NBA Names & Numbers Trivia

1. The New Jersey Nets retired the number 3 in honor of this player that passed away in a tragic car accident, cutting his career short.

From Quiz NBA Players of the 90's

Answer: Drazen Petroviæ

After struggling with the Portland Trailblazers early in his career, Petroviæ eventually excelled with the Nets and was named to the All-NBA 3rd team in 1993. Drazen was a 3rd round pick (60th overall) in the NBA draft and played from 1989 to 1993.

From Quiz NBA Coolest Nicknames

Answer: Dominique Wilkins

The master of the windmill dunk, Dominique Wilkins slam-dunked his way to hundreds of highlight reels that rivals even that of Michael Jordan. 'Nique had the highest scoring average once and won the slam dunk contest twice while playing for the Atlanta Hawks (1982 to 1994). He retgired in 1999 after one season with Orlando Magic.

From Quiz Pro Basketball Player Nicknames

Answer: Greyhound

Rick Barry was dubbed "The Miami Greyhound" and just "The Greyhound" by San Francisco broadcaster Bill King because of his slender frame and the speed and grace with which he ran up and down the court. In 1987, he was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 1996 he was chosen as one of the 50 Greatest Basketball Players in the first 50 years of the NBA. University of North Carolina product and 1978 NBA Rookie of the Year Walter Davis, spent 15 years in the NBA as a forward/guard and, like Barry, gained his nickname due to his sleek appearance on the basketball court.

From Quiz What's in a Nickname?

Answer: Dominique Wilkins

Wilkins was originally drafted by the Utah Jazz but was traded to the Atlanta Hawks a few months later. He played fifteen NBA seasons for six different teams from 1982-1999, finishing his career with a 24.8 scoring average. His nickname came from his court acrobatics and thunderous dunks, which earned him eight All-Star appearances and two NBA Slam Dunk Contest wins.

From Quiz The NBA Spelling Bee

Answer: Detlef Schrempf

Drafted from the University of Washington, Schrempf began his career of 16 seasons with the Mavericks in 1985. He also played with Indiana, Seattle, and Portland. He won his sixth man awards with the Pacers.

From Quiz NBA Spelling Bee: A

Answer: Alaa Abdelnaby

Alaa Abdelnaby has the special distinction of being the first NBA player to have been born in Egypt. He only played five seasons in the NBA, from 1990 to 1995, and he also for Coach K at Duke. A quote from Abdelnaby regarding his academic career at Duke: 'The only way I can make five A's is when I sign my name.'

From Quiz Difficult Basketball Nicknames

Answer: The Big Dipper

He led NBA in scoring seven times and rebounding 11 times; seven-time All-NBA first team; four-time MVP (1960,66-68) in Philadelphia; scored 100 points vs. NY Knicks in Hershey, Pa., Mar. 2, 1962; led 76ers (1967) and LA Lakers (1972) to NBA titles; Finals MVP in 1972.

From Quiz NBA Retired Jerseys

Answer: Robert Parish

Robert Parish, aka the Chief, wore the uniform number 00 during his NBA playing career. This is quite an ironic number when one considers that he had played more NBA games than anyone else by the time of his retirement after the 2001-02 season. He played a total of 21 NBA seasons!

From Quiz NBA Player Nicknames

Answer: Horny

Jeff was the starting SG for the Jazz during their championship runs against Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls.

From Quiz What's My Number?

Answer: 8

He just got married. What a great time to show off at playoff game 1.

From Quiz NBA Players of the 90's

Answer: Kevin Johson

Johnson made five All-NBA teams (four 2nd teams, one 3rd), and was elected Mayor of Sacramento in December of 2008.

From Quiz NBA Coolest Nicknames

Answer: Wilt Chamberlain

Chamberlain, the 7'1" center who once scored 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors and later won a title with the LA Lakers, was also known as "The Stilt," because he was so much taller against other players that he seemed to be wearing stilts (and "Wilt the Stilt" also sounded right). He was, however, better known as "The Big Dipper," in reference to the way he would always need to "dip" his head while walking through a doorway (which is often shorter than him).

From Quiz Pro Basketball Player Nicknames

Answer: Butterbean

Bob Love, an ambidextrous forward who played for 5 NBA teams during his 11-year career, did not get the nickname "Butterbean" because his tall lanky long-armed physique made him appear string bean-like, but instead garnered the nickname because that was his favorite food as a child. Eric Esch, the massive former 5-time World Toughman Heavyweight Champion, super-heavyweight boxing champion [IBA and WAA], professional wrestler, and mixed martial artist better known simply as "Butterbean", earned the nickname while trying to get his weight down to the 400-pound weight limit in order to compete in the World Tough Man competition. His diet secret? Chicken and butterbeans.

From Quiz What's in a Nickname?

Answer: Doonesbury

Doonesbury Dunleavy played in the NBA for several clubs from 1976-1990. He switched to coaching for the 1990-1991 season and took the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA Finals that year, where they lost to the Chicago Bulls.

From Quiz The NBA Spelling Bee

Answer: Julius Erving

Erving was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1972 draft, but ended up in the ABA with the Virginia Squires. The Bucks already had Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on that 1972-73 team, and went 60-22 in the season, so what a thought what might have been. Over his 16-season career, he averaged an amazing 28.7 points per game. Erving went to the all-star game in every season of his career.

From Quiz NBA Spelling Bee: A

Answer: Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor

Known by the shortened name Lew Alcindor, he changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during his time at UCLA, where he was converted to Islam. During his time at UCLA, he won three championships under Coach John Wooden. In the NBA he went on to win six more championships!

From Quiz Difficult Basketball Nicknames

Answer: Dr. J

He played in the ABA (1971-76), was a three-time MVP, two-time playoff MVP, and led the NY Nets to two titles (1974,76). In the NBA (1976-87); five-time All-NBA 1st team, MVP in 1981, led Philadelphia 76ers to title in 1983.

From Quiz NBA Nicknames

Answer: Craig Claxton & Claxton

Craig Claxton, better known as Speedy (as in the fastest mouse in Mexico), was drafted out of Hofstra in 2000, and won a championship with San Antonio in 2003. I know him as one of the few players under six feet who can dunk.

From Quiz NBA Retired Jerseys

Answer: New Orleans Hornets

The Jazz retired Pete Maravich's uniform number in 1985, despite the fact that Maravich only played one season with the team in Utah. Maravich was the first player in Jazz history after being traded to the New Orleans Jazz by Atlanta in 1974. A native of Louisiana, Maravich played five seasons in New Orleans before the team moved to Utah after the 1978-79 season. The Hornets decided to retire Maravich's number after moving from Charlotte to New Orleans in order to honor Pistol Pete's legacy.

From Quiz Math by Jersey Numbers

Answer: John Stockton

32 (Shaq) - 13 (Wilt Chamberlain) =19 - 7 (Pete Maravich) = 12 (John Stockton).

From Quiz NBA Player Nicknames

Answer: Monster Mash

Jamal was a star forward for the Hornets in 2001.

From Quiz NBA Player Jersey Numbers

Answer: Ray Allen

From Quiz What's My Number?

Answer: 33

He wore the same number with the Bulls. Dennis Rodman dyed his hair with 33's all over it.

From Quiz NBA Players of the 90's

Answer: Rik Smits

Smits spent all 12 of his years in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers (1988-2000) and helped lead them to the NBA finals in 2000 where they lost to the Lakers, 4 games to 2.

From Quiz NBA Coolest Nicknames

Answer: Dennis Rodman

The seven-time league rebounding champion and two-time defensive player of the year, Dennis Rodman was known as "The Worm" during his championship stints with the Detroit Pistons (1986-1993), the San Antonio Spurs(1993-1995), and the Chicago Bulls (1995-1998). He retired from the NBA in 2000 after one season with the Dallas Mavericks.

From Quiz Pro Basketball Player Nicknames

Answer: Kiki

A smooth-shooting forward who played 13 seasons in the NBA for four teams, Vandeweghe was born in Germany where his father was stationed as a military physician. His childhood nickname "Kiki", is German slang for curly-headed. By the way, tennis pro Coco Vandeweghe is his niece.

From Quiz What's in a Nickname?

Answer: Bill Walton

Walton took better to being called "The Big Red-Head", in reference to his wild mop of fiery hair. After a stellar collegiate career with the UCLA Bruins, where he led them to back-to-back National Championships in 1972 & 1973, years in which they were undefeated. His pro career was stalled by constant injuries; however, his dominating presence in ten NBA seasons, got him elected to the Hall of Fame. After retiring from the pros, he went behind the microphone, where his often-brilliant, often-incongruous quotes brought him a new form of notoriety.

From Quiz The NBA Spelling Bee

Answer: Dirk Nowitzki

Nowitzki was picked in the first round, ninth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. What a value hindsight is. Dirk began his career with the Mavericks in the 1998-99 season. His first 10 NBA seasons were with Dallas, averaging 22.4 points per game.

From Quiz NBA Spelling Bee: A

Answer: Mark Aguirre

Aguirre was the first pick of the draft for the Mavericks in 1981, and his play practically defined that expansion franchise for its first several seasons. He helped the Mavericks reach the playoffs in only the franchise's fourth year of existence.

From Quiz Difficult Basketball Nicknames

Answer: The Doctor of Dunk

The Doctor of Dunk went to play pro ball straight from high school. He played from 1972 to 1976 in the ABA, and from 1977 to 1980 in the NBA.

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Last Updated Oct 26 2024 5:45 AM

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