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▶ ◉ HISTORY TRIVIA

HISTORY
QUESTIONS

NBA history trivia covering milestones, drafts, expansions, and landmark moments in basketball. 48 questions total.

PRO

What year was the NBA founded?

✓1946195019541962
ROOKIE

Who was the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft?

Carmelo AnthonyChris BoshDwyane Wade✓LeBron James
LEGEND

Which team won the very first NBA championship in 1947?

✓Philadelphia WarriorsChicago StagsNew York KnicksBoston Celtics
PRO

Who said 'I'm taking my talents to South Beach'?

Dwyane WadeChris Bosh✓LeBron JamesShaquille O'Neal
ROOKIE

What does 'NBA' stand for?

National Basketball Alliance✓National Basketball AssociationNorth American Basketball AssociationNational Basketball Athletics
ROOKIE

Which team did Kevin Durant join in 2016, controversially?

Houston RocketsCleveland Cavaliers✓Golden State WarriorsMiami Heat
LEGEND

Who was the first player to be drafted directly from high school and become an All-Star?

✓Kevin GarnettKobe BryantLeBron JamesDarryl Dawkins
PRO

Who was the first international player to be selected #1 overall in the NBA Draft?

✓Yao MingDirk NowitzkiHakeem OlajuwonPatrick Ewing
PRO

Which coach has won the most NBA championships?

Gregg Popovich✓Phil JacksonPat RileyRed Auerbach
LEGEND

Which team drafted Dirk Nowitzki but immediately traded him to Dallas in 1998?

✓Milwaukee BucksMinnesota TimberwolvesSeattle SuperSonicsAtlanta Hawks
PRO

Which player won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 2016 with a perfect score?

✓Zach LaVineAaron GordonDeAndre JordanAndre Iguodala
LEGEND

Who won the first NBA Three-Point Contest in 1986?

✓Larry BirdMagic JohnsonDale EllisCraig Hodges
PRO

What was the name of the Chicago Bulls' arena during Michael Jordan's championship runs?

United Center✓Chicago StadiumAllstate ArenaWintrust Arena
PRO

Which player was selected #1 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft?

✓Anthony DavisBradley BealDamian LillardAndre Drummond
PRO

Which player famously crossed over Michael Jordan in the 1996-97 season?

Gary Payton✓Allen IversonTim HardawayStephon Marbury
ROOKIE

Which team drafted Stephen Curry in 2009?

Oklahoma City ThunderMinnesota Timberwolves✓Golden State WarriorsNew York Knicks
PRO

In what year did the NBA introduce the three-point line?

1976✓197919821985
PRO

Which team drafted Kobe Bryant 13th overall in 1996, then traded him to the Lakers?

Seattle SuperSonicsNew Jersey Nets✓Charlotte HornetsIndiana Pacers
ROOKIE

Who coached the San Antonio Spurs to all five of their NBA championships?

Larry BrownDon Nelson✓Gregg PopovichPat Riley
LEGEND

Which player demanded a trade from the Phoenix Suns and was dealt to Miami for Shaquille O'Neal in 2008?

✓Shawn MarionBoris DiawMarcus BanksBrian Grant
PRO

Which player was selected first overall in the 1984 draft — the same draft as Michael Jordan?

Charles BarkleyJohn Stockton✓Hakeem OlajuwonPatrick Ewing
ROOKIE

Which player was the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft?

Scoot HendersonBrandon Miller✓Victor WembanyamaChet Holmgren
ROOKIE

Which team selected Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick in 2023?

Charlotte HornetsDetroit Pistons✓San Antonio SpursPortland Trail Blazers
LEGEND

In what city did the NBA's first game take place in 1946?

New YorkBoston✓TorontoPhiladelphia
LEGEND

In which year was the NBA's first All-Star Game played?

1946✓195119551960
PRO

Who hit the buzzer-beater known as 'The Shot' over Craig Ehlo to eliminate Cleveland in the 1989 playoffs?

Scottie Pippen✓Michael JordanIsiah ThomasMagic Johnson
ROOKIE

Which college did Michael Jordan play for before being drafted by the Chicago Bulls?

DukeKentucky✓North CarolinaIndiana
PRO

Who was selected first overall in the 1996 NBA Draft, the same draft that included Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash?

Ray AllenStephon Marbury✓Allen IversonMarcus Camby
LEGEND

Which university did Wilt Chamberlain attend before entering the NBA?

UCLA✓KansasOhio StateIndiana
PRO

The silhouette on the NBA logo is widely recognized as which player?

Elgin BaylorOscar Robertson✓Jerry WestBob Cousy
ROOKIE

In which year did the NBA first allow professional players to compete in the Olympics?

19841988✓19921996
LEGEND

Which coach trademarked the phrase 'three-peat' ahead of the Lakers' potential third consecutive title in 1989?

Red AuerbachChuck DalyPhil Jackson✓Pat Riley
PRO

Reggie Miller's famous trash-talk rivalry with which celebrity Knicks fan defined an era of playoff basketball?

Jay-Z✓Spike LeeJack NicholsonDenzel Washington
LEGEND

Who served as the head coach of the 1992 USA Dream Team at the Barcelona Olympics?

Larry BrownLenny WilkensPat Riley✓Chuck Daly
PRO

Which player declared 'I am not a role model' in a famous 1993 Nike commercial?

Dennis Rodman✓Charles BarkleyShaquille O'NealGary Payton
PRO

The NBA play-in tournament was permanently introduced starting in which season?

2018-192019-20✓2020-212021-22
LEGEND

Who was the first Black head coach to win an NBA championship, doing so as a player-coach in 1968?

Lenny WilkensAl Attles✓Bill RussellK.C. Jones
ROOKIE

Michael Jordan briefly retired from basketball in 1993 to pursue a career in which sport?

GolfFootballTennis✓Baseball
PRO

Which player's 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest performance is widely regarded as the greatest in the contest's history?

Jason RichardsonDesmond Mason✓Vince CarterSteve Francis
LEGEND

Rick Barry was famous for shooting free throws in which unconventional way?

One-handed push shotJump shot style✓Underhand (granny style)Hook shot style
LEGEND

In which year did the ABA merge with the NBA, bringing in teams like the Nuggets, Pacers, and Spurs?

19721974✓19761978
LEGEND

The NBA's 'one and done' minimum age rule (19 years old) was first applied to which NBA Draft?

20032004✓20052006
PRO

How many points did Michael Jordan score in the famous 1997 Finals 'Flu Game' despite being severely ill?

3235✓3841
PRO

The infamous 2004 'Malice at the Palace' brawl involving players and fans occurred during a game between which two teams?

Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls✓Indiana Pacers and Detroit PistonsNew York Knicks and Miami HeatLos Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings
PRO

Who served as NBA Commissioner from 1984 to 2014, transforming the league into a global brand?

Larry O'BrienAdam SilverRod Thorn✓David Stern
PRO

In which year did Wilt Chamberlain score his record 100 points in a single game?

19601961✓19621963
ROOKIE

Tim Duncan was selected first overall in the 1997 NBA Draft by which team?

Charlotte HornetsPhiladelphia 76ersVancouver Grizzlies✓San Antonio Spurs
LEGEND

Isaiah Thomas was selected with the very last pick (60th) in the 2011 NBA Draft but went on to become an All-Star. Which team drafted him?

Boston Celtics✓Sacramento KingsPhoenix SunsLos Angeles Clippers
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