 |
| Dwyane Wade | 5 |
| Vince Carter | 5 |
| Kevin Garnett | 5 |
Michael Jordan Leads the List
Number one on the list of most game-winners is Michael Jordan. He is considered by many as the greatest basketball player of all time—Jordan, who is a six-time NBA champion, piled up nine game-winners during his entire 15-year career.
Two of his most memorable game-winners came at the expense of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1989 playoffs, where he sent the Cavs home with his legendary free-throw jumper over Craig Ehlo. He then replicated this jump shot over Bryon Russell to seal Chicago’s three-peat title run in 1998 against the Utah Jazz.
Kobe Bryant and Joe Johnson
Tied at the number two spot are Kobe Bryant and Joe Johnson, who have eight game-winning shots in their 20 and 17 seasons, respectively. One of the most memorable shots of Kobe Bryant’s career was his game-winning three-point shot against the Miami Heat in December 2009.
The Lakers were down by two points with 3.2 seconds remaining when Ron Artest inbounded the ball to Kobe, who managed to shoot the basketball over the outstretched arms of Dwyane Wade and banked the three-point shot to win it for Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, Joe Johnson mustered five of his eight game-winners while he was with the Brooklyn Nets and two when he was a member of the Atlanta Hawks. The biggest clutch shot of his career was with the Utah Jazz when he scored a floater against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1 of the 2017 playoffs.
Utah eventually won that series, 4-3, to advance to the second round.
Most game-winning buzzer beaters by a Player in NBA History:
9 — Michael Jordan
8 — Kobe Bryant
8 — Joe Johnson pic.twitter.com/dDQ5SK2FaB— NBA World (@NBAW0RLD24) November 10, 2022
LeBron James Still Has Time
Third on the all-time list of most buzzer-beating shots in the NBA is LeBron James. The ‘’King’’ might overtake the record from Michael Jordan. Currently, LeBron has seven game-winning shots for 19 seasons of play. There is a good chance he might be the leader in this category once he concludes his career.
Two of these game-winners also came in the postseason, one against the Orlando Magic in game two of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals. James took the shot at the top of the key against Hedo Turkoglu to tie the series at one apiece.
LeBron James nails the TISSOT BUZZER-BEATER off the glass to win it for the @cavs!#ThisIsYourTime #WhateverItTakes pic.twitter.com/a51g9LSEI0
— NBA (@NBA) May 6, 2018
The second one occurred in 2018 where they faced the Indiana Pacers in the first-round playoffs. The series was tied at 2-2 when James went to the same spot at the top of the key and fired a three-point shot over Thaddeus Young to secure the 3-2 series lead. They eventually won the series in seven games.
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