If there’s one sport in the United States that is loved widely, it’s basketball. From the early school year matches to the amazing NBA tournaments, people rave about it throughout the year. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you see about the NBA is black and white. There are several underrated facts about this game that you likely didn’t know about.
And, when we are talking about the underrated facts, we are not just going to highlight the most shocking ones.
Rhode Island once had a team
As surprising as it sounds, Rhode Islands did have a team at the beginning of the NBA. The Basketball Association of America was formed in 1946 and one of the first teams formed were the Providence Steamrollers. The team was short-lived and lasted for around three seasons before it was discontinued. While there is not much information concerning this, it is believed that the same likely happened because of the lack of players in the team.
Air Jordan was once banned
When it comes to talking about one of the all-time best basketball shoes, Air Jordans are likely one of the most popular options around. With their growing popularity year after year, it isn’t surprising that thinking they were once banned is pretty surprising. But, their start was never an easy one. The Jordans, in the early days, was designed in red and black which were disapproved by the former NBA commissioner.
Kobe Bryant’s first contract was co-signed by his parents
For a basketball hero like Kobe Bryant, it is not surprising that he did start his career early on. But, what most of the fans don’t know of is the fact that Kobe’s first contract was co-signed by his parents. He started his career playing for Charlotte Hornets and was later traded to Los Angeles Lakers. When Kobe was first drafted, he wasn’t even 18 years old, which was why his parents had to co-sign for him.
The shortest and tallest NBA players played in the same team
When talking about basketball, we all think about tall players but what about the shortest player? Well, Muggsy Bogues, who was 5.3” is the shortest player in the NBA’s history. But that is not the plot twist. He played alongside Manute Bol (7.7”), who is the tallest NBA player in history. They played together in the same team during the 1987-88 season, playing for Washington Bullets.
60% of NBA players go broke after 5 years
Well, as surprising as it sounds, around 60% of the NBA players tend to go broke after around 5 years of their career. But, isn’t it pretty surprising to think that a player who once earned millions can go broke within a few years? It is believed that the lavish lifestyle is one of the contributing factors behind the same.
How many of these facts did you know of? And, these are some of the few facts that you likely didn’t know about. There are a lot more than what meets the eye.
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