NBA Quiz: The Ultimate Basketball Trivia Challenge

Are you looking for the hardest NBA quiz challenge on the web today? If so, you have come to the right place. This is the ultimate place to challenge your knowledge of the National Basketball Association. This features 50 challenging trivia questions about some of the biggest moments, accomplishments, and events in NBA history. Make sure that you are ready to challenge your brain as it will test even the biggest basketball fans. After taking the quiz, keep reading to check out some additional context on each question.

The Ultimate NBA Quiz

Instructions: After you choose an answer, use the ‘Continue >>’ button under the answers to move on to the next question. In the end, it will let you know how you scored out of 50.

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NBA Trivia Questions And Answers

In this section, we provide some additional context for all of the NBA trivia questions and answers that you answered above.

1) Bill Russell holds the record for the most NBA titles won as a player. How many did he win during his legendary career?

Bill Russell won 11 NBA Championships during his career with the Boston Celtics. That includes rings in 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969. This is a pretty wild number, considering that he only played 13 total seasons in the NBA. This definitely seems like a record that will never be broken.

2) Who is behind Bill Russell for the most titles won as a player (with 10 total)?

Sam Jones is right behind Bill Russell, winning 10 total rings during his career. Like Russell, he also won them all with the Boston Celtics (in 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969). The only title that Russell and Jones did not win together was in 1957. Jones’ name isn’t brought up as much as Russell but he had an incredible career in his own right.

3) What year was Michael Jordan drafted?

Michael Jordan was selected 3rd overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 NBA Draft. He was selected behind Hakeem Olajuwon (who was picked by the Houston Rockets) and Sam Bowie (who was picked by the Portland Trail Blazers). Olajuwon had a legendary career but we can assume the Trail Blazers are still kicking themselves to this day for passing on MJ.

4) John Salley won titles with three different teams. Which of these was NOT one of those teams?

The answer is the San Antonio Spurs as John Salley won Titles with the Detroit Pistons (1989 and 1990), Chicago Bulls (1996), and Los Angeles Lakers (2000). Salley was the first player in NBA history to win a title with three different teams.

5) In 2015, Klay Thompson scored 37 Points in a single Quarter. Which team was this against?

This came during a game against the Sacramento Kings. As a result, the Golden State Warriors went on to win the game, with Klay scoring 52 total points. The previous record for most points in a quarter was 33 and it was held by both George Gervin and Carmelo Anthony. Kevin Love came close to breaking this record in 2016, dropping 34 points in a quarter.

6) Who did the Cleveland Cavaliers lose to in Lebron James’ first-ever NBA finals?

Lebron James lost his very first NBA finals in 2007 to the San Antonio Spurs. This was a 4-0 sweep with Tony Parker finals MVP award. Lebron wouldn’t make the finals again until 2011 when he was a member of the Miami Heat. He would subsequently go on to appear in the finals for every year until his streak was broken in 2019. If you are a fan of ‘The King’, you should also take our Lebron James quiz to test your knowledge of his career.

7) Which of these players was NOT on the ‘Dream Team’ at the 1992 Olympics.

The answer is Reggie Miller as Chris Mullins, Clyde Drexler, and John Stockton were all on the team. Miller is not the biggest omission though as Isiah Thomas holds that title. The longstanding rumor is that Michael Jordan didn’t want Thomas on the team, which is something that MJ has denied.

8) True Or False: Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson won the same number of NBA Titles.

This is true as both Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson won 5 rings each with the Los Angeles Lakers. Magic won in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988. Kobe won in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2010. Consequently, when comparing their greatness, you can’t use the number of rings won in your argument.

9) Which team did Shaquille O’Neal officially retire with?

Shaq officially retired in 2011, with his final team being the Boston Celtics. Shaq bounced around in the final few years of his career, which includes stints with the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics.

10) Which team has lost the most NBA Championships?

The answer is the Los Angeles Lakers as they have lost the most finals. If you include their time as the Minneapolis Lakers, they have been the runner-up 15 times. Things aren’t all bad for the Lakers though as they have won 16 total titles.

11) In 2017, which player became the first in NBA history to sign a contract that is worth more than $200 million.

The answer is Steph Curry, who signed a 5-year, $201 million contract extension with the Golden State Warriors in 2017. This number was quickly beaten by James Harden, who signed a $228 million deal with the Houston Rockets that same offseason.

12) What is the most points that Michael Jordan ever scored during a single NBA game?

The answer is 69 points, which happened against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 28th, 1990. His career high in the playoffs was 63 points, which he scored against the Boston Celtics in 1986.

13) Who won the NBA Finals MVP when the Detroit Pistons won in 2004?

The answer is Chauncey Billups, who won the first and only ring of his career. The Pistons defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in only 5 games and Chauncey averaged 21 points during the series.

14) Who was selected first overall in the 1998 NBA draft?

Michael Olowokandi was selected first overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1998 NBA Draft. Olowokandi played in the league for a decade but is considered as one of the biggest draft busts in history. This draft also included big names like Vince Carter (5th overall), Dirk Nowitzki (9th overall), and Paul Pierce (10th overall).

15) How many total NBA Championships did Robert Horry win in his NBA career?

Robert Horry won 7 rings in his career. This came with the Houston Rockets (1994 and 1995), the Los Angeles Lakers (2000, 2001, and 2002), and the San Antonio Spurs (2005 and 2007). As a result, a fun fact to share with your buddies is that Horry has more rings than Michael Jordan.

16) Who won more regular season MVP awards, Michael Jordan or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?

The answer is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as he won 6 regular-season MVP awards (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, and 1980). That is compared to Michael Jordan who won it 5 times (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, and 1998). Kareem holds the record as the guy who has won the award the most times.

17) True Or False: Isiah Thomas won the Finals MVP both times that the Pistons won the Title

This is false as Isiah only won the Finals MVP award once in 1990. Joe Dumars won the award over Thomas in 1989. Thomas and the Detroit Pistons won the title in 1989 after beating the Los Angeles Lakers in 4 games. They also beat the Portland Trail Blazers in 5 games in 1990 to win the title.

18) Which team selected Kobe Bryant in the 1996 NBA Draft before trading him to the Lakers?

Kobe was selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA Draft. They traded him right away to the Lakers for Vlade Divac. Vlade had a great career but I think that we can safely assume the Hornets regret making this deal. This 1996 draft also included names like Allen Iverson (1st overall), Ray Allen (5th overall), and Steve Nash (15th overall).

19) How many total NBA titles did Ray Allen win in his career?

Ray Allen won two rings during his career. This came in 2008 with the Boston Celtics and in 2013 with the Miami Heat. Allen had an incredible career and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.

20) Who won more NBA finals MVP awards, Kobe or Shaq?

The answer is Shaq as he won the finals MVP award three times (in 2001, 2002, and 2003) and Kobe only won it twice (in 2009 and 2010). Kobe won more rings than Shaq but this is a stat that the big man has over him.

21) What number did Dwyane Wade wear during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers?

Dwyane Wade wore number 9 as a member of the Cavs. This was because Isaiah Thomas was wearing #3 at the time. Wade wore number 3 for his entire career and it was definitely strange to see him in something else. Number 9 is also the number that Wade wore as a member of Team U.S.A basketball.

22) Which player was selected first in the 2012 NBA Draft, Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal?

The answer is Bradley Beal, who was selected third overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2012 NBA Draft. Damian Lillard was subsequently selected 6th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers. Other big names drafted in 2012 include Anthony Davis (1st overall), Andre Drummond (9th overall), Draymond Green (35th overall), and Khris Middleton (39th overall).

23) Which franchise joined the NBA first, the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Miami Heat?

The answer is the Miami Heat, who joined the NBA in 1988. The Minnesota Timberwolves subsequently joined the league one year later in 1989. The Heat have won three titles since coming into the league (in 2006, 2012, 2013). The Timberwolves have never won.

24) LeBron James passed Kobe Bryant (33,643) for third in career points scored. Which team was this against?

The answer is the Philadelphia 76ers and it happened on January 25th, 2020. As a result, it is pretty cool that Lebron passed him in the city that Kobe is from. The 76ers won the game against the Los Angeles Lakers, 108-91.

25) Did John Stockton win the NBA MVP Award in his career?

This is false as John Stockton did NOT win the MVP award during his career. His partner in crime, Karl Malone, did win the award twice though in 1997 and 1999. Stockton had a great career and is widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game of basketball.

26) Which team did Larry Brown coach to the NCAA national championship in 1988?

Larry Brown and the Kansas Jayhawks won the NCAA national championship in 1988. After winning the NCAA title, he jumped to the NBA, becoming the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs. Brown would later go on to win an NBA Championship as the head coach of the Detroit Pistons (in 2004).

27) What year was Giannis Antetokounmpo drafted?

Giannis Antetokounmpo was selected 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2013 NBA Draft. As a result, half of the NBA ended up passing on ‘The Greek Freak’ and they probably still regret it to this day. Other big names selected in 2013 include Victor Oladipo (2nd overall) and Rudy Gobert (27th overall).

28) Which team selected legendary sprinter, Carl Lewis, in the 1984 NBA Draft?

Carl Lewis was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 NBA Draft. This was despite Lewis never playing high school or college basketball. Lewis would subsequently go on to win nine Olympic gold medals in track and field. This is probably the most difficult question on our NBA quiz challenge, so don’t feel bad if you got it wrong!

29) Which of these legends finished their career with 2000 steals and 2000 blocks?

The answer is Hakeem Olajuwon, who finished his career with 3820 blocks and 2162 steals. Kevin Garnett came close, finishing his career with 2037 blocks and 1859 blocks. As of writing this, Hakeem is the only player to ever accomplish this feat.

30) The Jazz franchise moved to Utah in 1979. Which city did the team play in before this happened?

The New Orleans Jazz moved to Utah in 1979. Basketball subsequently returned to New Orleans in 2002 when the Charlotte Hornets relocated to the city.

31) Who finished their career with more scoring titles, Allen Iverson or Kobe Bryant?

The answer is Allen Iverson, who won the scoring title 4 times in his career (1999, 2001, 2002, and 2005). Kobe only won the award twice (2006 and 2007). While saying that, Kobe crushes Iverson in Championships and finals MVP awards. Iverson never won either of those in his career.

32) Which team did Phil Jackson win more NBA Titles with, the Chicago Bulls or the Los Angeles Lakers?

Phil Jackson won a total of 11 NBA Titles in his coaching career. 6 came with the Bulls (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998) and 5 came with the Lakers (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2010). Phil also won two titles as a player in 1970 and 1973. As a result, there is no denying that Phil knew how to win.

33) Who was selected first overall in the 1999 NBA draft?

Elton Brand was selected first overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1999 NBA draft. Brand subsequently went on to play for 17 seasons, including two all-star appearances. Other big names that were selected in 1999 include Steve Francis (2nd overall), Baron Davis (3rd overall), Shawn Marion (9th overall), Ron Artest (16th overall), and Manu Ginóbili (57th overall).

34) True Or False: Lebron James was the first player in NBA history to be elected most valuable player by a unanimous vote.

This is false as Stephen Curry was the first player to be elected the most valuable player by a unanimous vote (in 2016).

35) Which team picked Vince Carter in the 1998 NBA draft before trading him to the Toronto Raptors?

Vince Carter was selected 5th overall by the Golden State Warriors in 1998 but he was immediately traded to the Toronto Raptors for Antawn Jamison, who he played with at North Carolina. Other big names selected in 1998 include Dirk Nowitzki (9th overall), Paul Pierce (10th overall), and Rashard Lewis (32nd overall).

36) What number did Karl Malone switch to when he joined the Los Angeles Lakers for his final season?

Karl Malone wore number 11 when he moved to the Los Angeles Lakers. This was because the number 32 was already retired in honor of Magic Johnson. Unfortunately, Karl was not able to win a Championship with the Lakers as they were defeated in the 2004 finals by the Detroit Pistons.

37) Which team selected Kawhi Leonard in the 2011 NBA Draft before trading him to San Antonio?

Kawhi Leonard was selected 15th overall by the Indiana Pacers in the 2011 NBA Draft. He was traded to the San Antonio Spurs for George Hill. As a result, we can safely assume that the Pacers wish they had this trade back. Other big names selected in 2011 include Kyrie Irving (1st overall), Kemba Walker (9th overall), Klay Thompson (11th overall), and Jimmy Butler (30th overall).

38) True Or False: Don Nelson won the NBA Coach of the year award with the Mavs.

This is false as Don Nelson won the award with the Milwaukee Bucks (twice) and the Golden State Warriors (once). He never won the award with the Dallas Mavericks though. Nelson, Pat Riley, and Gregg Popovich have all won the award three times during their careers.

39) Who finished their career with more NBA regular season MVP awards, Dirk Nowitzki or Tim Duncan?

The answer is Tim Duncan, who won the regular-season MVP award twice (2002 and 2003). Dirk Nowitzki won the award one time in his career in 2007. Tim also has more finals MVP awards with 3 (1999, 2003, and 2005).

40) Who was selected first overall in the 2000 NBA draft?

Kenyon Martin was selected first overall by the New Jersey Nets in the 2000 NBA draft. Martin had a solid career in the NBA, even becoming an All-Star in 2004. This was a really weak draft, with the biggest names being Mike Miller (5th overall), Jamaal Magloire (19th overall), and Michael Redd (43rd overall).

41) Which player had their number retired by the Harlem Globetrotters?

The answer is Wilt Chamberlain, who had his jersey retired by the Globetrotters in 2000 after his death. Wilt was a member of the Globetrotters from 1958–59.

42) True Or False: John Stockton holds the record for the most assists in a single game.

This is false as this record is owned by Scott Skiles. Skiles dished 30 assists during a game on December 30th, 1990.

43) Who won the finals MVP award when the Boston Celtics won the NBA title in 2008, Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett?

The answer is Paul Pierce, who averaged 21.8 points during the series. The Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 4 games to 2.

44) Who is the only player to ever to lead the NCAA, NBA, and ABA in scoring?

Rick Barry is the only player to ever lead the NCAA, NBA, and ABA in scoring. This is a record that will never be broken as the ABA no longer exists.

45) How many years did James Harden play in college before leaving for the NBA?

Harden played two years at Arizona State University before declaring for the NBA Draft in 2009. Most people assume he was a one-and-done guy but he actually spent two years in college. Harden was picked 3rd in the 2009 NBA Draft, which had some big names like Blake Griffin (1st overall), Stephen Curry (7th overall), and DeMar DeRozan (9th overall).

46) Magic Johnson and Larry Bird faced off in the 1979 NCAA tournament final. Who came out on top?

Magic Johnson and the Michigan State Spartans defeated Larry Bird and the Indiana State Sycamores to win the national title. A fun fact is that this is the highest-rated game in the history of televised college basketball.

47) Which team did Michael Jordan play his final career game against on April 16th, 2003?

Michael Jordan’s final NBA game came against the Philadelphia 76ers. He finished the game with 15 points and the Washington Wizards lost 107-87.

48) True Or False: Larry Bird was the finals MVP for all three of his title wins.

This is false as Larry Bird only won the finals MVP award twice in his career (1984 and 1986). The finals MVP when the Boston Celtics won in 1981 was Cedric Maxwell. This means that Magic Johnson has some bragging rights over Bird, winning the finals MVP award 3 times (in 1980, 1982, and 1987).

49) Which team originally selected Scottie Pippen in the 1987 NBA draft before trading him to the Chicago Bulls.

Scottie Pippen was selected fifth overall in the 1987 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics. They traded him right away to the Chicago Bulls for Olden Polynice. As a result, this is a trade that we can say they wish they had back. Other big names selected in 1987 include David Robinson (1st overall), Kevin Johnson (7th overall), and Reggie Miller (11th overall).

50) How many points did Kobe Bryant score in his final NBA game against the Utah Jazz?

Kobe scored 60 points in his final game against the Utah Jazz on April 13th, 2016. The Los Angeles Lakers won the game, 101 to 96. This will definitely go down as one of the greatest final games of any athlete.

So, how did you score on our difficult NBA quiz? Let us know in the comment section below and also on Twitter. Also, if you notice any mistakes, please let us know and we will try to fix it. Our goal is to become the best place on the web for sports quizzes and basketball will be a big priority for us!

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