The player in blue and white is in position to block the shot.

In basketball, a block (short for blocked shot), stuff (stuffed), denial (denied), or rejection (rejected); occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a shot from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot is traveling upward. If it is heading downward when the defender hits it, it is ruled as goaltending and counts as a made basket. A goaltend is also called if the block is made after the ball bounces on the backboard (NCAA/NFHS excepted). Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1062x794, 667 KB) Description: Blocked shot by Oscar Torres, Pompea Napoli Source: self-made Location: Naples, Italy Photographer: Massimo Finizio File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): User... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1062x794, 667 KB) Description: Blocked shot by Oscar Torres, Pompea Napoli Source: self-made Location: Naples, Italy Photographer: Massimo Finizio File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): User... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005. ... In basketball, goaltending is the violation of interfering with the ball or the basket on the balls downward flight to the basket or while it is on the ring (or, in the NBA, while it is directly above the basket). ... The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA, often said NC-Double-A) is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletics programs of many colleges and universities in the United States. ...

Largely due to their height and position near the basket, centers and power forwards tend to record the most blocks. A blocked shot is considered to be one of the most exciting plays in basketball. A player with the ability to block shots can be a great asset to a team's defense, as they can make it difficult for opposing players to shoot near the basket and by keeping the ball in play, as opposed to swatting it out of bounds, a blocked shot can lead to a fast break, a skill Bill Russel was notable for. To be a good shotblocker, a player needs great court sense and timing, and good height or jumping ability. A great shotblocker might not block every shot, but can intimidate opponents to alter their shots, resulting in a miss. Slang terms for blocks include rejections, denials and swats. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. ...

Some of the best shotblockers in the NBA were/are Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mark Eaton, Manute Bol, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal, Ben Wallace, and Andrei Kirilenko. Blocked shots were first officially recorded in the NBA during the 1973-74 season. The National Basketball Association of the United States and Canada, commonly known as the NBA, is the premier professional basketball league in North America. ... William Fenton Russell (born February 12, 1934) is a former American basketball player remembered for his central role in the Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships in the 13 seasons that he played. ... Wilton Norman Wilt Chamberlain (August 21, 1936–October 12, 1999), nicknamed Wilt the Stilt and The Big Dipper, was an American professional National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball player for the Philadelphia / San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; and also played for the Harlem Globetrotters. ... For the football player, see Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar. ... Mark Eaton (born January 24, 1957 in Westminster, California) is a former NBA basketball player. ... Manute Bol (born October 16, 1962) is a Sudanese-born basketball player and activist. ... Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (born Akeem Abdul Olajuwon on January 21, 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... Patrick Aloysius Ewing (born August 5, 1962) is a Jamaican-born American former NBA player. ... David Robinson may refer to: david robinson former Irish Army soldier David Robinson (basketball), former NBA player (b. ... Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo, more commonly known as Dikembe Mutombo (born June 25, 1966), is a basketball player in the NBA, playing at the position of center for the Houston Rockets. ... Alonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. ... Shaquille Rashaun ONeal (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq (pronounced shack), is one of the most famous professional basketball players, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... For the British MP, see Ben Wallace (UK politician). ... Andrei Kirilenko (Russian: Андрей Кириле́нко; born February 18, 1981) is a forward currently playing for the Utah Jazz in the National Basketball Association. ...

Shot blocking records in the NBA

• Most blocks in a single half: Elmore Smith, George Johnson, Manute Bol (11 each)
• Most blocks in a single game: Elmore Smith (17)
• Most blocks in a season: Mark Eaton (456)
• Most blocks per game in a season: Mark Eaton (5.56)
• Most career blocks: Hakeem Olajuwon (3,830)

Elmore Smith (born May 9, 1949 in Macon, Georgia) is a retired American basketball player. ... George Thomas Johnson (born December 18, 1948 in Tylertown, Mississippi) is a former professional basketball player. ... Manute Bol (born October 16, 1962) is a Sudanese-born basketball player and activist. ...

External links

• Career Block leaders on Basketball-Reference.com
• YouTube: Bill Russell Block Art