240 NBA trivia questions, from the easy ones every fan knows to the deep cuts. Tap a question to see the answer and a quick fact.
Who averaged 50.4 points per game in 1961-62?
Wilt Chamberlain (1962)
He also averaged 48.5 minutes, more than a full game.
How many championship rings did Bill Russell win as a player?
11 (1969)
Russell won 11 titles in 13 seasons, the last two as player-coach.
Which arena was famous for its parquet floor?
Boston Garden (1986)
The Celtics kept the floor when they moved arenas in 1995.
Larry Bird was known as the Hick from which town?
French Lick (1986)
French Lick is in southern Indiana.
What number did Larry Bird wear?
33 (1990)
Magic Johnson wore 32.
The original Dream Team played at which Olympics?
Barcelona 1992 (1992)
It was the first Olympics open to NBA players. The team won by an average of almost 44 points.
During his first retirement, Michael Jordan played minor league baseball for which team?
Birmingham Barons (1994)
He hit .202 for the White Sox Double-A affiliate in 1994.
Hakeem Olajuwon was born in which country?
Nigeria (1994)
He played soccer and handball before basketball.
Kevin Garnett was drafted straight out of high school in 1995 by which team?
Minnesota Timberwolves (1995)
Garnett was picked fifth overall and spent his first 12 seasons in Minnesota.
What was the Chicago Bulls' record in 1995-96?
72-10 (1996)
Golden State broke it with 73-9 in 2015-16.
Michael Jordan's Flu Game came in the 1997 Finals against which team?
Utah Jazz (1997)
He scored 38 points in Game 5.
Which of these was NOT a first overall pick?
Kobe Bryant (1997)
Kobe went 13th.
How many Finals MVP awards did Michael Jordan win?
6 (1998)
Jordan won Finals MVP in all six of his title runs with Chicago.
Who won the 2001 NBA MVP?
Allen Iverson (2001)
At six feet, he was the shortest MVP ever.
Which team drafted Yao Ming first overall in 2002?
Houston Rockets (2002)
Yao became an eight-time All-Star.
How many Finals MVP awards did Shaquille O'Neal win?
3 (2002)
He won three straight from 2000 to 2002 with the Lakers.
Michael Jordan finished his career with which team?
Washington Wizards (2003)
He played two seasons in Washington from 2001 to 2003.
LeBron James grew up in which city?
Akron, Ohio (2003)
He played at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.
Which college did LeBron James attend?
None, he went straight to the NBA (2003)
He went first overall out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.
Where did Carmelo Anthony play college basketball?
Syracuse (2003)
He won the national title as a freshman.
In which season did Kevin Garnett win NBA MVP?
2003-04 (2004)
Minnesota reached its first Western Conference Finals that spring.
Who played for the Celtics and Timberwolves and won MVP in Minnesota?
Kevin Garnett (2004)
He won a title in Boston in 2008.
Manu Ginobili is from which country?
Argentina (2005)
He won Olympic gold with Argentina in 2004.
Which point guard won back-to-back MVPs in 2005 and 2006?
Steve Nash (2006)
Nash led the fast-paced Phoenix Suns.
Kobe Bryant wore which number before switching to 24?
8 (2006)
The Lakers retired both.
The 2008 Celtics' Big Three were Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and who?
Ray Allen (2007)
Garnett and Allen both arrived by trade in summer 2007.
What number did Kevin Garnett wear in Minnesota?
21 (2007)
He also wore 5 in Boston.
Where did Kevin Durant play college basketball?
Texas (2007)
He was the first freshman to win national player of the year.
Who am I? I was drafted out of high school in 1995. I won MVP in Minnesota. I won a title in Boston in 2008.
Kevin Garnett (2008)
He yelled anything is possible after winning the 2008 title.
How many titles did Phil Jackson win as a head coach?
11 (2010)
Six with Chicago and five with the Lakers.
In The Decision, LeBron said he would take his talents to where?
South Beach (2010)
The 2010 special aired live on ESPN.
LeBron James won his first NBA title with which team?
Miami Heat (2012)
He won in 2012 and 2013 with Miami, then 2016 with Cleveland and 2020 with the Lakers.
Linsanity happened in 2012 with which team?
New York Knicks (2012)
Jeremy Lin went from end of the bench to cover star in two weeks.
Damian Lillard was drafted 6th overall in 2012 by which team?
Portland Trail Blazers (2012)
He won Rookie of the Year unanimously.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was drafted 15th in 2013 by which team?
Milwaukee Bucks (2013)
He was 18 and playing in Greece's second division.
The Spurs' Big Three was Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and who?
Manu Ginobili (2014)
They won four titles together.
How many NBA titles did Tim Duncan win, all with San Antonio?
5 (2015)
He won in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.
In which year did Stephen Curry win his first MVP?
2015 (2015)
He won again unanimously in 2016.
Who beat the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in the 2016 Finals?
Cleveland Cavaliers (2016)
Cleveland came back from 3-1 down, the first team to do so in the Finals.
Whose layup did LeBron James chase down and block in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals?
Andre Iguodala (2016)
Kyrie Irving then hit the go-ahead three over Curry.
Who am I? Drafted by Charlotte, traded on draft night, 20 seasons with one team, scored 81 in a game.
Kobe Bryant (2016)
He won five titles with the Lakers.
Which play-by-play voice is known for shouting Bang!?
Mike Breen (2016)
He's called the NBA Finals for ABC since 2006.
Which Timberwolf won Rookie of the Year in 2016?
Karl-Anthony Towns (2016)
Wiggins had won it the year before.
Who am I? I took Davidson to the 2008 Elite Eight. I made 402 threes in one season. I was the first unanimous MVP.
Stephen Curry (2016)
His father Dell also played in the NBA.
Russell Westbrook averaged a triple-double in 2016-17 for which team?
Oklahoma City Thunder (2017)
He also set a single-season record with 42 triple-doubles.
Where did Jayson Tatum play college basketball?
Duke (2017)
He played one season.
The Spurs traded Kawhi Leonard to which team in 2018?
Toronto Raptors (2018)
DeMar DeRozan went to San Antonio, and Kawhi won the 2019 title in his only Toronto season.
How many Finals MVPs did Kevin Durant win with Golden State?
2 (2018)
He won in 2017 and 2018.
Who dribbled out the clock in a tied Game 1 of the 2018 Finals?
J.R. Smith (2018)
LeBron's reaction became a meme. Golden State won in overtime.
Who won NBA MVP in 2018?
James Harden (2018)
Houston won 65 games.
Where did Trae Young play college basketball?
Oklahoma (2018)
He led the nation in points and assists as a freshman.
Kawhi Leonard's four-bounce Game 7 buzzer-beater in 2019 eliminated which team?
Philadelphia 76ers (2019)
It was the first Game 7 buzzer-beater in NBA history.
Ja Morant was drafted 2nd overall in 2019 by which team?
Memphis Grizzlies (2019)
Zion Williamson went first.
Ja Morant played college basketball at which school?
Murray State (2019)
He posted a triple-double in an NCAA tournament win over Marquette.
In which year did Giannis Antetokounmpo win his first MVP?
2019 (2019)
He won again in 2020.
Anthony Davis was traded to the Lakers in 2019 by which team?
New Orleans Pelicans (2019)
The Lakers sent Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart.
How many seasons did Dirk Nowitzki play, all with Dallas?
21 (2019)
That's an NBA record for one franchise.
Which team drafted Anthony Edwards first overall in 2020?
Minnesota Timberwolves (2020)
Edwards led Minnesota to the Western Conference Finals in 2024 and 2025.
LeBron James broke whose career scoring record in 2023?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2023)
Kareem had held the record since 1984.
Which team drafted Victor Wembanyama first overall in 2023?
San Antonio Spurs (2023)
Three years later he led San Antonio to the 2026 Finals.
Joel Embiid was born in which country?
Cameroon (2023)
He started playing basketball at 15.
Who became the first NBA player to reach 40,000 career points?
LeBron James (2024)
He reached it in March 2024 against Denver.
Who am I? Drafted 41st during a commercial, won three MVPs and a title in Denver.
Nikola Jokic (2024)
He's the lowest draft pick to win MVP.
In 2024, LeBron James became the first NBA player to play alongside whom?
His son (2024)
Bronny James debuted for the Lakers in October 2024.
The Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Lakers in 2025 in a deal centered on whom?
Anthony Davis (2025)
The February 2025 trade shocked the league.
Who won both NBA MVP and Finals MVP in 2025?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2025)
Oklahoma City beat the Indiana Pacers in seven games.
Who did Oklahoma City beat in the 2025 NBA Finals?
Indiana Pacers (2025)
It went seven games, the first Finals Game 7 since 2016.
Which team won the 2026 NBA Finals?
New York Knicks (2026)
The Knicks beat the Spurs four games to one for their first title since 1973.
The Knicks' name is short for what?
Knickerbockers (1950)
Knickerbockers refers to Dutch settlers of New York.
Who was the dominant center of the Minneapolis Lakers dynasty?
George Mikan (1954)
Mikan won five titles in Minneapolis between 1949 and 1954.
The NBA's 24-second shot clock was introduced in which season?
1954-55 (1954)
Syracuse owner Danny Biasone came up with it.
The Lakers franchise originated in which city?
Minneapolis (1960)
Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The team moved to Los Angeles in 1960.
Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game came against which team?
New York Knicks (1962)
Chamberlain was playing for the Philadelphia Warriors in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double in 1961-62 for which team?
Cincinnati Royals (1962)
No one matched it again until Westbrook in 2017.
Who yelled Havlicek stole the ball!?
Johnny Most (1965)
He was the Celtics' longtime radio voice.
How many consecutive NBA titles did the Celtics win from 1959 to 1966?
8 (1966)
It remains the longest championship streak in North American major pro sports.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won his first NBA title with which team?
Milwaukee Bucks (1971)
He won in 1971 with Oscar Robertson, then five more with the Lakers.
The Rockets got their name in which city before moving to Houston?
San Diego (1971)
San Diego was known for its aerospace industry.
Which team holds the NBA record with a 33-game winning streak?
1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers (1972)
The Heat's 27 straight wins in 2013 is second.
Wilt Chamberlain played for the Warriors, 76ers and Lakers. Which team did he NOT play for?
Boston Celtics (1973)
Wilt won titles with the 1967 76ers and the 1972 Lakers.
Who was the first NBA player to score 30,000 career points?
Wilt Chamberlain (1973)
He finished with 31,419.
Four ABA teams joined the NBA in 1976. Which of these was NOT one of them?
Kentucky Colonels (1976)
The fourth was the New York Nets. Kentucky folded.
Which center led Portland to its only title, in 1977?
Bill Walton (1977)
Walton was Finals MVP against Philadelphia.
The Jazz moved to Utah in 1979 from which city?
New Orleans (1979)
That is why a team in Salt Lake City is called the Jazz.
Who was Finals MVP for the SuperSonics' only title in 1979?
Dennis Johnson (1979)
Seattle beat Washington in a Finals rematch.
Pete Maravich played for the Hawks, Jazz and which other team?
Boston Celtics (1980)
He scored 68 points in a game for New Orleans in 1977.
Kevin McHale played college basketball at which school?
Minnesota (1980)
He grew up in Hibbing on the Iron Range.
Before his NBA career, Danny Ainge played MLB for which team?
Toronto Blue Jays (1981)
He hit .220 over three seasons.
Who led the 1983 76ers with his Fo, Fo, Fo playoff prediction?
Moses Malone (1983)
Philadelphia went 12-1 in the playoffs, nearly a sweep.
Which player did Portland draft second overall in 1984, one pick ahead of Michael Jordan?
Sam Bowie (1984)
Houston took Hakeem first overall.
John Stockton played college basketball at which school?
Gonzaga (1984)
He grew up a few blocks from campus in Spokane.
The Sacramento Kings moved there in 1985 from which city?
Kansas City (1985)
The franchise has also played in Rochester, Cincinnati and Omaha.
Karl Malone played college basketball at which school?
Louisiana Tech (1985)
That's where the nickname The Mailman began.
Patrick Ewing was born in which country?
Jamaica (1985)
He moved to Massachusetts at 12.
Larry Bird won how many consecutive MVP awards?
3 (1986)
Bird won from 1984 to 1986.
Which 5-foot-7 Hawks guard won the 1986 Slam Dunk Contest?
Spud Webb (1986)
He beat Atlanta teammate Dominique Wilkins.
Which center formed Houston's Twin Towers with Hakeem Olajuwon?
Ralph Sampson (1986)
Houston reached the 1986 Finals with them.
Scottie Pippen played college basketball at which school?
Central Arkansas (1987)
He began there as a team manager.
Who averaged 37.1 points per game in 1986-87?
Michael Jordan (1987)
It was his third season.
The Fabulous Forum was home to the Lakers and which NHL team?
Los Angeles Kings (1987)
It's in Inglewood.
Michael Jordan's series-winning The Shot in 1989 came over which defender?
Craig Ehlo (1989)
It eliminated Cleveland in the first round.
Who was Finals MVP for the Bad Boys Pistons in 1989?
Joe Dumars (1989)
Isiah Thomas won it the next year.
Who is the shortest player in NBA history at 5-foot-3?
Muggsy Bogues (1990)
He played 14 seasons, most with the Charlotte Hornets.
In which season did the Minnesota Timberwolves debut?
1989-90 (1990)
They drew over a million fans at the Metrodome in year one.
Stephen Curry's father Dell played most of his career for which team?
Charlotte Hornets (1990)
Dell was a sharpshooting sixth man.
Who averaged 18.7 rebounds per game in 1991-92?
Dennis Rodman (1992)
It is the highest since the 1970s.
Drazen Petrovic starred for which team before his death in 1993?
New Jersey Nets (1993)
He began his NBA career in Portland.
John Paxson's title-winning three in 1993 came against which team?
Phoenix Suns (1993)
It completed the Bulls' first three-peat.
Dikembe Mutombo's eighth-seeded Nuggets upset which top seed in 1994?
Seattle SuperSonics (1994)
Mutombo lay on the floor clutching the ball after the final buzzer.
David Robinson scored 71 on the season's final day in 1994 to edge whom for the scoring title?
Shaquille O'Neal (1994)
Robinson averaged 29.8 to Shaq's 29.3.
Reggie Miller scored eight points in nine seconds against which team?
New York Knicks (1995)
It turned a six-point deficit into a Game 1 win at Madison Square Garden.
Who was Finals MVP of both of Houston's titles in 1994 and 1995?
Hakeem Olajuwon (1995)
Hakeem was also regular season MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in 1994.
The 1995 Houston Rockets won the title as which seed?
Sixth (1995)
They are the lowest seed to win a championship.
Lithuanian center Arvydas Sabonis played his NBA career with which team?
Portland Trail Blazers (1995)
He arrived at age 31, well past his peak.
Who was Shaq's backcourt partner on the 1995 Finals Magic?
Penny Hardaway (1995)
Orlando was swept by Houston.
The Toronto Raptors' name and original dinosaur logo were inspired by which movie?
Jurassic Park (1995)
Fans voted on the name in 1994.
Kobe Bryant was drafted 13th overall in 1996 by which team?
Charlotte Hornets (1996)
Charlotte traded him to the Lakers for center Vlade Divac.
Ray Allen was drafted by Minnesota in 1996 and traded on draft night to which team?
Milwaukee Bucks (1996)
Minnesota got Stephon Marbury in return.
Which team changed its name from Bullets to Wizards in 1997?
Washington (1997)
Its only title came as the Bullets in 1978.
Who hit the title-clinching jumper in Game 6 of the 1997 Finals after a pass from Jordan?
Steve Kerr (1997)
Chicago beat Utah for its fifth title.
Which of these never won NBA MVP?
Patrick Ewing (1997)
Ewing made 11 All-Star teams.
Tim Duncan grew up on which island?
St. Croix (1997)
He was a competitive swimmer until a hurricane destroyed his local pool.
Kevin Garnett's 1997 extension with Minnesota was worth how much?
$126 million (1997)
It's often cited as a cause of the 1998 lockout.
Michael Jordan's final shot as a Bull came over which Utah defender?
Bryon Russell (1998)
It won Game 6 of the 1998 Finals and completed a second three-peat.
Who am I? I played college ball at Southeastern Oklahoma State. I won seven straight rebounding titles. I won titles in Detroit and Chicago.
Dennis Rodman (1998)
He was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
The eighth-seeded 1999 Knicks reached the Finals and lost to which team?
San Antonio Spurs (1999)
Larry Johnson's four-point play beat Indiana in the conference finals.
Who am I? Naval Academy grad nicknamed The Admiral, won two titles with San Antonio.
David Robinson (1999)
He served two years in the Navy before joining the Spurs.
Dennis Rodman played for five NBA teams. Which of these was NOT one?
New York Knicks (2000)
Rodman also played for the Bulls and Lakers and won seven straight rebounding titles.
Charles Barkley played for the 76ers, Suns and Rockets. Which team did he NOT play for?
Seattle SuperSonics (2000)
Barkley won the 1993 MVP in his first season with Phoenix.
Allen Iverson famously stepped over which Lakers player in the 2001 Finals?
Tyronn Lue (2001)
Philadelphia won Game 1 in overtime but lost the series 4-1.
The Vancouver Grizzlies moved in 2001 to which city?
Memphis (2001)
They had played six seasons in Vancouver.
The original Charlotte Hornets moved in 2002 to which city?
New Orleans (2002)
Charlotte got the Hornets name and history back in 2014.
Where did Dwyane Wade play college basketball?
Marquette (2003)
He led Marquette to the 2003 Final Four.
Karl Malone played his final season with which team?
Los Angeles Lakers (2004)
Malone joined Gary Payton, Kobe and Shaq in 2003-04 but lost in the Finals to Detroit.
Who was Finals MVP when the Pistons upset the Lakers in 2004?
Chauncey Billups (2004)
Detroit won in five games without a traditional superstar.
Tracy McGrady scored 13 points in 35 seconds against which team?
San Antonio Spurs (2004)
Houston won 81-80 in December 2004.
Derek Fisher's 0.4-second shot in 2004 came against which team?
San Antonio Spurs (2004)
It won Game 5 of the West semifinals.
Kevin Garnett's 2004 Wolves were joined by Sam Cassell and which other veteran?
Latrell Sprewell (2004)
Minnesota won 58 games and reached the West finals.
Who won 2004 Rookie of the Year over Carmelo Anthony?
LeBron James (2004)
Carmelo's Nuggets made the playoffs that year, which made the vote debated.
Which of these never won a title with the Lakers?
Karl Malone (2004)
Malone retired without a ring.
Steve Nash was born in which country?
South Africa (2005)
He grew up in Victoria, British Columbia.
Where did Chris Paul play college basketball?
Wake Forest (2005)
He played two seasons.
Kobe Bryant scored 81 points against which team?
Toronto Raptors (2006)
It is the second highest scoring game in NBA history, behind Chamberlain's 100.
Who averaged 35.4 points per game in 2005-06?
Kobe Bryant (2006)
It's the highest average since Jordan's 37.1 in 1986-87.
Pat Riley coached the Lakers, Knicks and Heat. Which team did he NOT coach?
Boston Celtics (2006)
He won five titles as a head coach.
Kevin Durant was drafted second overall in 2007 by which franchise?
Seattle SuperSonics (2007)
Portland took Greg Oden first. The Sonics moved to Oklahoma City in 2008.
The We Believe Warriors upset which top seed as an eighth seed in 2007?
Dallas Mavericks (2007)
Dallas had won 67 games and had MVP Dirk Nowitzki.
How many championship rings did Robert Horry win?
7 (2007)
He won with Houston, the Lakers and San Antonio.
Where did Kevin Love play college basketball?
UCLA (2008)
Minnesota acquired him on draft night.
Where did Derrick Rose play college basketball?
Memphis (2008)
Memphis lost the 2008 title game to Kansas.