Shot clocks were used in 24 state associations for high school basketball during the 2025-26 season. Six more states will be implementing shot clock mandates in 2026-27 while four states will add timed possessions over the next three seasons.
The New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association became the most recent state to approve using a 35-second shot clock for all boys and girls basketball games beginning with the 2027-28 school year. The ruling passed by a vote of 170-166 on Monday.
In addition to the 34 state associations who have installed or made plans to install shot clocks in future seasons, South Carolina also allows use of the shot clock if both teams agree ahead of the game.
Prior to the recommendation by the National Federation of State High School Associations for states to adopt a shot clock in 2021, only nine states had a shot clock mandate across the country.
Georgia became the ninth state in 2020-21, joining California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Washington as the only states who adopted a shot clock prior to the NFHS recommendation.
Despite momentum toward a universal shot clock in recent seasons, some states remain firm on their stance against the implementation of a timed possessions.
On the same day New Jersey approved the shot clock, the Indiana High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted down a proposal to add a 35-second shot clock to boys and girls varsity basketball games with a 17-1 vote count.
The North Carolina High School Athletic Association Board of Directors also strongly opposed the implementation of the shot clock with a unanimous vote of 17-0 against the motion earlier in the week.
