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NBA and basketball trivia questions

Forty pro basketball questions about the NBA's legends, teams, rules and famous moments. They're sorted easy to hard, and every answer comes with a fun fact.

  • 40 questions
  • Easy to hard
  • Answers and fun facts

These come from the Pro Basketball category in Trivia Battle, our trivia game for Apple TV.

Updated

Answers and fun facts are shown under each question. Turn on Quiz mode to hide them and reveal one at a time.

Easy NBA trivia questions

  1. Question 1

    Which arena calls itself the world's most famous?

    1. AStaples Center
    2. BMadison Square Garden
    3. CThe Forum
    4. DBoston Garden

    Answer: Madison Square Garden

    Fun fact: The current building opened in 1968 above a train station.

  2. Question 2

    What is the championship trophy called?

    1. AThe Larry O'Brien Trophy
    2. BThe Podoloff Trophy
    3. CThe Auerbach Cup
    4. DThe Naismith Cup

    Answer: The Larry O'Brien Trophy

    Fun fact: It is named for a former commissioner.

  3. Question 3

    How many points is a shot from inside the arc worth?

    1. AThree points
    2. BOne point
    3. CFour points
    4. DTwo points

    Answer: Two points

    Fun fact: The value does not change with distance inside the line.

  4. Question 4

    How many teams are in the NBA?

    1. A30 teams
    2. B32 teams
    3. C24 teams
    4. D28 teams

    Answer: 30 teams

    Fun fact: They are split between two conferences.

  5. Question 5

    What is a double-double?

    1. AA two-possession lead
    2. BDouble figures in two categories
    3. CTwo double dribbles in one possession
    4. DTwo technicals

    Answer: Double figures in two categories

    Fun fact: Points and rebounds is the most common pairing.

  6. Question 6

    Who is the NBA's all-time leading scorer?

    1. AKarl Malone
    2. BLeBron James
    3. CKareem Abdul-Jabbar
    4. DMichael Jordan

    Answer: LeBron James

    Fun fact: He passed the previous record in February 2023.

  7. Question 7

    How many points did one player score in a single game in 1962?

    1. A61 points
    2. B81 points
    3. C100 points
    4. D73 points

    Answer: 100 points

    Fun fact: No video of the game survives.

  8. Question 8

    How many quarters are in an NBA game?

    1. ASix periods
    2. BTwo halves
    3. CFour quarters
    4. DThree periods

    Answer: Four quarters

    Fun fact: Overtime periods run five minutes each.

  9. Question 9

    Which player won back-to-back MVP awards in 2019 and 2020?

    1. AJames Harden
    2. BJoel Embiid
    3. CGiannis Antetokounmpo
    4. DNikola Jokic

    Answer: Giannis Antetokounmpo

    Fun fact: He arrived in the league as a skinny teenager from Greece.

  10. Question 10

    Which French rookie became the most anticipated prospect in decades in 2023?

    1. AZion Williamson
    2. BScoot Henderson
    3. CChet Holmgren
    4. DVictor Wembanyama

    Answer: Victor Wembanyama

    Fun fact: He won Rookie of the Year and then Defensive Player of the Year.

  11. Question 11

    Which center was nicknamed the Big Aristotle and the Diesel?

    1. ADavid Robinson
    2. BPatrick Ewing
    3. CShaquille O'Neal
    4. DAlonzo Mourning

    Answer: Shaquille O'Neal

    Fun fact: He invented most of his own nicknames.

  12. Question 12

    Who invented basketball in 1891?

    1. AAmos Alonzo Stagg
    2. BWalter Camp
    3. CJames Naismith
    4. DLuther Gulick

    Answer: James Naismith

    Fun fact: He nailed peach baskets to a gymnasium balcony.

  13. Question 13

    Which city won its first NBA championship in 2023?

    1. ADenver
    2. BMinneapolis
    3. CMiami
    4. DPhoenix

    Answer: Denver

    Fun fact: The franchise had existed since the 1960s.

  14. Question 14

    Which player was named Finals MVP in 2024?

    1. ADerrick White
    2. BJaylen Brown
    3. CJayson Tatum
    4. DJrue Holiday

    Answer: Jaylen Brown

    Fun fact: Boston won the title in five games.

Medium NBA trivia questions

  1. Question 15

    How many titles did Golden State win between 2015 and 2022?

    1. ATwo titles
    2. BFive titles
    3. CThree titles
    4. DFour titles

    Answer: Four titles

    Fun fact: They changed how the league values three-point shooting.

  2. Question 16

    How many games are in a first-round playoff series?

    1. ABest of five
    2. BBest of three
    3. CBest of nine
    4. DBest of seven

    Answer: Best of seven

    Fun fact: Every round has used seven games since 2003.

  3. Question 17

    Which team moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn in 2012?

    1. AThe Nets
    2. BThe Knicks
    3. CThe Sixers
    4. DThe Wizards

    Answer: The Nets

    Fun fact: They also rebranded entirely in black and white.

  4. Question 18

    From which city did the Lakers move in 1960?

    1. ARochester
    2. BMilwaukee
    3. CMinneapolis
    4. DSyracuse

    Answer: Minneapolis

    Fun fact: The name refers to Minnesota's lakes, not California's.

  5. Question 19

    Which team made a stunning February 2025 trade for a Slovenian superstar?

    1. AThe Brooklyn Nets
    2. BThe New York Knicks
    3. CThe Golden State Warriors
    4. DThe Los Angeles Lakers

    Answer: The Los Angeles Lakers

    Fun fact: Dallas fans protested outside the arena for weeks.

  6. Question 20

    Which team became the first from Canada to win the NBA title?

    1. AThe Montreal Nationals
    2. BThe Toronto Raptors
    3. CThe Vancouver Grizzlies
    4. DThe Ottawa Rapids

    Answer: The Toronto Raptors

    Fun fact: They won in 2019.

  7. Question 21

    Which team's 73-win season ended without a championship?

    1. AThe 1972 Los Angeles Lakers
    2. BThe 1996 Chicago Bulls
    3. CThe 2017 Houston Rockets
    4. DThe 2016 Golden State Warriors

    Answer: The 2016 Golden State Warriors

    Fun fact: They broke a record and then lost the Finals.

  8. Question 22

    What happens on a jump ball to start the game?

    1. ATwo players contest a tossed ball
    2. BThe taller team starts
    3. CThe home team gets possession
    4. DA coin is flipped

    Answer: Two players contest a tossed ball

    Fun fact: Possession alternates on later held balls.

  9. Question 23

    What were the first baskets made from?

    1. AWooden crates
    2. BFishing nets
    3. CMetal hoops
    4. DPeach baskets

    Answer: Peach baskets

    Fun fact: Someone had to retrieve the ball after every made shot.

  10. Question 24

    Which player became the first unanimous MVP in league history?

    1. AStephen Curry
    2. BShaquille O'Neal
    3. CLeBron James
    4. DKevin Durant

    Answer: Stephen Curry

    Fun fact: Every voter put him first in 2016.

  11. Question 25

    In which Massachusetts city is the Basketball Hall of Fame?

    1. ABoston
    2. BAmherst
    3. CWorcester
    4. DSpringfield

    Answer: Springfield

    Fun fact: The sport was invented there.

  12. Question 26

    Which player won the MVP award in 2023?

    1. AJoel Embiid
    2. BJayson Tatum
    3. CGiannis Antetokounmpo
    4. DNikola Jokic

    Answer: Joel Embiid

    Fun fact: He was born in Cameroon and started playing at 15.

  13. Question 27

    Which center led Houston to consecutive titles in the 1990s?

    1. AHakeem Olajuwon
    2. BDavid Robinson
    3. CClyde Drexler
    4. DPatrick Ewing

    Answer: Hakeem Olajuwon

    Fun fact: His footwork in the post is still taught to young big men.

  14. Question 28

    Which guard won three championships with Miami?

    1. AChris Bosh
    2. BRay Allen
    3. CDwyane Wade
    4. DGoran Dragic

    Answer: Dwyane Wade

    Fun fact: He later played briefly in Chicago and Cleveland.

Hard NBA trivia questions

  1. Question 29

    What happens when a team reaches the foul limit in a quarter?

    1. APossession is awarded to the other team
    2. BThe quarter ends
    3. CA technical is assessed
    4. DFree throws on every foul

    Answer: Free throws on every foul

    Fun fact: It is called being in the bonus.

  2. Question 30

    What distinguishes a charge from a blocking foul?

    1. AWhether the ball is live
    2. BWhich of the two players is taller
    3. CWho got to the spot first
    4. DHow close the basket is

    Answer: Who got to the spot first

    Fun fact: The restricted area under the rim exists to settle the argument.

  3. Question 31

    Who holds the career rebounding record?

    1. ABill Russell
    2. BTim Duncan
    3. CMoses Malone
    4. DWilt Chamberlain

    Answer: Wilt Chamberlain

    Fun fact: He once grabbed 55 rebounds in a single game.

  4. Question 32

    What was the 2020 quarantined setup commonly called?

    1. AThe lockdown league
    2. BThe dome
    3. CThe bubble
    4. DThe pod

    Answer: The bubble

    Fun fact: The Lakers won the title inside it.

  5. Question 33

    In which state was the 2020 quarantined campus located?

    1. ATexas
    2. BCalifornia
    3. CNevada
    4. DFlorida

    Answer: Florida

    Fun fact: Teams lived and played at one resort for months.

  6. Question 34

    How many points did Kobe Bryant score in his final game?

    1. A42 points
    2. B35 points
    3. C60 points
    4. D55 points

    Answer: 60 points

    Fun fact: He was 37 and retired that night.

  7. Question 35

    Which country hosted the 2024 Olympic basketball tournament?

    1. AJapan
    2. BGreece
    3. CFrance
    4. DBrazil

    Answer: France

    Fun fact: The host nation reached the men's final.

  8. Question 36

    Which guard won both MVP and the scoring title in 2025?

    1. AShai Gilgeous-Alexander
    2. BLuka Doncic
    3. CAnthony Edwards
    4. DJayson Tatum

    Answer: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

    Fun fact: He also led his team to its first championship.

  9. Question 37

    Which forward became the first European named Finals MVP?

    1. APau Gasol
    2. BTony Parker
    3. CDetlef Schrempf
    4. DDirk Nowitzki

    Answer: Dirk Nowitzki

    Fun fact: He spent 21 seasons with one franchise.

  10. Question 38

    What was airing on television during the 41st pick of the 2014 draft?

    1. AA hockey game
    2. BA silent break
    3. CA weather report
    4. DA Taco Bell commercial

    Answer: A Taco Bell commercial

    Fun fact: The broadcast did not cut back for the selection.

  11. Question 39

    Which conference includes Miami and Boston?

    1. AThe Western Conference
    2. BThe Atlantic League
    3. CThe Southern Division
    4. DThe Eastern Conference

    Answer: The Eastern Conference

    Fun fact: The league splits into two conferences of 15 teams.

  12. Question 40

    Which colors have the Lakers worn since moving west?

    1. ABlue and white
    2. BPurple and gold
    3. CRed and gold
    4. DGreen and silver

    Answer: Purple and gold

    Fun fact: The Minneapolis version wore blue and white.

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