9 CRAZY NBA Facts Every Basketball Fan Needs to Know!
Oct 1, 2026
For the past 75 years, the NBA League has provided us with great events involving our
favorite players and teams.
This is no longer surprising because the NBA is a league full of remarkable and unexpected
events.
Over the years, we've seen some incredible stat lines shattered and superstars achieve
incredible losses.
As a result, we're constantly on the lookout for information about them, and believe it
or not, there are literally hundreds of them all over the internet.
I'm sure you won't be able to dribble all that thousands even if you use two more hands.
Most of them are undoubtedly familiar to you already, but to save you time, we have gone
through all of the collections and picked up the finest 9 astounding facts that you
may not know and will keep you in the loop for sure.
What are you waiting for?
Go give yourself some time out and check out these 9 unbelievable facts about the NBA.
9.
The NBA Used to Prohibit the Use of Air Jordans
Air Jordan launched in 1985 and is one of the top basketball sneakers of all time.
They continued to expand in size year after year.
However, it was not an easy start.
The sneakers were generally white at the time, and the players were instructed to wear shoes
that matched their jerseys and the shoes of their teammates.
Former commissioner David Stern disliked the early Jordans' black and red color schemes
because they matched the Chicago Bulls uniforms.
Stern penalized Michael Jordan $500,000 for each game in which he wore these sneakers.
Jordan didn't mind because Nike had paid the entire punishment on his behalf.
Nike paid a small amount for what they received.
It is actually a very small amount of only $5,000 for each game compared to the $30.44
billion that Nike earns today.
What a very effective and unbelievable marketing strategy.
Who would have thought that this would blow up?
8.
Kobe Bryant's Parents Co-Signed His First NBA Contract
In the 1996 NBA draft, Kobe Bryant was the 13th overall pick.
He was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets, but was quickly moved to the Los Angeles Lakers.
And the rest, as you all know, is history.
One of the other stories surrounding the selection was that Kobe was not quite 18 years old when
he was picked.
The qualifying requirements for an NBA draft were different back then than they are now.
So you might be asking, so what's the deal here?
Well, until he reached 18 later that year, Kobe's parents had to co-sign his NBA contract
on his behalf.
Let's be real, not all aspiring basketball players have supported parents.
So I'm glad to know that even at such a young age, Kobe was already on the winning
team.
7.
The NBA's Shortest and Tallest Players Would Have Both Played on the Same Team
Mugsy Bogues holds the NBA record for the shortest player with a height of 5'3".
Mugsy was a fantastic athlete who was well-known for his steals.
He was so little that he passed between the legs of a player in one of his plays.
He was a shot blocker who was underappreciated.
On the other side, Manute Boll, with a height of 7'7", is considered as the NBA's tallest
player.
He was a great rebounder and shot blocker.
He was a three-point shooter who went unnoticed.
They were both members of the Washington Bullets during the 1987-1988 season.
This too would make a very good team.
6.
LeBron James Uses His Left Hand to Eat and Write
LeBron James, one of the world's most dominant athletes at the moment, eats and writes with
his left hand.
He is left-handed and right-handed.
LeBron shoots with his right hand and is typically thought to be right-handed.
But in reality, he utilizes his left hand for practically everything other than shooting
a basketball.
Now, what exactly is going on here?
When asked about this, he stated that when he was younger, he attempted to copy his idols
Michael Jordan and Penny Hardaway by shooting with the right since they did.
Imagine if LeBron began shooting with his left hand as well.
So how much fire do you expect?
5.
Almost 60% of NBA players go bankrupt over 5 years of retirement
This information is based on a Sports Illustrated research conducted in 2009.
Yet the tendency continues to this day.
How can a millionaire NBA player become bankrupt?
This is a natural question that comes to mind.
However, the study is correct.
An athlete earns millions of dollars over his career and lives a lavish lifestyle.
He spends all of his money on cars, shoes, clothing, and houses, among other things.
It is not difficult to imagine where the money goes.
The players must comprehend the value of money to be financially savvy.
LeBron James is a perfect illustration of this.
He has recruited staff to handle his company and finances.
The athletes must understand that there is much more to life outside the NBA.
Like a basketball, our destiny is also round, sometimes at the bottom, sometimes at the
top.
4.
There has never been a quintuple-double in NBA history
The NBA is rife with double and triple-doubles.
But have you ever heard of the term quadruple-double?
A quadruple-double is without a doubt one of the most challenging statistical feats
in basketball.
There have only been four quadruple-doubles in NBA history.
Nate Thurmond with 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, and 12 blocks.
Alvin Robertson with 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals.
Hakeem Olajuwon with his 18 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists, and 11 blocks.
And last, but definitely not the least, David Robinson, who round out the lineup with his
34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 blocks.
As for the quintuple-double, as previously stated, there has never been an NBA quintuple-double
in which a player recorded at least 10 stat points in five different categories.
Hopefully, we get to witness one soon.
Number 3.
Shaq challenged Hakeem to a one-on-one match
Shaq was 22 years old when he took over as head coach of the Orlando Magic in 1995.
That season, he led the Magic to the NBA Finals.
The finals, though, were a different story for Shaq.
He was paired with one of the NBA's greatest all-time centers, Hakeem Olajuwon.
Hakeem averaged more than 30 points per game and outscored Shaq in every category.
The series was a resounding success, and Shaq was furious.
Shaq was so enraged with Hakeem that he sent him a message after the finals concluded,
challenging him to a one-on-one match.
So the Taco Bell one-on-one challenge was due, and a promo for it aired.
Go check it out for yourself.
Number 2.
39 shots were blocked by NBA's shortest player
Tyrone Muggsy Bogus holds the record for the smallest NBA player.
Consider a player 5'3 tall making it into the NBA.
This isn't your average tail.
This is a remarkable history about a remarkable man.
Muggsy was constantly chastised for his height, yet he never gave up.
He worked hard and made it to the NBA with ease.
When he played in the NBA, he blocked 39 shots from taller opponents.
He had a distinct personality, and although we all know basketball players are tall, Muggsy
merely demonstrating how small things can make a big difference.
So, to all the viewers out there who are always insecure and being teased because of their
height, don't lose hope yet.
You wouldn't believe our number one.
Paul Pierce was stabbed 11 times during the 2000-2001 season, and yet played every game.
Yes, you heard it right.
This brave man, Paul Pierce, is said to visit Buzz Club in Boston on September 25th, 2000.
It was late that night, and Paul happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
He was stabbed 11 times when he attempted to break up a brawl in the bar.
He had his face, neck, and back stabbed.
A bottle was even slammed on his head.
Tony Battie, one of his old teammates, rushed him to the hospital and saved his life.
Surprisingly, he was up and about after his lung surgery, three days following the procedure
of his own.
He quickly returned to the floor and began shooting.
One of the most bizarre things about him was that he played 82 games in the 2001-2002 season
and was the only Boston Celtics player to start all 82 games.
This appears to be impossible for someone who's been stabbed 11 times.
But as you can see, this was due to Paul Pierce's extreme mental toughness.
He was devoted to his team and the game of basketball.
This kind of people deserve to be protected at all costs.
I'm sure his team is very thankful because they have someone like him.
The genius and talent of these players is really unbelievable.
Which of the aforementioned NBA players do you admire?
What unbelievable qualities of them made you admire them as a player and as a person?
Is this LeBron's unique ability and wits?
The marvelous tandem of Manute and Muggsy?
Or the impressive resilience of Paul Pierce?
Let us know at the comment section below.
I know it's hard to believe, but this is where our list of the 9 unbelievable facts ends.
Thank you for watching.
I hope you enjoyed this video and please stay tuned for the next one.

