Post random, interesting NBA player facts you feel might be relatively unknown

[Ein Sof]

Pretty simple thread. I'll go first:

2003 McGrady set an OBPM record that stood until 2016.

[falcolombardi]

Westbrook 2017 season literally broke boxscore agregate models

The creators of bpm i think it was reworked the formula cause of how high he appeared

[Texas Chuck]

Deron Williams, Raymond Felton, and JJ Barea were all born on the exact same day and year. All three of them played PG for the Mavericks in 2015-16.

[falcolombardi]

Deron Williams, Raymond Felton, and JJ Barea were all born on the exact same day and year. All three of them played PG for the Mavericks in 2015-16.

Imagine that birthday party!

[trex_8063]

Deron Williams, Raymond Felton, and JJ Barea were all born on the exact same day and year. All three of them played PG for the Mavericks in 2015-16.

Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

Holy cow, that is some freaky level of coincidence: basically your entire PG rotation born on the exact same day.

[ty 4191]

Pete Maravich, in a 1974 interview with the Beaver County Times, said: “I don't want to play 10 years in the NBA and die of a heart attack at age 40.” He played pro ball for 10 years, from 1970 to 1980, and died of a heart attack at 40.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-07-sp-34024-story.html

[LukaTheGOAT]

Lebron averages about 27, 7, and 7 for his career, but he has never had a game in his career with 27, 7, and 7.

He would have had one this past year, but he hit a 3 before the buzzer for 30 points.

[Ein Sof]

Lebron averages about 27, 7, and 7 for his career, but he has never had a game in his career with 27, 7, and 7.

He would have had one this past year, but he hit a 3 before the buzzer for 30 points.

LeBron's career averages are 27/8/7 now, which he achieved in 2017 against Atlanta.

As he declines in like 2045, LeBron might switch to a pass-heavier role, which should push him to 27/8/8. He achieved this in 2016 against the Heat.

[f4p]

jamaal tinsley has a 5x5 game. he never blocked more than 2 shots in any other game.

michael carter-williams put up 22 points, 12 assists, 9 steals, 7 rebounds, 1 turnover and shot 4-6 on 3's in his first career game. against the back to back defending champion miami heat. he had a 34.7 game score. he never got above 26.0 in any other game.

in a career lasting 407 games, the game would remain his career high in 3's (never made more than 3) and steals (never more than 7).

[trex_8063]

Pete Maravich, in a 1974 interview with the Beaver County Times, said: “I don't want to play 10 years in the NBA and die of a heart attack at age 40.” He played pro ball for 10 years, from 1970 to 1980, and died of a heart attack at 40.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-07-sp-34024-story.html

OK, this one's a bit freaky too.

I vaguely recall having heard this before, but had forgotten.

[Fadeaway_J]

Posted this in a previous thread but it fits here too:

Four players who go by T.J. have played in the NBA (Ford, Warren, McConnell, Leaf).

All four have played for the Indiana Pacers at some point.

[Jaivl]

Deron Williams, Raymond Felton, and JJ Barea were all born on the exact same day and year. All three of them played PG for the Mavericks in 2015-16.

I knew that one... it's my birthday as well

Iman Shumpert as well

[Ein Sof]

Dirk led the 2004 playoffs in PPG... with 26.6.

Every other 2000s season had at least 1 guy averaging 30+ and most had multiple.

In fact, this is the lowest playoff-leading PPG since 1955 Cousy's 21.7.



kinda explains the 2004 Pistons title to some extent :V

[Cavsfansince84]

Pete Maravich, in a 1974 interview with the Beaver County Times, said: “I don't want to play 10 years in the NBA and die of a heart attack at age 40.” He played pro ball for 10 years, from 1970 to 1980, and died of a heart attack at 40.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-07-sp-34024-story.html

OK, this one's a bit freaky too.

I vaguely recall having heard this before, but had forgotten.

MJ had a similar moment when he went on Letterman in like 85 or 86 and told him he might retire at a young age to try and become a pro golfer. Somewhat close.

[trex_8063]

Growing up in the midwest, I only ever saw *one TWolves game live......and it happened to be the game Isaiah Rider was thrown out of, but wouldn't leave the court: had a tantrum until his mom came on to the court and coaxed him toward the locker-room.

How's that for a factoid?


(*unless I saw TWolves again years later playing in the Suns' stadium in Phoenix; off-hand, I don't think I ever attended a game when the TWolves were visiting, but can't remember for sure)

[penbeast0]

I saw the Wizards game where Rod Strickland got bored and bought and ate a hot dog from a vendor during play. I wish I'd seen the one where Manute Bol tried to set a pick for Muggsy Bogues and Bogues dribbled through his legs; Warner Wolf must have showed it 20 times on his TV show though.

Not much in the way of trivia.

[BenoUdrihFTL]

Entering the league in 1988, the Miami Heat have 3x as many NBA championships as they do top 3 draft picks in the franchise's history

[BenoUdrihFTL]

I saw the Wizards game where Rod Strickland got bored and bought and ate a hot dog from a vendor during play. I wish I'd seen the one where Manute Bol tried to set a pick for Muggsy Bogues and Bogues dribbled through his legs; Warner Wolf must have showed it 20 times on his TV show though.

Not much in the way of trivia.

From what I remember hearing it was less to do with boredom and more to do with a certain plant-induced munchies that drove Rod's hotdog consumption lol

[JulesWinnfield]

This probably isn’t that unknown to people of a certain age, but those under 30 may not know this. Scottie Pippen was 6’1” after graduating high school and didn’t receive a single college scholarship. He walked on at central Arkansas and experienced a growth spurt growing to 6’8”. His stock rose so quickly that he became the 5th pick in the 1987 draft.

What’s also interesting about his story is how that 5th pick changed hands. Many are aware that he was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics and traded to Chicago for the draft rights to Olden Polynice. But what many may not know is that Seattle acquired that pick from the NY Knicks in an utter steal of a deal. The Knicks surrendered that pick for Gerald Henderson, a 0 time all star with a career high in ppg of 13.6. Henderson would go on to play just 74 games for the Knicks over 2 seasons averaging 10.2 ppg and 6.1 ast. Who knows if the Knicks actually draft Scottie with that pick, but if they did the entire dynamic of the 90s Knicks vs Bulls rivalry completely changes. Had they opted not to take Scottie they still had a crack at guys like Reggie Miller or Kevin Johnson. Instead the Bulls got the Jordan sidekick and the Knicks missed the opportunity to surround Ewing with the sidekick he desperately needed his entire career, all for a rental of Gerald Henderson. That draft essentially set the stage for the entire balance of power in the East for the next decade. (Not to mention the Bulls also got Horace Grant in that draft)

It didn’t appear as if the Knicks bumbled that draft so terribly off the bat though, quite the opposite as a matter of fact, as the Knicks selected Mark Jackson with the 18th pick and he went on to win rookie of the year

[falcolombardi]

This probably isn’t that unknown to people of a certain age, but those under 30 may not know this. Scottie Pippen was 6’1” after graduating high school and didn’t receive a single college scholarship. He walked on at central Arkansas and experienced a growth spurt growing to 6’8”. His stock rose so quickly that he became the 5th pick in the 1987 draft.

What’s also interesting about his story is how that 5th pick changed hands. Many are aware that he was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics and traded to Chicago for the draft rights to Olden Polynice. But what many may not know is that Seattle acquired that pick from the NY Knicks in an utter steal of a deal. The Knicks surrendered that pick for Gerald Henderson, a 0 time all star with a career high in ppg of 13.6. Henderson would go on to play just 74 games for the Knicks over 2 seasons averaging 10.2 ppg and 6.1 ast. Who knows if the Knicks actually draft Scottie with that pick, but if they did the entire dynamic of the 90s Knicks vs Bulls rivalry completely changes. Had they opted not to take Scottie they still had a crack at guys like Reggie Miller or Kevin Johnson. Instead the Bulls got the Jordan sidekick and the Knicks missed the opportunity to surround Ewing with the sidekick he desperately needed his entire career, all for a rental of Gerald Henderson. That draft essentially set the stage for the entire balance of power in the East for the next decade. (Not to mention the Bulls also got Horace Grant in that draft)

It didn’t appear as if the Knicks bumbled that draft so terribly off the bat though, quite the opposite as a matter of fact, as the Knicks selected Mark Jackson with the 18th pick and he went on to win rookie of the year

Pippen in the riley knicks would have been wild