So you think you know basketball? Consider yourself a hood aficionado? Let’s put that to the test. Here are 100 NBA trivia questions and answers ranging from beginner to all-star. We bet you can’t get more than 50%!
Be sure to check our NFL Trivia Games Night as well!
100 NBA Trivia Questions for the Perfect Basketball Game Night
1. Q: What year was the NBA founded?
A: 1946
2. Q: How many teams are currently in the NBA?
A: 30
3. Q: Which team has won the most NBA championships?
A: Boston Celtics (17 titles)
4. Q: Who holds the record for most points scored in a single NBA game?
A: Wilt Chamberlain (100 points)
5. Q: What team drafted Kobe Bryant?
A: Charlotte Hornets (traded to Lakers on draft night)
6. Q: Who is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer?
A: LeBron James
7. Q: What year was the three-point line introduced in the NBA?
A: 1979
8. Q: Which player has won the most NBA MVP awards?
A: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6)
9. Q: What team has the longest championship drought in NBA history?
A: Sacramento Kings (last won in 1951 as Rochester Royals)
10. Q: Who coached the Chicago Bulls to 6 NBA championships in the 1990s?
A: Phil Jackson
11. Q: What player is known as “The Greek Freak”?
A: Giannis Antetokounmpo
12. Q: Which NBA player has won the most championships?
A: Bill Russell (11)
13. Q: What year did Michael Jordan first retire from the NBA?
A: 1993
14. Q: Who was the first international player to be drafted #1 overall?
A: Yao Ming
15. Q: What team holds the record for most wins in a regular season?
A: Golden State Warriors (73 wins in 2015-16)
16. Q: Who is the shortest player in NBA history?
A: Muggsy Bogues (5’3″)
17. Q: What player has the nickname “The Mailman”?
A: Karl Malone
18. Q: Which team drafted LeBron James?
A: Cleveland Cavaliers
19. Q: Who holds the record for most assists in NBA history?
A: John Stockton
20. Q: What year did the NBA merge with the ABA?
A: 1976
21. Q: Which player has won the most NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards?
A: Dikembe Mutombo (4, tied with Ben Wallace)
22. Q: What team did Michael Jordan play for after coming out of retirement in 2001?
A: Washington Wizards
23. Q: Who was the first player to score 100 points in an NBA game?
A: Wilt Chamberlain
24. Q: What team has never made it to the NBA Finals?
A: Los Angeles Clippers
25. Q: Which player has the most career triple-doubles?
A: Russell Westbrook
26. Q: What year was the shot clock introduced in the NBA?
A: 1954
27. Q: Who was the first international player to win NBA MVP?
A: Hakeem Olajuwon
28. Q: What team drafted Dirk Nowitzki?
A: Milwaukee Bucks (traded to Dallas on draft night)
29. Q: Which player has won the most NBA championships as a coach?
A: Phil Jackson (11)
30. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the draft lottery?
A: 1985
31. Q: Who holds the record for most rebounds in a single game?
A: Wilt Chamberlain (55)
32. Q: What team did Shaquille O’Neal play for when he won his first NBA championship?
A: Los Angeles Lakers
33. Q: Who was the first player to be drafted straight out of high school in the modern era?
A: Kevin Garnett
34. Q: What player has the nickname “The Answer”?
A: Allen Iverson
35. Q: Which team won the first NBA championship?
A: Philadelphia Warriors (1947)
36. Q: Who holds the record for most points scored in a single NBA season?
A: Wilt Chamberlain (4,029 points in 1961-62)
37. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the three-point contest?
A: 1986
38. Q: Which player has won the most NBA Sixth Man of the Year awards?
A: Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams (3 each)
39. Q: What team did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar play for before joining the Lakers?
A: Milwaukee Bucks
40. Q: Who was the first player to average a triple-double for an entire season?
A: Oscar Robertson
41. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the salary cap?
A: 1984
42. Q: Which player has the most career blocks in NBA history?
A: Hakeem Olajuwon
43. Q: What team drafted Scottie Pippen?
A: Seattle SuperSonics (traded to Chicago on draft night)
44. Q: Who was the first player to win MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year?
A: Larry Bird
45. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the Rookie of the Year award?
A: 1953
46. Q: Which player has won the most NBA All-Star Game MVP awards?
A: Kobe Bryant (4, tied with Bob Pettit)
47. Q: What team did Kevin Durant play for when he won his first NBA MVP?
A: Oklahoma City Thunder
48. Q: Who holds the record for most steals in NBA history?
A: John Stockton
49. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the three-second violation?
A: 1936
50. Q: Which player has the nickname “The Dream”?
A: Hakeem Olajuwon
51. Q: What team drafted Magic Johnson?
A: Los Angeles Lakers
52. Q: Who was the first player to win MVP unanimously?
A: Stephen Curry (2016)
53. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the slam dunk contest?
A: 1984
54. Q: Which player has won the most NBA scoring titles?
A: Michael Jordan (10)
55. Q: What team did Wilt Chamberlain play for when he scored 100 points?
A: Philadelphia Warriors
56. Q: Who was the first player to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season?
A: Wes Unseld
57. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the play-in tournament?
A: 2020
58. Q: Which player has the nickname “The Big Fundamental”?
A: Tim Duncan
59. Q: What team drafted Larry Bird?
A: Boston Celtics
60. Q: Who holds the record for most three-pointers made in a single season?
A: Stephen Curry (402 in 2015-16)
61. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the defensive three-second violation?
A: 2001
62. Q: Which player has won the most NBA Finals MVP awards?
A: Michael Jordan (6)
63. Q: What team did Shaquille O’Neal play for in his final NBA season?
A: Boston Celtics
64. Q: Who was the first player to lead the league in both scoring and assists in the same season?
A: Nate Archibald
65. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the hand-checking rule?
A: 1994
66. Q: Which player has the nickname “The Glove”?
A: Gary Payton
67. Q: What team drafted Chris Paul?
A: New Orleans Hornets
68. Q: Who holds the record for most points scored in an NBA All-Star Game?
A: Anthony Davis (52 points in 2017)
69. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the clear path foul rule?
A: 1988
70. Q: Which player has won the most NBA Most Improved Player awards?
A: No player has won it more than once
71. Q: What team did Kevin Garnett play for when he won his only NBA championship?
A: Boston Celtics
72. Q: Who was the first player to record a quadruple-double in NBA history?
A: Nate Thurmond
73. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the charge circle under the basket?
A: 1997
74. Q: Which player has the nickname “The Admiral”?
A: David Robinson
75. Q: What team drafted Vince Carter?
A: Golden State Warriors (traded to Toronto on draft night)
76. Q: Who holds the record for most consecutive games with a three-pointer made?
A: Stephen Curry (157 games)
77. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the defensive three-second violation?
A: 2001
78. Q: Which player has won the most NBA Sportsmanship awards?
A: Grant Hill (3)
79. Q: What team did Kawhi Leonard play for when he won his first NBA Finals MVP?
A: San Antonio Spurs
80. Q: Who was the first player to average a triple-double in multiple seasons?
A: Russell Westbrook
81. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the coach’s challenge?
A: 2019
82. Q: Which player has the nickname “The Truth”?
A: Paul Pierce
83. Q: What team drafted Klay Thompson?
A: Golden State Warriors
84. Q: Who holds the record for most three-pointers made in a single game?
A: Klay Thompson (14)
85. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the restricted area arc?
A: 1997
86. Q: Which player has won the most NBA All-Star Game MVP awards?
A: Kobe Bryant (4, tied with Bob Pettit)
87. Q: What team did Ray Allen play for when he made his famous game-tying three-pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals?
A: Miami Heat
88. Q: Who was the first player to win Rookie of the Year, MVP, and Finals MVP in the same season?
A: Magic Johnson
89. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the delay of game violation?
A: 1954
90. Q: Which player has the nickname “The Claw”?
A: Kawhi Leonard
91. Q: What team drafted James Harden?
A: Oklahoma City Thunder
92. Q: Who holds the record for most points scored in a single quarter?
A: Klay Thompson (37 points)
93. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the flagrant foul rule?
A: 1990
94. Q: Which player has won the most NBA Community Assist awards?
A: John Wall (5)
95. Q: What team did Giannis Antetokounmpo play for when he won his first NBA MVP?
A: Milwaukee Bucks
96. Q: Who was the first player to win MVP as the 6th seed or lower?
A: Russell Westbrook
97. Q: What year did the NBA introduce the replay center?
A: 2014
98. Q: Which player has the nickname “The Process”?
A: Joel Embiid
99. Q: What team drafted Damian Lillard?
A: Portland Trail Blazers
100. Q: Who holds the record for most points scored in an NBA debut?
A: Wilt Chamberlain (43 points)
Trivia Scoring
< 30 right = NBA Rookie
30-40 = NBA Starter
41-50 = NBA All-Star
51-60 = Dream Team
61-70 = Legend
71+ = MJ
