Basketball Legends Quiz | Basketball

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This player was known as one of the best three point shooter in the NBA. He played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat. His name is ____ .

Answer: Ray Allen

Walter Ray Allen Jr. has two championship rings, one from the 2008 Boston Celtics and the other from the 2013 Miami Heat. He also played on ten All Star Games. In 2015 Ray became a free agent and with his wife, Shannon, opened a totally organic restaurant in South Miami named Grown.

2. This 7'1" NBA star was the first ever to score 31,419 points during his career. He began playing ball in 1958 with the Harlem Globetrotters. Then in 1959, he joined the NBA team, the Philadelphia Warriors. He followed the Warriors to San Francisco, then moved back to Philadelphia to play with 76ers. In 1968, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers and stayed there until he retired in 1973. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979. Who is this player that was nicknamed "The Big Dipper?"

Answer: Wilt Chamberlain

During his fourteen year career, Wilt set many records. One was scoring 18 consecutive field goals. And another was scoring 100 points in a single game on March 2, 1962 against the New York Knicks. In 1,045 regular-season and 160 playoff games, Wilt was never fouled out.

He was often called "Wilt The Stilt", but he didn't care for that name. He was MVP four times. In 1965, Wilt Chamberlain became the first NBA player to earn $100,000 in salary. Wilt passed away in Los Angeles on October 12, 1999, from an apparent heart attack.

3. Giving you the name of #33's one and only, New England, team would be a dead give away. He was known as "The Hick from French Lick" and the "Legend." Playing for the same team from 1979 until 1992, winning three NBA championships and three NBA MVP awards were all part of his outstanding achievements. In 1998 he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Can you name the 1997 coach of the Indiana Pacers?

Answer: Larry Bird

Larry Bird was known as the "Celtics Pride." He inspired his teammates to excel. The Celtics were having one of their worst seasons when they acquired Bird. Their rankings started to accelerate after Larry Joe starting playing for them. Fans in all parts of the country were filling arenas to watch this young man play. The Boston Garden sold out the final 541 games of Bird's career, Due to continuous back problems, Larry had to retire from playing the sport.

4. This center from the University of San Francisco, played on the Celtics from 1956 until 1969. He won 11 championships with his team and played on the All Star team 12 times. In 1975, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Can you name this all star?

Answer: Bill Russell

William Felton "Bill" Russell was born February 12, 1934. One of his greatest accomplishments was in the Civil Rights Movement, on and off the court. He was award the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 by Barrack Obama. On the court, Russell was known for his rebounding abilities. Leading the NBA in rebounds four times, Bill had a dozen consecutive seasons of 1,000 or more rebounds. In 2009, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that the NBA Finals MVP Award would be named after Bill Russell. When Bill was signed in 1956, his rookie contract was worth $24,000.

5. This Michigan State University student was drafted number one by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979. They went to the championship and won five times. He was the season MVP three times. He was recognized as one of America's most influential Afro-American businessmen in 2009 by Ebony magazine. Who is this magical player?

Answer: Earvin Johnson

Number 32 was proudly worn by this Magic man. Even though they were rivals on the court, Magic and Larry Bird were great friends. Magic was inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice. He was honored in 2002 for his individual career, and in 2010 he was honored again but this time as a member of the "Dream Team." In 1991, he announced that he had been infected with HIV.

He retired on and off until 1996 when he called it quits on the court as a player. After he retired he became an advocate and spokes person for HIV/AIDS prevention and safe sex.

He began making public announcements of his HIV-positive status in 1991. Most people felt that HIV was a "gay disease" and he dispelled that rumor.

6. This great player started his career in the ABA. In 1974 and 1976 he assisted his team, the New York Nets, to win the ABA Championship. After that he switched to the NBA and played for the Philadelphia 76ers. They won the championship in 1983. Who is the man that had a combined championship of three wins?

Answer: Julius Irving

Julius Winfield Erving II, was better known as Dr. J. He was born on February 22, 1950 in East Meadow, New York. During his career he averaged 22 points in more than 800 games. The "Baseline Move," a behind-the-board reverse layup, was Dr. J's legendary shot. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.

7. This basketball star was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. He left the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after his junior year as he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. The Bulls won six championships while he was on their roster. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. His nick name would give his name away. Who is this all star?

Answer: Michael Jordan

Air Jordan and MJ were the nicknames Michael Jordan carried on and off the court. At the end of the 1992-93 season his father, James Jordan, was shot and killed during an apparent robbery. After that Jordan decided to retire from basketball. He wanted to play baseball.

But he only played for a year on the minor league team, the Birmingham Barons. In March 1995, Jordan came back to the Chicago Bulls. They won the championship against the Seattle Sonics in the 1995-96 season. Also in 1996, he was the star of Space Jam.

It was a film that had live action and animation. Jordan was on the screen with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. In 2003, he retired for the final time. He acquired the Charlotte Hornets in 2009.

8. At the age of nine, this great NBA player, stood 5'8" tall. He grew to a striking 7'2", which helped this NBA center achieve his maximum potential. Playing on "The #1 High School Team of the Century," led this player to the UCLA Bruins. While he was there, they won three national titles. He was the first draft pick in 1969 for the Milwaukee Bucks. In 1971, they won the NBA Championship. He was traded to the LA Lakers in 1975 and while there they won five NBA Championships. His trademark shot was the sky-hook. He retired in 1989. His name is ______ .

Answer: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. on April 16, 1947, in NYC, New York. In 1969, he was named the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. It was on April 5, 1984, in a game against the Utah Jazz, that Kareem took his trademark sky-hook shot that gave him his career point No. 31,420. With that point he broke Wilt Chamberlain's record as the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

At that time he was the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points.

He played for the NBA for 20 seasons. During his career he totaled 17,440 rebounds, 3,189 blocks and 1,560 games. He won the MVP title six times. Kareem Abdul Jabbar was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.

9. This member of the Olympic gold medal, 1992 "Dream Team" was inducted as a unit to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2010. He also was inducted as an individual player at the same time. His jersey number at the University of Central Arkansas and the Chicago Bulls was retired after he left both teams. The Bleacher Report named him the greatest defensive small forward ever in NBA history. In 1996 he was named on the list of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Can you name this player, who announced his retirement in October, 2004?

Answer: Scottie Pippen

Scottie Maurice Pippen was born on September 25, 1965. While playing for the Bulls during their 1995-96 season, they had 72 wins. In 1996, he was named the USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year. He played in seven NBA All-Star games and in 1994 he was named the MVP of that game. Pippen played 12 seasons with the Bulls, one with the Houston Rockets and four with the Portland Trail Blazers.

10. This shooting guard for the Miami Heat also played for Marquette in 2000 until 2003. His number was retired when he left college. He was a member of the Heat during all three of their NBA championships. He was named the Finals MVP in 2006. You've got to know who number 3 is on the Miami Heat - who is he?

Answer: Dwayne Wade

Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. was born January 17, 1982. Dwayne turned to sports after a troubled childhood. He needed to stay out of trouble. He is so popular that he had the top selling jersey in the NBA during the 2005 NBA Playoffs, until the midpoint of the 2006-07 season.

He has gone to 12 All-Star games and was the MVP for the 2010 game. After playing for Marquette he was 5th overall in the 2003 NBA draft by the Miami Heat.

Source: Author SMiami

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Basketball Legends Trivia Quiz

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