NBA history is full of amazing and interesting facts, events and awards. Basketball enthusiasts are always curious about their favorite teams and players and want to know more about them. People search for the unknown and interesting facts, and they are all over the internet. In this article, we will tell you the ten best facts about the NBA that are not known to many people.
#10 Kobe’s parents co-signed his first contract
Kobe Bryant was the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA draft and was selected by the Charlotte Hornets. But he was quickly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers and played with them his entire career. Something that many people don’t know about the 1996 draft is that Kobe was not 18 years old at that time. The rules for eligibility for the NBA Draft were different then than they are today. So Kobe’s parents co-signed his NBA contract on his behalf until he turned 18 that year.
#9 King James is ambidextrous
Currently, the most influential player in the league, LeBron James, writes and eats with his left hand, as he is ambidextrous. LeBron shoots right-handed and is generally considered right-handed, but he uses his left hand for almost everything except shooting the basketball. When James was asked about this, the Lakers’ star stated that he tried to imitate his idols Michael Jordan and Penny Hardaway in childhood and started shooting from his right hand because they shot from their right sides.
#8 Shaq has only made one 3-pointer in his entire NBA career
Shaq O’Neal, the four time NBA champion and one of the greatest players of all time, has dominated every aspect of the game except one. He attempted 22 three-pointers throughout his career but converted only one of them. It is hard to imagine that the 15-time NBA All-Star and a player with 11,196 buckets in his career only made one three-pointer. It was on February 16, 1996, when Shaq inbounded the ball with only two seconds left on the clock and played his shot.
#7 60% NBA Players goes bankrupt after retirement
It might be shocking to know that an NBA player who earns goes bankrupt. But according to a study by Sports Illustrated, it is true that 60% of NBA players became broke after five years of their retirement. A player earns millions and lives a luxurious lifestyle. They spent all the money on cars, shoes, clothes, houses and several other things. It is not hard to imagine where the money goes. Players need to be financially wise and understand the importance of money.
#6 The Shortest NBA Player blocked 39 Shots
Tyrone Bogues is the shortest player in NBA history. It still amazes many people that a player with a height of just 5 feet 3 inches makes it to the NBA. “Muggsy” was an extraordinary player with amazing skills. He faced a lot of criticism regarding his height at every stage of his life, but he never gave up and worked hard, finally making it to the NBA. During his time in the NBA, Tyrone blocked 39 shots on tall players.
#5 The shortest player and tallest player once played together for the same team
As we mentioned above, the 5′ 3″ Tyrone Bogues is the shortest ever to play in the NBA. He was an exceptional player and was famous for his steals. Tyrone was so short that in one game, “Muggsy” ran through the player’s legs. He was an underrated shot-blocker. The 7′ 7″ Manute Bol, on the other hand, is the tallest man to ever play in the NBA. He was a brilliant shot-blocker and rebounder. In the 1987–1988 season, they both played for the same team, the Washington Bullets.
#4 Air Jordan was once banned in the NBA
Air Jordan was made in 1985 and is still one of the best basketball sneakers of all time. They grow bigger every year. However, the beginning was not so easy. Sneakers during that time were mostly white and players were asked to wear shoes that matched their uniforms and their teammates’ shoes. The early Jordans came in a black and red combination that former commissioner David Stern did not like because they matched the Chicago Bulls uniform. Stern fined Michael Jordan $5000 for each game he played wearing these sneakers. Jordan didn’t care because Nike paid the entire fine on his behalf. It was not a big price for Nike because you know what they got in return.
#3 Shaq challenged Hakeem for a one-on-one
In 1995, when Shaq was just 22 years old, he led the Orlando Magic to the Finals that season. However, it was a different story for Shaq in the final. He was opposite Hakeem Olajuwon, one of the NBA’s best centers of all-time. Hakeem scored over 30 points in every match and outperformed Shaq in every department. The series was a clean sweep and Shaq was very disappointed. “Diesel” was so angry that he sent Hakeem a note after the finals ended, challenging him to a one-on-one. Although the event never took place, the promo for it still exists.
#2 Quintuple-doubles have never been scored in the NBA
Double-doubles and triple-doubles are seen sometimes in the NBA. But a quadruple-double is something that only four players in NBA history have achieved. These players are: Nate Thurmond, Alvin Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson. If we talk about quintuple-doubles, it has never been achieved in the NBA, where a player recorded at least 10 stat-points in five categories.
#1 Paul Pierce was stabbed 11 times but still played the whole season
In 2000, on September 25, Paul Pierce was at the Buzz Club in Boston. It was late at night and unfortunately, Paul ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. He tried to stop a fight that broke out in the club and was stabbed 11 times. Pierce was stabbed with a knife on his face, neck and back. Someone even broke a bottle on his head.
His former teammate Tony Batty rushed him to the hospital, and his life was saved. Paul had to undergo lung surgery, but he was back on his feet three days later. He soon came back to the court and started practicing. The surprising and strangest thing was that he played 82 games in the 2001–02 season and was the only Boston Celtics player to start all games that season. For a person who was stabbed 11 times, this seems almost impossible, but he was very tough mentally and was very dedicated to basketball and his team.
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