Here is the list of NBA players who has the most game-winning buzzer-beaters in NBA history
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is one of the most entertaining sporting leagues in the world. Every other day in the NBA we get memorable and record-breaking moments. These memorable moments definitely give goosebumps to the respective fans.
Buzzer beaters are one of the favorite events among NBA fans. The thrill of snatching a last-second victory will always remain unbeaten in the game of basketball. It is mostly individual players who hit buzzer beaters and earn a victory to write their names in the pages of history.
What is a ‘Buzzer Beater’?
Buzzer Beater is a term exclusively used in basketball. It refers to the moment when a player hits a game-winning shot in the final seconds of the game. To put it simply, it just means to ‘beat the clock.’
It is every basketball player’s dream to hit a buzzer beater in their career. It is a thrilling moment for both the audience and the player. To control your nerves and be clutch at the same time, it definitely requires a high skill ceiling. Some basketball players are just born with this ‘buzzer beater’ skill.
Now, let us know who has the most game-winning buzzer-beaters in NBA history
5. Paul Pierce
Seven Buzzer-beaters
Paul Pierce has played 19 seasons in the NBA. During this time, Pierce spent most of his NBA career with the Boston Celtics. Apart from Celtics, Pierce has played for Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, and Los Angeles Clippers.
Pierce retired being an NBA champion, NBA Finals MVP, ten-time NBA All-Star and much more. Moreover, Pierce’s jersey No. 34 is retired by Boston Celtics. Pierce is also inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Throughout his career, Pierce was famous for his elite shooting. It is quite guessable that he would have made the list. Pierce holds the record for hitting seven buzzer beaters. Moreover, he also has the record for being involved in the most buzzer beaters in NBA history. He has assisted five buzzer beaters in addition to the scoring of seven of his own.
4. LeBron James
Seven Buzzer-beaters
Given LeBron James’ stature in the basketball world, it is quite obvious that ‘The King’ will feature in this list. LBJ is a four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA Finals MVP, four-time NBA MVP, eighteen-time NBA All-Star, and much more. Frankly, the list of LBJ’s accolades is quite long. At the age of 37, James has not stopped yet and is hungry for more.
However, LBJ is still criticized today for not having that ‘clutch gene.’ Nevertheless, statistics speak in support of James.
LBJ hit his first buzzer beater in his sixth season in the NBA. He was then playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Then as James’s career progressed, he hit more buzzer beaters. Over 19 years of playing in the NBA, LBJ has managed to score a total of seven buzzer beaters.
LBJ’s last buzzer beater was in May 2018 for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Playoffs. Currently, James is playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and has not yet hit any buzzer-beater for the Lakers.
3. Joe Johnson
Eight buzzer-beaters
Nicknamed ‘Iso-Joe’, Johnson is a seven-time NBA All-Star who is best known for his playing stint with the Atlanta Hawks. Joe Johnson was drafted by Boston Celtics in 2001. Apart from playing for Celtics and Hawks, Johnson has played for Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets.
He last played for the Houston Rockets in the 2017-18 NBA season. After that on December 22, 2021, Johnson signed a 10-day contract with the Boston Celtics because the Celtics were granted a hardship exception.
Johnson is famous for his clutch isolation plays which aptly earned him the nickname of ‘Iso-Joe’. Johnson went on to finish his NBA career with a total of eight buzzer-beaters.
2. Kobe Bryant
Eight buzzer-beaters
Kobe Bean Bryant was famous for having that ‘clutch gene.’ There are very few players in the world who are as clutch as the ‘Black Mamba’. The late Kobe Bryant is a legend in the game of basketball and is the greatest player in the history of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant played twenty seasons in the NBA and has achieved a lot during his career. He is a five-time NBA champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP, one-time NBA MVP, eighteen-time NBA All-Star, and much more.
Kobe often hit clutch shots and he ended up hitting a total of eight buzzer-beating game-winners for the Lakers. His most famous buzzer-beater was the one that he hit during the first round of the playoffs against the Phoenix Suns back in 2006.
1. Michael Jordan
Nine buzzer-beaters
Basketball and Michael Jordan is a synonymous name. Jordan is widely known as the greatest basketball player in NBA history. It can be even said that Jordan is the greatest player in the history of basketball.
Jordan’s list of NBA records is long. In that records list, we can find MJ having the most game-winning buzzer-beaters in league history. During his NBA career with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards, Jordan hit a total of nine buzzer-beaters.
MJ ended two playoff series with buzzer-beaters. Surprisingly, both of Jordan’s series-ending buzzer-beaters came against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Against all odds, he led the Bulls to three straight NBA titles twice from 1991-1993 and then again from 1996-1998. Chicago hasn’t won a title since Jordan left.
It seems that Jordan’s record is quite invincible. It will take a long time for any player to break his buzzer-beater record. However, LeBron James is currently the only probable player who can break MJ’s record.
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