Fun Basketball Trivia Questions and Answers: Part 2
Think you know hoops? If so, then you know the first basketball “hoops” in 1891 were nothing more than peach baskets complete with wire backboards. Did you know, though, that the first basketball used was a soccer ball? Did you know that the bottoms of those peach baskets weren’t cut out until years later, meaning that the official had to climb a ladder and remove it after every made basket? Yes, while basketball is one of the world’s most popular sports, many don’t realize some of the fascinating history behind the game. You can brush up on some of this history in Part I of our “Fun Basketball Trivia Q&A,” but be sure to read on for more about the sport.
How well do you know basketball? Let’s find out in the following fun 2015 basketball trivia questions and answers: What NBA team won all of the NBA Finals in which it has appeared? That would be the Chicago Bulls. Founded in 1966, the Bulls won all NBA titles in the franchise’s glory days of Michael Jordan between 1990 and 1998. Specifically, the team won it all in ’91, ’92 and ’93 and then again in ’96, ’97 and ’98. What’s significant about the date March 2, 1962? That would be the game that Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points. Chamberlain, who played for the Philadelphia Warriors, led his team to a 169-147 win, shooting 36-of-63 from the field and going 28-of-32 from the free-throw line. The 100 points scored is still an NBA single-game record. How many people have picked a correct NCAA March Madness bracket?
That would be zero. In fact, a DePaul University professor stated that you’d have a better chance of winning the Mega Millions lottery twice having only purchased one ticket each time. In other words, it’s next to impossible to pick a perfect bracket. However, it is worth noting that a teenager correctly picked the first two rounds of the tournament in 2010. True or false: Before the mid-1930s, a jump ball took place at center court after every made basket. True. The change was made to increase the pace of the game. What do volleyballs and basketballs have in common? The basketball can be given somewhat of an assist to the volleyball’s development. That’s because in the late 1800s when the sport of volleyball was being created, the interior of a basketball was used as the first volleyball. The interior consisted of inflatable rubber. This was used until a custom ball was created for volleyball. When and where was the first NCAA “March Madness” tournament held? 1939 — just three years after basketball was added as an Olympic sport. The first tournament was held at the University of Illinois. In what countries is basketball the national sport? While basketball shares time with other major sports like football, baseball and hockey in the United States, in the countries of Georgia and Lithuania, it’s No. 1. Interestingly, in Latvia, basketball is also the national sport — but only during the summer months. In the winter months, hockey is No. 1. When did the NCAA adopt the shot clock? While the NBA adopted its 24-second shot clock during the 1950s to speed the pace of the game, it wasn’t until about 30 years later in 1985 that the NCAA followed suit. The first version of the shot clock in the college game was 45 seconds — however, this was shortened to 35 seconds less than a decade later. Following the 2014 NCAA season, the shot clock was shortened again to 30 seconds. How many timeouts are NBA coaches required to use per game? Of the six that they’re allotted, NBA coaches have to use at least four of them. Why? Because the TV networks that air the games need enough opportunities for commercial breaks. Yes, TV really does control everything these days.
True or false: If an NBA player shatters the backboard on a slam dunk, he may receive a technical foul. True. Shattering the backboard is considered an unsportsmanlike-conduct foul, regardless of how much the fans love the entertainment value. As of 2015, who is the highest paid college basketball coach? That would be Kentucky’s John Calipari, who narrowly beats Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski. “Coach Cal” has a base salary of just over $6 million per year and other pay of nearly $350,000 to bring his 2015 coaching salary to $6.356 million. He’s also eligible for a $50,000 bonus.
