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150 NBA Trivia Questions and Answers

Reviewed by Aleesha Rubinstein, Editor·Updated Oct 2026·19 min read

150 NBA trivia questions and answers on pro basketball history, legends, records, franchises, Finals moments and rules — from George Mikan and Bill Russell to LeBron James and Stephen Curry, with easy, medium and hard questions.

NBA Trivia

Here are 150 NBA trivia questions and answers, from peach baskets in Springfield to the 2024 Celtics. They run in rounds — history and founding, legends and nicknames, records, teams and arenas, Finals and draft moments, then the rulebook — so you can pull a themed round or mix them up.

Every question is tagged easy, medium or hard. The easy ones work for casual fans; the hard ones (Elgin Baylor's Finals record, the Pistons' Indiana roots, the restricted-area arc) will separate the diehards from everyone else. Answers are in the key at the bottom, so you can play without spoilers.

  1. 1Who invented basketball in 1891?

  2. 2What did James Naismith nail up as the very first baskets?

  3. 3The Lakers' name comes from which state, the 'Land of 10,000 Lakes'?

  4. 4How many seconds are on the NBA shot clock, introduced in 1954?

  5. 5The original 'Dream Team' of NBA stars won gold at which Summer Olympics?

  6. 6The silhouette in the NBA logo is widely accepted to be which Lakers legend?

  7. 7Who served as NBA commissioner from 1984 to 2014?

  8. 8The Vancouver Grizzlies relocated in 2001 to which city?

  9. 9The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is in which Massachusetts city, where the game was invented?

  10. 10The NBA traces its founding to 1946, when which league played its first season?

  11. 11Which Minneapolis Lakers center was the NBA's first dominant big man, in the late 1940s and early 1950s?

  12. 12The Syracuse Nationals moved in 1963 and became which team?

  13. 13In which season did the NBA first use the three-point line?

  14. 14Which rival league, known for its red, white and blue ball, sent four teams into the NBA in 1976?

  15. 15Which of these franchises came into the NBA from the ABA in 1976?

  16. 16Who coached the 1992 Dream Team?

  17. 17Who was the only college player on the 1992 Dream Team roster?

  18. 18The NBA championship trophy is named after which former commissioner?

  19. 19In 1995 the NBA added the Toronto Raptors and which other Canadian team?

  20. 20In 1949 the BAA merged with which rival league to form the NBA?

  21. 21The first BAA game, on Nov. 1, 1946, saw the New York Knicks play in which city?

  22. 22Who became the first Black player to appear in an NBA game, on Oct. 31, 1950?

  23. 23Which franchise won three straight titles from 1952 to 1954, the NBA's first three-peat?

  24. 24The shot clock was championed by Danny Biasone, owner of which team?

  25. 25Which player was nicknamed 'The Answer'?

  26. 26Which rebounding specialist with ever-changing hair color was nicknamed 'The Worm'?

  27. 27Which Spurs power forward was nicknamed 'The Big Fundamental'?

  28. 28Which Hall of Famer was nicknamed 'T-Mac'?

  29. 29Which Greek star, the NBA MVP in 2019 and 2020, is nicknamed 'The Greek Freak'?

  30. 30Which Hall of Famer, later a TV analyst, was nicknamed 'Sir Charles'?

  31. 31Which 76ers forward, a dunking pioneer in the ABA, was known as 'Dr. J'?

  32. 32Which Utah Jazz power forward was nicknamed 'The Mailman' because he always delivered?

  33. 33Which Bulls forward was Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame teammate on all six title teams?

  34. 34Which Seattle SuperSonics guard was nicknamed 'The Glove'?

  35. 35Which flashy guard was known as 'Pistol Pete'?

  36. 36Tim Duncan, a competitive swimmer as a boy, grew up in which U.S. territory?

  37. 37Which Spurs center, a Naval Academy graduate, was nicknamed 'The Admiral'?

  38. 38Which Timberwolves and Celtics forward was nicknamed 'The Big Ticket'?

  39. 39Which high-flying SuperSonics forward was nicknamed 'The Reign Man'?

  40. 40Whose signature low-post move was called the 'Dream Shake'?

  41. 41Which Jazz point guard set the NBA career assists record of 15,806?

  42. 42Which Orlando Magic guard went by the nickname 'Penny'?

  43. 43Which Celtics forward, 'The Hick from French Lick,' won three straight MVP awards from 1984 to 1986?

  44. 44What is Magic Johnson's real first name?

  45. 45Which Hawks star was nicknamed 'The Human Highlight Film'?

  46. 46Which Celtics forward, the 2008 Finals MVP, was nicknamed 'The Truth'?

  47. 47Which bearded guard won the 2018 MVP with the Houston Rockets?

  48. 48At 5 feet 3 inches, who is the shortest player in NBA history?

  49. 49Which Canadian point guard won back-to-back MVP awards in 2005 and 2006 with Phoenix?

  50. 50Which Serbian center, picked 41st in the 2014 draft, won back-to-back MVP awards in 2021 and 2022?

  51. 51In Game 6 of the 1980 Finals, which Lakers rookie started at center and scored 42 points?

  52. 52Hakeem Olajuwon starred for the 'Phi Slama Jama' teams at which college?

  53. 53Which stylish Knicks Hall of Fame guard was nicknamed 'Clyde'?

  54. 54Which Pistons point guard, nicknamed 'Zeke,' led Detroit to titles in 1989 and 1990?

  55. 55Which Celtics center was nicknamed 'The Chief'?

  56. 56Which Pistons guard was called 'The Microwave' because he heated up so fast off the bench?

  57. 57Which Celtics swingman, an eight-time champion, was nicknamed 'Hondo'?

  58. 58Which player scored 100 points in a single game in 1962?

  59. 59In February 2023, which player passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's career scoring leader?

  60. 60Which player won a record 11 NBA championships, all with Boston?

  61. 61Which coach won a record 11 NBA titles with the Bulls and Lakers?

  62. 62Which player won a record six NBA Finals MVP awards?

  63. 63Which team went 72-10 in the 1995-96 season?

  64. 64In 2016, who became the first unanimous MVP in NBA history?

  65. 65How many points did Kobe Bryant score against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006?

  66. 66Who won a record six regular-season MVP awards, the last in 1980?

  67. 67How many consecutive titles did the Celtics win from 1959 to 1966?

  68. 68In 2024, which franchise won its record 18th NBA championship?

  69. 69Which Celtics coach famously lit a victory cigar on the bench once a win was secure?

  70. 70In 2022, which coach passed Don Nelson for the most regular-season wins in NBA history?

  71. 71Who was the first player to average a triple-double for an entire season, in 1961-62?

  72. 72In 2021, which player broke Oscar Robertson's career record for triple-doubles?

  73. 73The 1971-72 Lakers set an NBA record with a winning streak of how many games?

  74. 74What regular-season record did the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors post, the best in NBA history?

  75. 75At 22, who became the youngest MVP in NBA history in 2011?

  76. 76Who won the 2000 MVP award, falling one first-place vote short of a unanimous selection?

  77. 77In 2007, who became the first European-born player to win NBA MVP?

  78. 78Which team drafted Kobe Bryant 13th overall in 1996 before trading him to the Lakers?

  79. 79Kobe Bryant won an Oscar for an animated short film based on his retirement poem. What is it called?

  80. 80Since 2020, the NBA All-Star Game MVP award has been named after whom?

  81. 81Wilt Chamberlain set the single-season scoring record in 1961-62 by averaging how many points per game?

  82. 82Michael Jordan led the NBA in scoring a record how many times?

  83. 83Michael Jordan set the NBA playoff record for points in a game with how many against Boston in 1986?

  84. 84Who holds the record for points in an NBA Finals game, with 61 in 1962?

  85. 85Stephen Curry set the single-season record for 3-pointers in 2015-16 with how many?

  86. 86Klay Thompson set an NBA record in January 2015 by scoring how many points in a single quarter?

  87. 87Which team drafted Dirk Nowitzki in 1998 before trading him to Dallas?

  88. 88Which arena is home to the New York Knicks?

  89. 89The Chicago Bulls have played at which arena since 1994?

  90. 90What is the Boston Celtics' home arena?

  91. 91Before it was renamed Crypto.com Arena in 2021, the Lakers' home arena was called what?

  92. 92The Seattle SuperSonics relocated in 2008 and became which team?

  93. 93The Utah Jazz got their name in which city before moving to Salt Lake City?

  94. 94The New Orleans Hornets took on which new name in 2013?

  95. 95Before moving to Brooklyn in 2012, the Nets played under what name?

  96. 96Which team won its first NBA championship in 2019, beating Golden State?

  97. 97Which team won its first NBA championship in 1999, led by Tim Duncan and David Robinson?

  98. 98Which team won its first NBA championship in 2011, beating LeBron James and the Heat?

  99. 99In his 2010 TV special 'The Decision,' LeBron James announced he was joining which team?

  100. 100Which team's rough-and-tumble late-1980s squad was nicknamed the 'Bad Boys'?

  101. 101'Showtime' was the nickname for the fast-breaking 1980s teams of which franchise?

  102. 102As of 2026, what is the Portland Trail Blazers' home arena called?

  103. 103In 2019 the Golden State Warriors moved from Oakland to which San Francisco arena?

  104. 104The Los Angeles Clippers opened which Inglewood arena in 2024?

  105. 105Before Houston, the Rockets played in which city?

  106. 106The Golden State Warriors were originally based in which city?

  107. 107Before 1997, the Washington Wizards were known as what?

  108. 108From 2004 to 2014, Charlotte's NBA team was called what?

  109. 109From 1975 to 1985, before moving to Sacramento, the Kings played in which city?

  110. 110What is the name of the Chicago Bulls' mascot?

  111. 111The Phoenix Suns' longtime mascot is what kind of animal?

  112. 112The Pistons were founded in which Indiana city before moving to Detroit in 1957?

  113. 113The Hawks played in which city from 1955 to 1968, before moving to Atlanta?

  114. 114The Milwaukee Bucks' 2021 title was their first since which year?

  115. 115Chicago won titles from 1991 to 1993 and three more from 1996 through which year?

  116. 116Which Looney Tunes star teamed up with Michael Jordan in the 1996 movie 'Space Jam'?

  117. 117Which award goes to the league's best player coming off the bench?

  118. 118Which Chinese center was the No. 1 pick of the Houston Rockets in 2002?

  119. 119Which French center went No. 1 to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2023 draft?

  120. 120Michael Jordan's famous 'Flu Game' came in the 1997 Finals against which team?

  121. 121In the 2016 Finals, Cleveland became the first team to win after trailing by what series margin?

  122. 122Whose go-ahead 3-pointer over Stephen Curry late in Game 7 helped Cleveland win the 2016 title?

  123. 123Whose corner 3-pointer late in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals forced overtime and saved Miami's season?

  124. 124Whose Game 7 buzzer-beater bounced four times on the rim to eliminate Philadelphia in 2019?

  125. 125The 2020 NBA playoffs were held in a 'bubble' at which Florida resort?

  126. 126Who was the first player chosen in the NBA's first draft lottery, in 1985?

  127. 127Which center did Portland draft No. 2 in 1984, one pick ahead of Michael Jordan?

  128. 128Which forward won the 2014 MVP award playing for Oklahoma City?

  129. 129Which Raptors star won the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest with a performance often called the greatest ever?

  130. 130Which 5-foot-7 Atlanta Hawks guard won the 1986 Slam Dunk Contest?

  131. 131Over which Cleveland guard did Michael Jordan hit his series-winning 'The Shot' in 1989?

  132. 132How many players does each team have on the court at once?

  133. 133How long is a quarter in an NBA game?

  134. 134How high off the floor is the rim?

  135. 135How many personal fouls does it take to foul out of an NBA game?

  136. 136Touching a shot on its downward flight toward the basket is called what?

  137. 137How many free throws does a player get when fouled on a missed shot from beyond the arc?

  138. 138How many games does each NBA team play in a regular season?

  139. 139The 'Hack-a-Shaq' tactic means intentionally fouling a player who is weak at what?

  140. 140What foul is called when an offensive player runs into a set defender who has established position?

  141. 141What do you call a game in which a player reaches double figures in points, rebounds and assists?

  142. 142How does each NBA game begin?

  143. 143How long is an NBA overtime period?

  144. 144How far is the free-throw line from the backboard?

  145. 145How many seconds does a team have to get the ball past half-court?

  146. 146What violation is called when a defender lingers in the lane without closely guarding anyone?

  147. 147Since 2006, NBA draftees must turn at least what age during the calendar year of the draft?

  148. 148How far from the basket is the top of the NBA three-point arc?

  149. 149Since 2018, the shot clock resets to how many seconds after an offensive rebound?

  150. 150A defender can't draw a charge inside the restricted-area arc under the basket. What is its radius?

Answer Key

  1. 1. James Naismith
  2. 2. Peach baskets
  3. 3. Minnesota
  4. 4. 24
  5. 5. 1992 Barcelona
  6. 6. Jerry West
  7. 7. David Stern
  8. 8. Memphis
  9. 9. Springfield
  10. 10. Basketball Association of America
  11. 11. George Mikan
  12. 12. Philadelphia 76ers
  13. 13. 1979-80
  14. 14. American Basketball Association
  15. 15. Indiana Pacers
  16. 16. Chuck Daly
  17. 17. Christian Laettner
  18. 18. Larry O'Brien
  19. 19. Vancouver Grizzlies
  20. 20. National Basketball League
  21. 21. Toronto
  22. 22. Earl Lloyd
  23. 23. Minneapolis Lakers
  24. 24. Syracuse Nationals
  25. 25. Allen Iverson
  26. 26. Dennis Rodman
  27. 27. Tim Duncan
  28. 28. Tracy McGrady
  29. 29. Giannis Antetokounmpo
  30. 30. Charles Barkley
  31. 31. Julius Erving
  32. 32. Karl Malone
  33. 33. Scottie Pippen
  34. 34. Gary Payton
  35. 35. Pete Maravich
  36. 36. U.S. Virgin Islands
  37. 37. David Robinson
  38. 38. Kevin Garnett
  39. 39. Shawn Kemp
  40. 40. Hakeem Olajuwon
  41. 41. John Stockton
  42. 42. Anfernee Hardaway
  43. 43. Larry Bird
  44. 44. Earvin
  45. 45. Dominique Wilkins
  46. 46. Paul Pierce
  47. 47. James Harden
  48. 48. Muggsy Bogues
  49. 49. Steve Nash
  50. 50. Nikola Jokic
  51. 51. Magic Johnson
  52. 52. University of Houston
  53. 53. Walt Frazier
  54. 54. Isiah Thomas
  55. 55. Robert Parish
  56. 56. Vinnie Johnson
  57. 57. John Havlicek
  58. 58. Wilt Chamberlain
  59. 59. LeBron James
  60. 60. Bill Russell
  61. 61. Phil Jackson
  62. 62. Michael Jordan
  63. 63. Chicago Bulls
  64. 64. Stephen Curry
  65. 65. 81
  66. 66. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
  67. 67. Eight
  68. 68. Boston Celtics
  69. 69. Red Auerbach
  70. 70. Gregg Popovich
  71. 71. Oscar Robertson
  72. 72. Russell Westbrook
  73. 73. 33
  74. 74. 73-9
  75. 75. Derrick Rose
  76. 76. Shaquille O'Neal
  77. 77. Dirk Nowitzki
  78. 78. Charlotte Hornets
  79. 79. Dear Basketball
  80. 80. Kobe Bryant
  81. 81. 50.4
  82. 82. Ten
  83. 83. 63
  84. 84. Elgin Baylor
  85. 85. 402
  86. 86. 37
  87. 87. Milwaukee Bucks
  88. 88. Madison Square Garden
  89. 89. United Center
  90. 90. TD Garden
  91. 91. Staples Center
  92. 92. Oklahoma City Thunder
  93. 93. New Orleans
  94. 94. New Orleans Pelicans
  95. 95. New Jersey Nets
  96. 96. Toronto Raptors
  97. 97. San Antonio Spurs
  98. 98. Dallas Mavericks
  99. 99. Miami Heat
  100. 100. Detroit Pistons
  101. 101. Los Angeles Lakers
  102. 102. Moda Center
  103. 103. Chase Center
  104. 104. Intuit Dome
  105. 105. San Diego
  106. 106. Philadelphia
  107. 107. Washington Bullets
  108. 108. Charlotte Bobcats
  109. 109. Kansas City
  110. 110. Benny the Bull
  111. 111. Gorilla
  112. 112. Fort Wayne
  113. 113. St. Louis
  114. 114. 1971
  115. 115. 1998
  116. 116. Bugs Bunny
  117. 117. Sixth Man of the Year
  118. 118. Yao Ming
  119. 119. Victor Wembanyama
  120. 120. Utah Jazz
  121. 121. 3-1
  122. 122. Kyrie Irving
  123. 123. Ray Allen
  124. 124. Kawhi Leonard
  125. 125. Walt Disney World
  126. 126. Patrick Ewing
  127. 127. Sam Bowie
  128. 128. Kevin Durant
  129. 129. Vince Carter
  130. 130. Spud Webb
  131. 131. Craig Ehlo
  132. 132. Five
  133. 133. 12 minutes
  134. 134. 10 feet
  135. 135. Six
  136. 136. Goaltending
  137. 137. Three
  138. 138. 82
  139. 139. Free throws
  140. 140. Charging
  141. 141. Triple-double
  142. 142. Jump ball
  143. 143. 5 minutes
  144. 144. 15 feet
  145. 145. 8 seconds
  146. 146. Defensive three seconds
  147. 147. 19
  148. 148. 23 feet 9 inches
  149. 149. 14
  150. 150. 4 feet

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