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NBA’s ugly new shot clock debuts during Summer League

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Darryn Albert | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 12:11 AM ET

The NBA appears to be fixing something that isn’t broken.

On Monday, the league debuted their new shot clock design during Summer League play in Las Vegas, Nev. The shot clock, which will be implemented for the 2025-26 NBA season as well, features a circular design (instead of the more traditional square). Additionally, the shot clock will flash green (along with the backboard) in order to indicate a coach’s challenge.

Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News shared footage of the new shot clock design in action.

Here’s a preview of the NBA’s new shot clock that will debut next season. It has a circular design with new lighting features.

The shot clock and backboard will flash green to signal a coach’s challenge. pic.twitter.com/nGvgn8sBKp
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) July 15, 2025

Previously, a dedicated light at the scorers table would glow green during coach’s challenges. Now the sensory overload during challenges will be even greater starting with next season.

Ultimately, the new shot clock design comes across as pretty ugly. The combination of the circular shape and the flashing green light makes it look like something out of either a Buzz Lightyear ride at Disneyland or a neon jukebox setup at a 1950s-style diner.

Over the last several years, the NBA and commissioner Adam Silver certainly have not been shy to implement radical changes to the product on the court. But some of those changes have been criticized as a little bit gimmicky, and the league’s new shot clock design seems likely to fall into that category as well.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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