air ball

airball

In basketball, a missed shot that does not touch any part of the basket. The shot looked on target but ended up being an airball, missing the basket by a foot.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

air ball

n. a basketball throw that misses everything, especially the basket. Old Fred has become a master with the air ball. The net will never get worn out.
See also: air, ball
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • airball
  • dead on target
  • shoot up
  • shoot up on something
  • shoot-up
  • shot up
  • dinner basket
  • give it one's best shot, to
  • be shot to pieces
  • be shot down in flames
References in periodicals archive
To my dismay, I shot an "air ball." Knowing I could hit a quarter at that distance, I suspected something was wrong with my setup and decided to go home.
Improve your sight picture
In the final moments, Burke -- who scored a game-high 24 -- launched an air ball under duress, and only then did Pitino turn to his bench and begin embracing anyone in sight.
Louisville beats Michigan for 2013 NCAA title
Arid yet the league allowed it to vanish like an air ball. The NBA's estimate--and yes it was probably nonsense but an estimate still--suggested NBA teams collectively could have generated $100 million-plus per season by sewing logo-ized patches onto uniforms.
Fashion statement
After an air ball and a couple of blunders, players started feeding him the ball.
obituary
On the 21st minute, LuisA[pounds sterling]o, Benfica's Brazilian defender, caught a beautiful air ball and kicked it clean into Hapoel's net.
Tel Aviv Down One in Champions League
The copper free air ball (FAB) is already ~30% harder than a gold FAB.
Copper as a viable solution for IC packaging: not only more conductive and considerably cheaper than gold, copper uses the same ball bonding process
LaTaryl Williams proceeded to throw up an air ball from the subsequent 'and one' free-throw, then slammed in a dunk on the next play as if in angry embarrassment at himself.
Basketball: Tigers pounce on Panthers' errors; BASKETBALL: Comeback in vain as Brum suffer second heavy defeat
Adventurelands will feature climbing frames for various age groups, a sports area, air ball cannons, which fire soft balls, dragon targets, computer games, exercise equipment and a motorised car racetrack.
Pace of play keeps the kiddies healthy
The ultimate just may be the Big Air Ball Tower ($49.99), which, when completed, can stand over five feet high.
Let your kids make the K'Nex-tion
England goalkeeper David James gets to grips with the new Nike Total Air ball, which will be used for the first time in tonight's friendly with Portugal Picture/GETTY IMAGES
Football: Indifference endangering friendly face; Chief Football Writer Hyder Jawad says something has to give if long-running row is to be solved
Designed with a distinctive inner configuration, K&S' new GIG (Contained Inner Chamfer) capillary captures most of the additional gold generated from a free air ball during bonding in its inner chamfer, instead of allowing the gold to expand into the bond pad area during the first bond formation.
New pitch for microelectronics: CIC capillary design improves UFP bonding applications
When you're playing basketball underground though, is it still called an "air ball" when you miss?
Inside the mountain: with the right mix of today's high-tech virtual reality and good-old nuts and bolts-type training, SUBSCOL continues to provide the Navy with highly-trained, knowledgeable Sailors of the "silent service"
My first shot was an air ball, and I was like 'Oh my gosh, what am I doing here?''
No comebacks for Jayjay
The first pick of the 2017 draft shot an air ball, had three shots blocked and artfully attacked the lane, flashing glimpses of what has made him both a mystery project and prominent prospect.
NBA Roundup: 76ers successful in Fultz return
Cressman, who finished with eight points, gave Nashoba the lead for good by scoring after snaring an air ball.
Nashoba holds off Algonquin