Basketball remains an evolving sport. No such thing as a status quo in how NBA games are played. If you did a side-by-side comparison of the average regular-season game from the 2000s to the 2020s, you might as well watch different sports.

As the NBA is about to kick off training camps, a new rule change was added. All unsuccessful end-of-quarter heaves will now be categorized as a team missed field goal if they come up short. In the rare instances they’re made, it’ll count toward the player’s 3-point attempts.

The NBA hopes the rule change encourages more last-second heaves before the buzzer sounds. As players get more notoriety, their field-goal percentages must be protected. One of the ways they do that is by refusing to take last-second full-court shots.

Now that this new rule is in place for the 2025-26 regular season, let’s look at candidates on the Oklahoma City Thunder who’ll be most willing to attempt last-second heaves. Who’d be the most likely of their roster to take advantage of the new rule and let it fly?

The answer may surprise you. Looking at their career heaves, Kenrich Williams has the most attempts. He’s taken seven heaves in seven seasons. Albeit, four of those were in his first two seasons on the New Orleans Pelicans. When you’re trying to stick in the NBA, you take those shots.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has attempted three heaves in seven seasons. He attempted one last season. The ball will be in his hands plenty of times to take more, especially if he sticks to playing the entire first quarter like he usually did last year.

Jalen Williams is another candidate. He’s taken two heaves in three seasons. But both attempts happened in his rookie year. He might’ve reached a point where his All-Star status has influenced him to stop dipping his 3-point percentage.

Lu Dort has taken two heaves in his six seasons. Aaron Wiggins has taken two heaves in his four seasons. Isaiah Joe has taken four heaves in five seasons. All three players are some of the Thunder’s best outside shooters. If anybody can extend their ranges, it’s them.

Other Thunder players who’ve attempted heaves are Alex Caruso with four in eight seasons. Chet Holmgren has three in two seasons. Jaylin Williams has one in three seasons. Ajay Mitchell shot one last season. Ousmane Dieng had had two in three seasons.

Everybody else on the Thunder roster has taken zero. In total, nobody has even made a last-second heave. The NBA hopes those numbers double this upcoming year and add a spicy element to an otherwise mundane final possession at the end of quarters.