Top 8 Interesting Facts About NBA You Probably Don’t Know About

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is often hailed as the pioneer of basketball. Established in 1946, the National Basketball Association (NBA) features a total of thirty teams segregated into Eastern and Western Conferences. Over the years, the NBA has introduced numerous prominent basketball players to the world, including Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and many others. The action-packed games, thrilling rivalries, dynamic matches, clutch shots and stellar dunks attract millions of viewers throughout the globe, establishing the National Basketball Association (NBA) as one of the most popular and prominent basketball leagues on a global level. 

While a majority of basketball aficionados are well aware of the rules and regulations of the National Basketball Association (NBA), they generally remain unaware of the interesting and fascinating facts that outline the rich historical past of the league. 

In this article, we will take a look at the top eight interesting and exciting facts about the National Basketball Association (NBA) that you probably have no idea about.

• Women’s National Basketball Association (NBA)

Although the National Basketball Association (NBA) was established in 1946, it was only in 1996 that women basketball players were included in the format to compete for the trophy. The revolutionary move to include women in the NBA league was acknowledged and appreciated by supporters throughout the world and was hailed to be a milestone in achieving and promoting gender equality in the sport.

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• Air Jordans were Banned in the NBA Games 

One of the biggest shoe brands in the world, Nike manufactured their “Air Jordans” edition especially for National Basketball Association (NBA) players with the rookie and legendary NBA player Michael Air Jordan. The Air sneakers by Nike faced a lot of backlash and criticism and were ultimately banned in the NBA matches for their high-contrast red colour. According to the rules and regulations of the NBA, basketball players are allowed to wear shoes that match their team uniform. Although the “banned shoes” failed to make their impact on the basketball court, Nike continued promoting their Air Jordans edition as one of the most premium shoe segments under their brand name. 

• Christmas Eve NBA Games 

Although the National Basketball Association (NBA) has an illustrious history that spans decades, only two games so far have been played on Christmas Eve in the past seventy-eight years. As the world already knows, Christmas Eve is hailed as one of the biggest festivals in Western countries and is commemorated by millions of people, including NBA players and organizing committees. Therefore, the roster of the National Basketball Association (NBA) league is designed with a specification to deliberately skip Christmas Eve while curating the match schedule.

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• The Tallest and Shortest NBA Players

The Washington Bullets squad of the NBA league in 1987 created history by featuring the tallest and shortest NBA players in the same team. Former American professional basketball player Muggsy Bogues with a height of 1.06m and former Sudanese-American professional basketball player and political activist Manute Bol with a height of 2.31 m played together for the Washington Bullets in 1987. The height difference between the two players that were largely assigned to the victory of the Washington Bullets squad garnered a lot of attention from NBA fans throughout the world. 

• Kobe Bryant’s Parents Co-signed His First NBA Contract 

The legendary basketball player Kobe Bryant, who passed away in a tragic plane crash along with his daughter on January 26, 2020, was seventeen years old when he was picked up by the Charlotte Hornets as the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. As per the rules and regulations of the National Basketball Association (NBA), being below eighteen years of age, Kobe Bryant could not sign his NBA contract therefore his parents opted to co-sign the NBA contract on his behalf.

• Shaq vs Hakeem NBA Rivalry 

Although the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA) has witnessed its share of thrilling rivalries, the tussle between Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon stands forth as one of the most fuming moments in the history of the NBA. In 1995, Hakeem Olajuwon managed to beat Shaquille O’,Neal’s Orlando Magic leaving the American professional basketball player frustrated. Just after the defeat, Shaquille O’Neal openly challenged Hakeem Olajuwon for a one-on-one match, which generated a lot of controversy and speculation among NBA fans. While the basketball aficionados were thrilled to witness the spine-chilling face-off between the two legendary players, the match never materialized on the basketball court.

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• Muggsy Bogues Stellar 39 Blocks Record

Former American professional basketball player, Tyrone Curtis Muggsy Bogues, also recognized as the shortest player in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA), displayed his phenomenal prowess on the basketball court and blocked a phenomenal total of thirty-nine blocks from tall basketball players in the NBA matches. Although Muggsy Bogues was criticized for his short height in the initial phase of his NBA career, his breathtaking 39-block record served as a befitting response. 

• A majority of NBA players Go Broke After a Span of Five Years 

While the glitzy lifestyle of NBA players attracts an insane amount of attention from fans throughout the world, only a few know about the ground reality of their lives. According to financial reports and statistics, an average of 60 percent of NBA players go broke after a span of five years owing to their sky-scraping expenses. From luxurious apartments to supercars, the NBA players spend a lot on levelling up their lifestyles, as a consequence of which most of them end up going bankrupt a few years down the line.