Basketball has been one of the biggest sports played or followed by people worldwide since its start in 1891. Would you believe it started as a class activity that kids could do inside on a cold winter day? From there, it has become the third most watched sport in the world after Soccer and Cricket, and a vast 2.2 Billion watch this sport worldwide on electronic devices and live. If you also follow this sport with the same passion, keep reading as we will share some surprising facts Basketball fans must know.
Some basketball facts are so impressive, and we didn’t know they existed. Do you know since the start of the NBA, 13,522,839 points have been scored since this article was written. Let’s discuss more surprising facts you must know if you are a true Basketball fan.
Michael Jordan flunked Basketball And paid Fines For Wearing His Shoes
Michael Jordan is regarded as one of the GOATs of the game and has won six titles for the Chicago Bulls. The fact is that he wasn’t always the star he is today. In his sophomore year, he tried out for the school team but was disappointed many times by not seeing his name on the list. He recalls that he often cried after not seeing his name on the list.
Also, everyone knows the iconic Air Jordans, but do you know they were against the basketball dress code? Michael Jordan paid a hefty fine every time he wore these shoes on the court. Eventually, the NBA had to allow Jordans as a part of the dress code on the court.
The First Slam Dunk Was Seen In 1936
Everyone knows that the Slam dunk is the highest-percentage shot in Basketball. Everyone wants to see a little dunk once in every game. It is like scoring a last-minute goal or penalty in soccer or winning a roulette game. Talking about roulette reminded me that it is a game of chance, and we have surprising details for the fans of roulette. So, taking a chance can sometimes create history.
The basketball was dunked for the first ever time by Joe Fortenberry in 1936, and the Pulitzer-winning sports writer Arthur Daley immortalized the feat. Later, in the ’60s, the dunks were banned as well. Some attributed the dominance of the college phenomenon Lew Alcindor for the ban, while some blamed racial motivations. ater in 176, the ban was lifted, and Slam dunks again became a thing.
Harlem Globetrotters VS Washington Generals
It hasn’t been many days since I found out that the Washington Generals have lost over 16,000 games against Globetrotters while managing to win only five games in total. This means that the Generals have lost 94 percent of the time they have played against the rivals. If there is a synonym for losing most games ever in basketball, you know who holds the record.
The Shortest NBA Career of All Time
This fact is based on a record that no one wants to have in their lifetime, but unfortunately, there is always that one person with a weird record. The record for a 3.9-second playing career in the NBA has Jameson Curry written all over.
This happened on 24 January 2010, when Curry got a chance to lay for the Los Angeles Clippers and played just 3.9 seconds in the NBA Game. In terms of time, this is the shortest NBA career. He was released shortly after by the Clippers.
Hank Luisetti Iconic one-hander
Angelo “Hank” Luisetti revolutionized the game of Basketball with his popular running one-handed shot, defying the rules of physics. He single-handedly marked the game’s ending, defined by the traditional two-handed shot. He set the record for being the first college player to score 50 points in a single game, which is still unbeaten by anyone in Standford. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and served as a coach for Stewart Chevrolets.
Conclusion
Sometimes, we wonder how little we know about the history of this great game, but this article surely has shined some light on the unknown facts that basketball fans might not know. Hopefully, you got to find some surprising facts basketball fans must know. Now, you are ready to impress everyone with your knowledge, and you can as single-handedly slam-dunk anyone over the debate. If you like the article and have more interesting facts to share, please let us know in the comments section below.
