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NBA is now more than 71 years old. It has got an amazing history which is full of facts, events, and awards. People are always looking for facts about their favourite players or teams.There are thousands of facts which are all over the internet.
We have gone through all the collections and selected best 10 facts which you may not know and will entertain you for sure.Check out the top 10 interesting facts about the NBA you might not know.
1. Shaquille O’Neal made only 1one three-point shot ever
One of the best all-time NBA players, Shaq is a four-time NBA champion and a 15-times NBA All-Star. He dominated each and every aspect of the game, except one. Shaq has attempted 22 three-pointers in his entire career and has converted only a single out of them. It is hard to imagine a player with 11,196 buckets in his NBA career but only a single 3-pointer in it, isn't it?
It was on 16 February 1996 when Magic inbounded the ball and with two seconds left on the clock, one of the ugliest bank shots ever in the history of NBA was made by Shaq. Take a look at his only career three-pointer below.
2. Air Jordans were once banned from the NBA
Air Jordan was born in 1985 and is still one of the best all-time basketball sneakers. They are growing bigger year after year. However, the start was not that easy. The sneakers during that time were mostly white and the players were told to wear shoes which matched their uniforms and the shoes of their teammates. The early Jordan's came in black and red combinations which were not liked by Former Commissioner David Stern because they were matching with Chicago Bulls uniform.
Stern fined Michael Jordan $5000 for every game that he played with these sneakers on. Jordan did not care because all the fine was paid by Nike on his behalf. It was not a big price for Nike in return for what they got.
3. Kobe Bryant’s first NBA contract was co-signed by his parents
Kobe Bryant was the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA draft. He was selected by Charlotte Hornets and was immediately traded to Los Angeles Lakers and rest is history which all of you know. One of the other stories concerning the draft was that when Kobe was drafted, he was not 18 years old. The rules for eligibility to an NBA draft were different during those times than those are today.
Kobe's parents had to co-sign his NBA contract on his behalf until he turned 18 later that year.
4. The shortest player and the tallest player in NBA history played once for the same team
Muggsy Bogues (5' 3") is the shortest person to play in the NBA. Muggsy was an amazing athlete and was famous for his steals. He was so small that in one of the plays, he even went through the legs of a player. He was an underrated shot-blocker.
Manute Bol (7' 7"), on the other hand, is the tallest person to play NBA. He was an amazing shot-blocker and rebounder. He was an underrated three-point shooter.
In the 1987-1988 season, they both played for the same team in Washington Bullets.
5. LeBron James eats and writes with his left hand
One of the most dominant players on the planet right now, LeBron James eats and writes with his left hand. He is ambidextrous. LeBron shoots with the right hand and is usually considered right-handed but, the fact is, he uses his left hand for almost everything other than shooting the basketball.
On being asked about this, he replied that he tried to imitate his idols Michael Jordan and Penny Hardaway during his childhood and started shooting with the right because they used to shoot with the right. Just imagine if LeBron starts shooting with the left too.How much fire do you expect then!
6. 60% of NBA players become broke after 5 years of retirement
This data is based on a study by Sports Illustrated, which has been done a few years back in 2009 but the trend is same even today. How can an NBA player who earns millions go broke? This is an obvious question which comes to the mind. But the study is true. A player earns millions during his career and has a luxurious lifestyle. He spends all the money on cars, shoes, clothes, houses and what not. Not hard to imagine where the money vanishes.
The players have to understand that the importance of money and have to be financially smart. LeBron James is a great example for this. He has hired people to look after his business and financial matters. The players need to understand that there is much more life after the NBA.
7. There has never been a quintuple-double in NBA
Double-doubles and triple-doubles are common in NBA. Have you heard of quadruple-double?
There are only four players in the NBA history to have a quadruple-double. They are Nate Thurmond (22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, 12 blocks), Alvin Robertson (20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 steals), Hakeem Olajuwon (18 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists, 11 blocks), and David Robinson (34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 blocks).
Now coming to the quintuple-double, as mentioned earlier there has never been a quintuple-double in NBA where a player has recorded at least 10 stat-points in five categories.
8. Shaq challenged Hakeem to a one-on-one
Back in 1995, Shaq was 22 years old and leading the Orlando Magic. He took Magic to the finals in that season. Though, the finals had a different story for Shaq. He was opposite one of the best all-time centers of NBA, Hakeem Olajuwon. Hakeem scored more than 30 points each game and outscored Shaq in every department. The series was a clean sweep and Shaq was very frustrated.
Shaq was so pissed at Hakeem that he sent a note to Hakeem after the finals ended, challenging him for a one-on-one. So the Taco Bell one-on-one challenge was due and even the commercial of it came out.Check it out!
However, the event was later cancelled.
9. The shortest player in NBA history blocked 39 shots
Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues is the shortest player in the NBA history. Just imagine a player having height 5' 3" make it into the NBA. This is not a normal story. This is an extraordinary story of an extraordinary man.
Muggsy faced criticism about his height at each and every phase of his life but he never gave up. He worked effortlessly and made it to the NBA. He blocked 39 shots on taller players when he was in NBA. He was very special.
10. Paul Pierce was stabbed 11 times and still played every game in the 2000-01 season
On 25 September 2000, Paul Pierce was at Buzz Club in Boston. It was late in the night and unfortunately, Paul was at a wrong place at the wrong time. He tried to stop a fight which took place in the club and was stabbed 11 times. He was stabbed in the face, neck and back. Somebody even smashed a bottle on his head. His former teammate Tony Battie, rushed him to the hospital and saved his life. He had to undergo a lung surgery.
Remarkably, he was back on his feet three days later after the surgery on his own. He soon came back to the court and started shooting. One of the craziest things was that he played 82 games in the 2001-02 season and was the only Boston Celtics player to start all the 82 games in that season. For a person who was stabbed 11 times, this just seems impossible. This was because he was mentally very, very tough. He was very dedicated to his team and basketball.
