The National Basketball Association (NBA) is one of the most popular sports leagues in the world. With its high-flying action and superstar players, it’s no wonder why millions of fans tune in to watch games every week. But there’s more to the NBA than just slam dunks and three-pointers. Here are 20 fun facts about NBA basketball that will blow your mind:
1. The Origin of the NBA – The NBA was founded on June 6, 1946, as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). It merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949 to form the NBA we know today.
2. The Shortest Player in NBA History – Muggsy Bogues stands at only 5 feet 3 inches tall, making him the shortest player in NBA history. Despite his small stature, he had a long career and played for several teams, including the Charlotte Hornets and Washington Bullets.
3. The Longest Winning Streak Ever – The Los Angeles Lakers hold the record for the longest winning streak in NBA history with 33 straight wins during the 1971-72 season. They were led by Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West.
4. The Most Points Scored by a Single Player – Kobe Bryant holds the record for the most points scored in an NBA game when he dropped 81 against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006. He surpassed Michael Jordan’s previous record of 69 points.
5. The Highest-Scoring Game in NBA History – In March 1962, the Philadelphia Warriors defeated the New York Knicks 169-147 in a game that saw both teams combine for 316 points. This remains the highest-scoring game in NBA history.
6. The Only Perfect Game in NBA History – On April 9, 1968, Wilt Chamberlain made all 10 shots he attempted from the field and went 10-for-10 from the free throw line to score 28 points in a perfect game against the Baltimore Bullets.
7. The First Team to Win Back-to-Back Championships – The Boston Celtics won back-to-back championships in 1959 and 1960, becoming the first team in NBA history to do so. They would go on to win nine titles in ten years under coach Red Auerbach.
8. The Greatest Comeback in NBA Playoff History – Down 3-1 in their series against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Phoenix Suns rallied off four consecutive victories to become the first team in NBA playoff history to come back from such a deficit.
9. The Most Three-Pointers Made in an NBA Game – Klay Thompson set the record for the most three-pointers made in an NBA game when he hit 14 threes against the Chicago Bulls in October 2018. He did this while playing only 27 minutes due to injury.
10. The Oldest and Youngest Players to Appear in an NBA Game – Robert Parish played until he was 43 years old, making him the oldest player ever to appear in an NBA game. The youngest player ever was Andrew Bynum who debuted for the Los Angeles Lakers at age 18.
11. The Tallest and Shortest Players in NBA History – Manute Bol stood at 7 feet 7 inches tall, making him the tallest player in NBA history. Muggsy Bogues, whom we mentioned earlier, was the shortest player in NBA history at 5 feet 3 inches tall.
12. The Heaviest and Lightest Players in NBA History – Shaquille O’Neal was known for being one of the heaviest players in NBA history, often weighing over 300 pounds. At the other end of the spectrum, Earl Boykins was one of the lightest players in NBA history, weighing around 130 pounds.
13. The Fastest Player in NBA History – There have been many fast players throughout NBA history, but perhaps none faster than Allen Iverson. His quickness allowed him to get past defenders with ease and score countless buckets.
14. The Most Blocked Shots in an NBA Season – Dikembe Mutombo holds the record for the most blocked shots in an NBA season with 418 blocks during the 1995-96 season. He also holds the record for the most total blocks in NBA history with 3,289.
15. The Most Steals in an NBA Game – Larry Kenon stole the ball eight times in a game against the Detroit Pistons in February 1978. This still stands as the NBA record for steals in a single game.
16. The Most Assists in an NBA Game – Magic Johnson holds the record for the most assists in an NBA game with 22 against the Atlanta Hawks in November 1989. He also leads the league in career assists per game with 11.2.
17. The Most Rebounds in an NBA Game – Wilt Chamberlain grabbed 55 rebounds in a game against the Syracuse Nationals in December 1960. This remains the NBA record for most rebounds in a single game.
18. The Most Wins in an NBA Season – The Golden State Warriors won 73 games during the 2015-16 season, setting the record for the most wins in an NBA regular season. They fell short of the championship, however, losing to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games.
19. The Most Losses in an NBA Season – The Philadelphia 76ers lost 73 games during the 1972-73 season, which is the most losses in an NBA regular season. However, they bounced back the following year and won the championship behind Julius Erving.
20. The Most All-Star Appearances in NBA History – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appeared in the NBA All-Star Game 19 times, which is the most appearances in NBA history. He was selected to the All-Star team every year between 1970 and 1989 except for two seasons where he missed due to injuries.