15 Interesting NBA Facts

The NBA is one of the most famous sports leagues in the whole world. Kids everywhere dream of being the next Lebron James or Stephen Curry and living out their hoop dreams. Here are a few facts about NBA that you will find interesting as a basketball fan.

#1 Banned Air Jordan shoes

Michael Jordan was fined $5000 for every game he played if he wore a certain pair of red and black Nike Air Jordan shoes. This went against the “uniformity of uniform rule”. MJ continued wearing the pair anyway, while Nike footed the bill.

#2 Affordable Hakeem Olajuwon

Mr. Olajuwon displayed his love for all his fans rich and poor by turning down shoe endorsement deals from Nike and Reebok but instead released his own $35 sneaker which will be affordable. He was quoted saying “How can a poor working mother with three boys buy Nikes or Reeboks that cost $120?… she can’t, so kids steal these shoes from stores and other kids. Sometimes they kill them.”

#3 Shaq Had a Rap Hit!?!?

Shaquille O’neal has 4 studio albums and 2 soundtracks! Have you heard him before Check out the video below… if you dare…

 

#4 A Very Small Player

Muggsy Bogues, 5’3, was a first round pick. The Washington Bullets selected him as a point guard with the 12th overall pick. He only averaged over 10 points 3 times in his 14-year career Bogues was still a hero to many because of his height.

#5 Kobe Bryant was Named after a Steakhouse

His father, Joe Bryant reveals in a 1998 interview that they named their son after a famous Japanese steak house, “Kobe”, in the Philadelphia suburb of King of Prussia. The restaurant changed its name temporarily to ‘The answer’ after Allen Iverson’s nickname when the Sixers met the Lakers in the finals.

#6 The Lion Escapades

Maunte Bol was 7’7 and weighed roughly 220 pounds. He was fond of telling everyone his favorite story from a time he killed a lion with a spear.

# 7 You Score 16 points in 94 seconds and Still Lose?

Isiah Thomas made this happen in the fifth and deciding game of the 1984 playoffs against the New York Knicks. The Knicks held their ground and went on to win.

#8 Tim Duncan’s Mother’s Wish

Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs honored his mother’s wish stayed in college for 4 years instead of going directly to NBA for the money. He had made a promise to his dying mother to graduate college with a degree.

# 9 Pete Maravich Foreshadowing

Pete Maravich said in an interview when he was 26 that he “did not want to play in the NBA for 10 years, then die of a heart attack at 40”. He proceeded to have a 10-year NBA career, and then died of a heart attack at 40.

# 10 Exchanging Bullets for Wizards

The notoriously high murder rate in Washington D.C. caused the Washington Bullets to change their name to the Washington Wizards.

#11 The Quintuple Double

Yes! It’s possible to score a quintuple double in basketball which is double digits in all five key statistical categories – points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots. Although it has never happened in the NBA, it has happened twice in girls high school play.

# 12 NBA Players Financially Broke?

An estimated 60% of former NBA players are financially broke within 5 years of retirement. Most of us can’t fathom the financial rise and fall of an athlete who makes so much.

# 13 The Ice Pack Tragedy

B.J. Tyler, a former first round draft pick ended his career and had to retire when he accidentally fell asleep with a pack of ice on his ankle, damaging his nerves and losing all the speed for which he was well known.

# 14 Latrell Sprewell Choked his Coach and Went Bankrupt

Well known for choking his coach P.J. Carlesimo he also turned down a $21 million contract offer, said it wasn’t enough to feed his family. He never played again and went bankrupt.

#15 Part Time Work at Circuit City

The always entertaining Metta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest) applied for a job at the old electronics store during his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls just so he could get employee discount there.