Basketball Trivia Questions and Answers
Looking for basketball trivia questions and answers for game night? This page has 32 basketball trivia questions in four rounds, made for family living rooms, bar league after-parties and friends who love a hoops debate. You do not need to know every box score to play.
Each round has eight questions that climb from easy to hard, and about half are multiple choice, so nobody stares at a blank answer. The early basketball trivia covers the court and the rules, while the later questions are there for the real hoops nerds. Every answer has a fun fact and a source.
Read the basketball trivia out loud from this page, or host it live: share the room code and everyone answers on their own phone while the scores update on the big screen. This is an independent fan quiz, not affiliated with any league or team.
Host these 32 Basketball trivia questions and answers as a live game
Players join from their phones with a QR code, no app. Scoring and the leaderboard are automatic. Free for up to 5 teams.
Court and Rules
1.How many feet above the floor is the rim at almost every level of play?
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Answer: 10
In Naismith's first game the goals were fixed to a gym gallery railing about 10 feet up, and that height has stayed the standard ever since.
2.How many players from each team are on the court at one time?
- AFour
- BFive
- CSix
- DSeven
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Answer: Five
Teams of five became the standard around 1897 and 1898, a few years after the game was invented.
3.What violation is called when a player takes too many steps while holding the ball without dribbling?
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Answer: Traveling
In the NBA a player who gathers the ball while moving may take two steps before passing, shooting or stopping.
4.How many minutes long is a regulation NBA game?
- A36
- B40
- C48
- D60
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Answer: 48
Because NBA games run 48 minutes, a player fouls out on the sixth personal foul, one more than the fifth foul allowed in 40-minute games.
5.How many seconds does an NBA team have to attempt a shot before the shot clock expires?
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Answer: 24
Syracuse owner Danny Biasone reasoned that 2,880 seconds in a game divided by about 120 shots gives 24 seconds per shot.
6.For which NBA season did the league first use the three-point line?
- A1969-70
- B1979-80
- C1989-90
- D1999-2000
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Answer: 1979-80
The NBA adopted the line in June 1979 as a one-year trial before making it permanent.
7.How far is the NBA three-point line from the center of the basket at the top of the arc?
- A20 ft 6 in
- B22 ft 1.75 in
- C25 ft 6 in
- D23 ft 9 in
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Answer: 23 ft 9 in
In the corners the line is shorter, 22 feet, because it runs parallel to the sideline 3 feet from it.
8.Which Boston Celtics guard is credited with the first three-point basket in NBA history, on October 12, 1979?
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Origins and History
9.Which Canadian-born physical education instructor invented basketball in 1891?
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Answer: James Naismith
He was part of the first class inducted in 1959 into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which is in Springfield.
10.In which Massachusetts city did Naismith invent the game while teaching at a YMCA training school?
- ASpringfield
- BBoston
- CWorcester
- DCambridge
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11.The first goals were baskets nailed to a gym railing. Which fruit were those baskets made for?
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Answer: Peach
Naismith had asked a janitor for boxes, but the man brought back baskets instead.
12.What kind of ball was used in the very first games of basketball?
- AA tennis ball
- BA medicine ball
- CA soccer ball
- DA rugby ball
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Answer: A soccer ball
Balls made specifically for basketball were brown at first, and the familiar orange ball arrived in the late 1950s.
13.How many basic rules did Naismith post on a bulletin board before the first game?
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14.How many players per side took part in the first game of basketball in December 1891?
- AThree
- BFive
- CNine
- DTwelve
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15.The league that became the NBA was founded in 1946 under what earlier name?
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Answer: Basketball Association of America
It merged with the National Basketball League on August 3, 1949, and the combined league took the NBA name.
16.Men's basketball became an official Olympic sport at which Games?
- AStockholm 1912
- BParis 1924
- CLondon 1948
- DBerlin 1936
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Legends of the Game
17.Michael Jordan won six NBA championships with which franchise?
- AChicago Bulls
- BDetroit Pistons
- CNew York Knicks
- DBoston Celtics
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18.What name is given to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's signature, nearly unblockable one-handed shot?
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Answer: Skyhook
He used it to break the NBA career scoring record on April 5, 1984, shooting over 7-foot-4 Mark Eaton.
19.Magic Johnson spent his entire NBA career with which team?
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Answer: Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers made him the first overall pick in 1979, and he went on to win five titles.
20.Julius Erving is better known by which nickname?
- AThe Big Dipper
- BDr. J
- CThe Mailman
- DPistol Pete
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Answer: Dr. J
The name began as a private joke with a high school friend, who called him "the doctor".
21.How many NBA championships did Bill Russell win in his 13 seasons with the Celtics?
- A7
- B9
- C11
- D13
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22.Kobe Bryant scored 81 points on January 22, 2006. Which team was on the other end?
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Answer: Toronto Raptors
The Lakers won 122-104, and his total broke Elgin Baylor's franchise record of 71.
23.Which 7-foot-6 center from Shanghai was chosen first overall in the 2002 NBA draft?
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Answer: Yao Ming
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 9, 2016.
24.Hakeem Olajuwon, who led the Houston Rockets to titles in 1994 and 1995, was born in which African country?
- AGhana
- BSenegal
- CCameroon
- DNigeria
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Answer: Nigeria
He was a soccer goalkeeper as a youth and did not play basketball until he was 15.
Big Moments
25.The 1992 "Dream Team", the first US Olympic side to include NBA players, won gold in which host city?
- ASeoul
- BBarcelona
- CAtlanta
- DSydney
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26.What nickname is given to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, played mostly in March?
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27.In which year did the WNBA play its first season?
- A1997
- B1986
- C1991
- D2003
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Answer: 1997
The New York Liberty beat the Los Angeles Sparks 67-57 in the first game, on June 21, 1997.
28.Which center scored 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962?
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Answer: Wilt Chamberlain
The game wasn't filmed, and only a radio broadcast of the fourth quarter survives.
29.In the 1979 NCAA title game, Magic Johnson's Michigan State beat which future Celtics star's Indiana State team?
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Answer: Larry Bird
Michigan State won 75-64, and the game is often called the most-watched college basketball game ever.
30.In Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, Michael Jordan hit a go-ahead jumper with 5.2 seconds left against which team?
- APhoenix Suns
- BSeattle SuperSonics
- CUtah Jazz
- DIndiana Pacers
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31.In 1966 a team that started five Black players beat top-ranked Kentucky in the NCAA final, a first for a championship game. Which school was it?
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Answer: Texas Western
Coach Don Haskins led the team to a 72-65 win, and the story was told in the 2006 film Glory Road.
32.In 1962 an NBA game was played at a neutral site in a small Pennsylvania town where one player scored 100 points. Which town?
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How to host a basketball trivia night
Pick your basketball trivia set
Press Host this quiz live to copy this 32-question set into the editor. Trim a round or swap a question so the basketball trivia suits your group, the age range and the time you have.
Open a room for your basketball trivia
Start a room to get a QR code and a room code. Show them on the big screen, and guests scan or open the link on their phones. Players need no app and no sign-up to join your basketball trivia.
Let guests form teams
Guests join as teams before the first question. Basketball trivia is free for up to 5 teams, and Pro rooms hold up to 300 teams, which suits a school event, a league party or a packed bar.
Run the basketball trivia from one screen
Use presenter mode on the TV or projector and press the space bar to move on. You control the pace of the basketball trivia while everyone answers on their phones or with buzzers.
Score and crown a winner
Scoring is automatic, and a leaderboard appears after each question, so your basketball trivia stays close until the last round. Announce the winning team, then hand out bragging rights and maybe a small prize.
Run this basketball trivia night on phones and a big screen
Players join from their phones with a QR code, no app. Scoring and the leaderboard are automatic. Free for up to 5 teams.
Basketball trivia for kids, adults and game night groups
Kids and families
Keep basketball trivia for kids to the first two rounds. Court and Rules and Origins and History have friendly multiple choice questions, so mix ages on each team and let older players read the questions aloud. Eight questions fits a short attention span.
Adults and league nights
Adults can play all four rounds. Read the basketball trivia without the answer choices, cap teams at three people, and finish with Legends of the Game and Big Moments, which hold the hardest questions for people who watch a lot of hoops.
Game night and classrooms
For a game night, a classroom or a team social, play one round at a time between other activities. Basketball trivia works well in short bursts, and guests answer on their phones while the big screen shows each question and the scores.
Basketball trivia team names
Every basketball trivia night needs a team name that gets a laugh. Pick one below, mix two together, or use them as a starting point for your own. All of these are original, clean and safe to read out loud.
- Airball Academy
- Nothing But Net Worth
- Pick and Roll Call
- Bench Warmers Anonymous
- Court Jesters
- Rim Shot Callers
- Full Court Guess
- Swish Dishes
- Travel Agents
- Zone Defense Force
- Layup Line Cooks
- Dribble Drama
- Charge Taken Snacks
- Buzzer Beater Brains
- Free Throw Philosophers
Frequently asked questions
What are good basketball trivia questions and answers for beginners?
Start with Court and Rules, the first round on this page. It covers the hoop, the ball and the basic rules, and about half of the basketball trivia questions are multiple choice, so new fans can make a sensible guess.
Where can I find hard basketball trivia?
Play the last questions in each round, which are the hardest basketball trivia here. To make them harder, read them out loud without showing the answer choices. Teams then have to remember the answer instead of guessing.
Is there basketball trivia for kids?
Yes. Use the first two rounds of this basketball trivia, which stay friendly and have plenty of multiple choice questions. Mix ages on each team so younger players can pick the answer while older ones read the clue.
Is there basketball trivia for adults?
Yes. Adults can play all four rounds, and the last questions in each round are hard enough to split a room of fans. Keep teams small, read the basketball trivia without choices, and use the leaderboard to add pressure.
Is there a free basketball trivia game?
Yes. Reading the basketball trivia on this page is free, and hosting it live is free for up to 5 teams. If you run a bigger event, Pro rooms hold up to 300 teams, so one quiz can cover a large crowd.
Can I play basketball trivia online with friends?
Yes. Host the basketball trivia live and share the room link, and friends can join from their own phones wherever they are. Players do not need an app or an account, so a group chat is enough to get everyone in.
How many questions should a basketball trivia night have?
Plan for 24 to 32 questions for one evening. This basketball trivia set has 32 in four rounds, and you can drop a round in the editor if time is short or the group is small.
How long does a basketball trivia game take?
Allow 30 to 45 minutes for all 32 questions with a lively group. Hosting basketball trivia live moves faster than reading aloud, because scoring is automatic. If you are short on time, play two or three rounds instead.
Can I print these basketball trivia questions?
You can print this page from your browser to use the basketball trivia at a table. Open the Show answer boxes first if you want the answers on paper. For a live game with scoring, use the host button instead.
What are some funny basketball trivia team names?
Try Airball Academy, Nothing But Net Worth or Bench Warmers Anonymous from the list above. Funny, clean basketball trivia team names keep the night friendly, and it is best to avoid real player names so nobody feels targeted.
What is the best order of rounds for basketball trivia?
Keep the order on this page: Court and Rules, Origins and History, Legends of the Game, then Big Moments. The basketball trivia gets harder as it goes, which keeps casual fans in the game early.
Are the basketball trivia answers checked?
Yes. Every basketball trivia answer links to a source we checked and comes with a short fun fact. If you think an answer looks off, open the source link from that question and compare it before you settle a bet.
TriviaBeam is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the organizations, teams, studios or brands these questions mention. Names are used only to describe the subject of each question. Every answer links to the source we checked.
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