<P> An official raises his / her arm with three fingers extended to signal the shot attempt . If the attempt is successful, he / she raises his / her other arm with all fingers fully extended in manner similar to a football official signifying successful field goal to indicate the three - point goal . The official must recognize it for it to count as three points . Instant replay has sometimes been used, depending on league rules . The NBA, WNBA, FIBA and the NCAA specifically allow replay for this purpose . In NBA, FIBA, and WNBA games, video replay does not have to occur immediately following a shot; play can continue and the officials can adjust the scoring later in the game, after reviewing the video . However, in late game situations, play may be paused pending a review . </P> <P> If a shooter is fouled while attempting a three - pointer and subsequently misses the shot, the shooter is awarded three free - throw attempts . If a player completes a three - pointer while being fouled, the player is awarded one free - throw for a possible 4 - point play . Conceivably, if a player completed a three - pointer while being fouled, and that foul was ruled as either a Flagrant 1 or a Flagrant 2 foul, the player would be awarded two free throws for a possible 5 - point play . </P> <P> Major League Lacrosse features a two - point line which forms a 15 - yard (14 m) arc around the front of the goal . Shots taken from behind this line count for two points, as opposed to the standard one point . </P> <P> In gridiron football, a standard field goal is worth three points; various professional and semi-pro leagues have experimented with four - point field goals . NFL Europe and the Stars Football League adopted a rule similar to basketball's three - point line in which an additional point was awarded for longer field goals; in both leagues any field goal of 50 yards (46 m) or more was worth four points . The Arena Football League awards four points for any successful drop kicked field goal (like the three - point shot, the drop kick is more challenging than a standard place kick, as the bounce of the ball makes a kick less predictable, and arena football also uses narrower goal posts for all kicks than the outdoor game does). </P>

When was three point shot added to basketball