NBA All-Time Greats Quiz
Twenty questions on MVPs, nicknames and dynasties. Can you name every NBA legend?
Who is the NBA's all-time leading scorer in regular season points?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
LeBron James
LeBron James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's mark of 38,387 points on February 7, 2023, and has kept extending the record every season since.
Karl Malone sits third on the all-time list with 36,928 points, almost all of them scored for the Utah Jazz.
Which legend is known as 'His Airness'?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan earned the nickname for his gravity-defying dunks, and Nike's Air Jordan sneaker line turned 'His Airness' into a household name.
Jordan won the Slam Dunk Contest in 1987 and 1988, sealing the second with his famous take-off from the free-throw line.
Which player won 11 NBA championships with the Boston Celtics?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Bill Russell
Bill Russell won 11 titles in 13 seasons between 1957 and 1969, including eight in a row, the longest championship streak in major American sports.
Russell was also the NBA's first Black head coach, winning his final two titles as player-coach of the Celtics.
Who holds the NBA record for most career assists and steals?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
John Stockton
John Stockton finished with 15,806 assists and 3,265 steals, both records by a wide margin, across 19 seasons with the Utah Jazz.
Stockton missed just 22 games in his entire career, playing 1,504 of a possible 1,526.
Which dominant center was nicknamed 'The Diesel'?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal picked up 'The Diesel' for the sheer power of his 7ft 1in, 325 lb frame, and it was one of dozens of nicknames he gave himself.
O'Neal won three straight Finals MVP awards from 2000 to 2002, then added a fourth championship with Miami in 2006.
Which player famously recorded a quadruple-double in 1994 with the Spurs?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
David Robinson
On February 17, 1994, David Robinson posted 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 blocks against Detroit, one of only four quadruple-doubles in NBA history.
Two months later Robinson scored 71 points on the final day of the season to snatch the scoring title from the league leader.
Who holds the NBA record for most career three-pointers made?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry passed Ray Allen's mark of 2,973 threes in December 2021 and became the first player to make 4,000 regular-season three-pointers in March 2025.
Curry also holds the single-season record with 402 threes in 2015/16, the year he became the NBA's first unanimous MVP.
Which superstar won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and wore numbers 8 and 24?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant won three straight titles from 2000 to 2002 and two more in 2009 and 2010, wearing number 8 for his first ten seasons and 24 for his last ten.
The Lakers retired both numbers in December 2017, making Bryant the only player with two jerseys hanging in the same arena.
Which legend averaged a triple-double for an entire season in 1961/62?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists for the Cincinnati Royals in 1961/62, a feat nobody matched for 55 years.
Russell Westbrook finally repeated the trick in 2016/17 and has since averaged a triple-double in four separate seasons.
Who led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s as their head coach?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson coached the Bulls to two three-peats, in 1991 to 1993 and 1996 to 1998, then added five more titles with the Lakers for a record 11.
Jackson's 11 championships as a head coach are two more than Red Auerbach, who won nine with the Celtics.
Which dominant big man was known as 'The Dream' and led the Rockets to back-to-back titles in the 1990s?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon's silky footwork earned him 'The Dream' at the University of Houston, and he led the Rockets past the Knicks in 1994 and the Magic in 1995.
Olajuwon is the NBA's all-time leader in blocked shots with 3,830, and he came to basketball late after growing up playing soccer in Lagos.
Which point guard led the 'Showtime' Lakers and is considered one of the greatest passers ever?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson ran the Showtime fast break for a decade, winning five titles and leading the league in assists four times as a 6ft 9in point guard.
Johnson's rookie season ended with him starting at center in Game 6 of the 1980 Finals and scoring 42 points to clinch the title.
Who is nicknamed 'The Greek Freak' and has won multiple MVP awards with the Milwaukee Bucks?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo won back-to-back MVP awards in 2019 and 2020, and the nickname reflects his Greek roots and a 7ft frame with a guard's skills.
In 2021 he scored 50 points in the title-clinching Game 6 to give Milwaukee its first championship since 1971.
Which Spurs legend formed a 'Big Three' with Manu Ginóbili and Tony Parker?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan, Manu Ginóbili and Tony Parker won 575 regular-season games together, more than any trio in NBA history, and lifted four titles between 2003 and 2014.
Duncan retired in 2016 having reached the playoffs in all 19 of his seasons, and the Spurs never won fewer than 50 games in a full season with him.
Which forward is known for his all-around game and the nickname 'The King'?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
LeBron James
LeBron James was dubbed 'King James' as a high-school phenom in Akron, Ohio, and he has lived up to it with four titles across three different teams.
James is the only player to win Finals MVP with three different franchises: Miami, Cleveland and the Lakers.
Which Celtics legend was a sharpshooting forward and three-time NBA champion in the 1980s?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Larry Bird
Larry Bird won titles in 1981, 1984 and 1986, took three straight MVP awards from 1984 to 1986 and shot better than 88 percent from the free-throw line for his career.
Bird won the first three NBA Three-Point Contests in 1986, 1987 and 1988, once asking his rivals who was playing for second place.
Who is the only player to win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP in the same season (1993/94)?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon swept all three awards in 1993/94, averaging 27.3 points and 3.7 blocks before beating the Knicks in a seven-game Finals.
Michael Jordan in 1988 and Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2020 also won MVP and Defensive Player of the Year together, but neither reached the Finals that year.
Which legendary big man played for the Lakers and is known for his unstoppable skyhook shot?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar released the skyhook so high, with his body shielding the ball, that defenders could not reach it, and he rode the shot to six titles and a record six MVP awards.
The NCAA banned dunking in 1967, partly in response to Abdul-Jabbar's dominance at UCLA, which pushed him to perfect the hook.
Which guard is famous for 'The Answer' nickname and his crossover dribble?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson carried 'The Answer' from his Georgetown days, and his crossover on Michael Jordan as a rookie in 1997 became one of the most replayed moves in NBA history.
At 6ft, Iverson is the shortest player ever to win the NBA scoring title, and he did it four times.
Which Serbian center has won multiple MVP awards with the Denver Nuggets?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Nikola Jokić
Nikola Jokić won MVP in 2021, 2022 and 2024, the first center to claim three since Moses Malone, and he led Denver to its first championship in 2023.
Jokić was taken 41st overall in the 2014 draft, and the pick was announced while the broadcast was showing a Taco Bell commercial.
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All Sports quizzes →About the NBA All-Time Greats Quiz
Basketball keeps a long memory. Bill Russell won 11 championships with the Boston Celtics, a record nobody has come close to matching. Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single game in 1962, a mark that still stands. Michael Jordan went six for six in the NBA Finals and was named Finals MVP every time. The league's greatest players are more than lines on a stat sheet: they are the reason whole generations fell in love with the game.
These 20 questions cover the Hall of Famers, record-setters and modern MVPs who defined their eras, from nicknames and championship runs to signature shots and the numbers behind them. Casual fans will recognize plenty of faces, while serious hoop heads will enjoy the deeper cuts. Every answer comes with a short explanation and a bonus fact, so you learn something even when you miss.
You will find 20 multiple choice questions here, each with four options. Difficulty: Medium. Most people finish in about 7 minutes, and every answer comes with a short explanation and one extra fact worth keeping.
How to play
Read the question and pick one of the four answers. The correct answer is revealed straight away with a short explanation, then press Next question to keep going. At the end you get your score out of 20 and a full review of your round. Play again any time and the questions arrive in a fresh order. There is no timer and no account.
Good to know before you play
How hard is the NBA All-Time Greats Quiz?
It is a medium-difficulty mix. Roughly half the questions test famous names and nicknames, while the rest dig into records, seasons and specific achievements.
Are the NBA records in the quiz up to date?
Yes. Every record, award and championship count was checked against NBA.com and Basketball-Reference in September 2026.
Can I use these questions for a trivia night?
Absolutely. Read them aloud at a pub quiz, use them in class or share them with friends. Each question comes with an explanation you can read out with the answer.
Answer key: all 20 questions with explanations
- Who is the NBA's all-time leading scorer in regular season points?
LeBron James LeBron James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's mark of 38,387 points on February 7, 2023, and has kept extending the record every season since. Karl Malone sits third on the all-time list with 36,928 points, almost all of them scored for the Utah Jazz. - Which legend is known as 'His Airness'?
Michael Jordan Michael Jordan earned the nickname for his gravity-defying dunks, and Nike's Air Jordan sneaker line turned 'His Airness' into a household name. Jordan won the Slam Dunk Contest in 1987 and 1988, sealing the second with his famous take-off from the free-throw line. - Which player won 11 NBA championships with the Boston Celtics?
Bill Russell Bill Russell won 11 titles in 13 seasons between 1957 and 1969, including eight in a row, the longest championship streak in major American sports. Russell was also the NBA's first Black head coach, winning his final two titles as player-coach of the Celtics. - Who holds the NBA record for most career assists and steals?
John Stockton John Stockton finished with 15,806 assists and 3,265 steals, both records by a wide margin, across 19 seasons with the Utah Jazz. Stockton missed just 22 games in his entire career, playing 1,504 of a possible 1,526. - Which dominant center was nicknamed 'The Diesel'?
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille O'Neal picked up 'The Diesel' for the sheer power of his 7ft 1in, 325 lb frame, and it was one of dozens of nicknames he gave himself. O'Neal won three straight Finals MVP awards from 2000 to 2002, then added a fourth championship with Miami in 2006. - Which player famously recorded a quadruple-double in 1994 with the Spurs?
David Robinson On February 17, 1994, David Robinson posted 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 blocks against Detroit, one of only four quadruple-doubles in NBA history. Two months later Robinson scored 71 points on the final day of the season to snatch the scoring title from the league leader. - Who holds the NBA record for most career three-pointers made?
Stephen Curry Stephen Curry passed Ray Allen's mark of 2,973 threes in December 2021 and became the first player to make 4,000 regular-season three-pointers in March 2025. Curry also holds the single-season record with 402 threes in 2015/16, the year he became the NBA's first unanimous MVP. - Which superstar won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and wore numbers 8 and 24?
Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant won three straight titles from 2000 to 2002 and two more in 2009 and 2010, wearing number 8 for his first ten seasons and 24 for his last ten. The Lakers retired both numbers in December 2017, making Bryant the only player with two jerseys hanging in the same arena. - Which legend averaged a triple-double for an entire season in 1961/62?
Oscar Robertson Oscar Robertson averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists for the Cincinnati Royals in 1961/62, a feat nobody matched for 55 years. Russell Westbrook finally repeated the trick in 2016/17 and has since averaged a triple-double in four separate seasons. - Who led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s as their head coach?
Phil Jackson Phil Jackson coached the Bulls to two three-peats, in 1991 to 1993 and 1996 to 1998, then added five more titles with the Lakers for a record 11. Jackson's 11 championships as a head coach are two more than Red Auerbach, who won nine with the Celtics. - Which dominant big man was known as 'The Dream' and led the Rockets to back-to-back titles in the 1990s?
Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Olajuwon's silky footwork earned him 'The Dream' at the University of Houston, and he led the Rockets past the Knicks in 1994 and the Magic in 1995. Olajuwon is the NBA's all-time leader in blocked shots with 3,830, and he came to basketball late after growing up playing soccer in Lagos. - Which point guard led the 'Showtime' Lakers and is considered one of the greatest passers ever?
Magic Johnson Magic Johnson ran the Showtime fast break for a decade, winning five titles and leading the league in assists four times as a 6ft 9in point guard. Johnson's rookie season ended with him starting at center in Game 6 of the 1980 Finals and scoring 42 points to clinch the title. - Who is nicknamed 'The Greek Freak' and has won multiple MVP awards with the Milwaukee Bucks?
Giannis Antetokounmpo Giannis Antetokounmpo won back-to-back MVP awards in 2019 and 2020, and the nickname reflects his Greek roots and a 7ft frame with a guard's skills. In 2021 he scored 50 points in the title-clinching Game 6 to give Milwaukee its first championship since 1971. - Which Spurs legend formed a 'Big Three' with Manu Ginóbili and Tony Parker?
Tim Duncan Tim Duncan, Manu Ginóbili and Tony Parker won 575 regular-season games together, more than any trio in NBA history, and lifted four titles between 2003 and 2014. Duncan retired in 2016 having reached the playoffs in all 19 of his seasons, and the Spurs never won fewer than 50 games in a full season with him. - Which forward is known for his all-around game and the nickname 'The King'?
LeBron James LeBron James was dubbed 'King James' as a high-school phenom in Akron, Ohio, and he has lived up to it with four titles across three different teams. James is the only player to win Finals MVP with three different franchises: Miami, Cleveland and the Lakers. - Which Celtics legend was a sharpshooting forward and three-time NBA champion in the 1980s?
Larry Bird Larry Bird won titles in 1981, 1984 and 1986, took three straight MVP awards from 1984 to 1986 and shot better than 88 percent from the free-throw line for his career. Bird won the first three NBA Three-Point Contests in 1986, 1987 and 1988, once asking his rivals who was playing for second place. - Who is the only player to win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP in the same season (1993/94)?
Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Olajuwon swept all three awards in 1993/94, averaging 27.3 points and 3.7 blocks before beating the Knicks in a seven-game Finals. Michael Jordan in 1988 and Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2020 also won MVP and Defensive Player of the Year together, but neither reached the Finals that year. - Which legendary big man played for the Lakers and is known for his unstoppable skyhook shot?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar released the skyhook so high, with his body shielding the ball, that defenders could not reach it, and he rode the shot to six titles and a record six MVP awards. The NCAA banned dunking in 1967, partly in response to Abdul-Jabbar's dominance at UCLA, which pushed him to perfect the hook. - Which guard is famous for 'The Answer' nickname and his crossover dribble?
Allen Iverson Allen Iverson carried 'The Answer' from his Georgetown days, and his crossover on Michael Jordan as a rookie in 1997 became one of the most replayed moves in NBA history. At 6ft, Iverson is the shortest player ever to win the NBA scoring title, and he did it four times. - Which Serbian center has won multiple MVP awards with the Denver Nuggets?
Nikola Jokić Nikola Jokić won MVP in 2021, 2022 and 2024, the first center to claim three since Moses Malone, and he led Denver to its first championship in 2023. Jokić was taken 41st overall in the 2014 draft, and the pick was announced while the broadcast was showing a Taco Bell commercial.
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