5 Interesting facts on the NBA
Even the biggest NBA fans out there don’t know everything about the players or the league itself.
Here are five interesting facts most people don’t know about the NBA and its players.
#1 – Michael Jordan Is the Reason Why the NBA Ditched Short Shorts
When you watch NBA replays from back in the early ‘80s, you’ll notice that players had a different sense of fashion. I’m talking about super short shorts.
Did you know Michael Jordan is responsible for changing that trend?
Before joining the NBA, Jordan played for the University of North Carolina. He was a notable player, hitting a game-winning shot with 15 seconds left in the game against Georgetown in the 1982 NCAA Championship.
Because of this, Jordan became attached to the uniform shorts he wore during his university days.
Michael Jordan began wearing his UNC shorts underneath his Chicago Bulls uniform for good luck. But because the shorts used in the league were so short, he had to ask for longer shorts to be made for him in order to cover up the second pair he had underneath.
Soon after that, more players began asking for longer shorts to be made for them, too. In fact, the requests for longer shorts kept rolling in that the league themselves requested a change based on feedback from players.
#2 – Caron Butler’s Superstitious Love for Mountain Dew
It is known across all sports that players do weird things based on superstitions, just like Michael Jordan did with his shorts.
But Caron Butler definitely takes the cake on this one.
Butler is known to be a Mountain Dew addict, but back when he played for the Washington Wizards, his obsession was next level.
Butler would drink half of a two-liter bottle of soda right before every game and finish the rest during halftime.
The NBA took note and deemed it bad for his health, ultimately banning Caron Butler from performing this ritual.
#3 – NBA Bets Can Be Made While a Game Is Happening
In all sports, many fans like to place bets on their beloved team. This makes games more exciting and far more competitive.
While many might think of betting as, “I’ll bet you 10 bucks the Warriors will win,” there’s more than one way to bet.
Even those who already take part in NBA betting probably don’t know this one. There are ways to wager on a game in real-time.
Even the best NBA teams have gone through crazy turns of events where they end up losing at the last minute. Because you can never 100% predict what will happen during a game, there’s a form of wagering called live betting that’s worth looking into.
This is only offered online and is a unique opportunity where NBA enthusiasts can take a gamble on their team during commercials or halftime.
This way, if a player gets hurt or there’s some sort of interruption, you can bet based on what’s currently playing out on your screen.
#4 – Manute Bol Killed a Lion When He Was Just 15 Years Old
Besides his incredible height, there are many impressive stories that late-NBA player Manute Bol offers to the world.
Manute Bol lived in Sudan and when he was just 15 years old, he killed a lion.
He mentioned that he did this using a spear. Bol was hiding behind a tree and must have had great aim because when the lion tried standing up, he immediately fell down and died.
What a legend.
#5 – Kobe Bryant’s Parents Had to Cosign His NBA Contract
Kobe Bryant was set to originally play for the Charlotte Hornets in 1996. He was fresh out of high school and only 17 years old. He didn’t end up playing for the Hornets as he ended up getting traded to the Lakers in 1996.
He was still only 17 years old when it was time for him to sign his contract. Because of this, Kobe’s parents had to cosign his contract.
Luckily, Kobe Bryant turned 18 right before the season began so he was able to eventually sign with his own name.
Given the five facts above, it would not come as a surprise if even the biggest NBA fans didn’t know some of these.
