Three-point dunks and mid-court shots worth four: how Australia’s NBL is seeking to shake up traditional rules

Xavier Cooks dunks for two points during the NBL playoffs earlier this year. A new proposal is seeking a rule change that would reward a dunk with three points. Photograph: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

The slam dunk has long been a staple of basketball, its biggest billboard, showcasing the athleticism and ferocity of its athletes. Now, some within the game want more.

The Australian men’s professional league, the NBL, has lodged a request with the sport’s rule-makers about trialling a way to deliver more of these highlights in a proposal that threatens to alter the game’s fine balance.