Basketball, Listed

A dedication to basketball history, catalogued and presented in convenient list form.

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Dead air: Eight legendary NBA players who struggled as television broadcasters

December 11, 2025
Playing on television in front of millions is one thing when you’re on the court, but for these eight NBA legends, talking into the camera was the real challenge.

Primetime players: 14 notable NBA crossovers with Saturday Night Live

June 21, 2025
As Saturday Night Live celebrates its 50th anniversary, we take a look back at 16 instances where the NBA was represented on the sketch comedy show in some form.

Won’t see my picture on the cover: 10 NBA Finals that weren’t featured on a Sports Illustrated cover

June 1, 2025
For decades, Sports Illustrated was the weekly arbiter of what was notable in the world of sports. Here’s a look back at 10 times when the former paper of record for newsworthy sports milestones opted to de-emphasize the NBA Finals.

Faces in the crowd: 12 NBA celebrity superfans

May 21, 2025
Our taxonomy of the biggest celebrity NBA fans around, from movie stars to rappers to the one and only Jack Nicholson.

Boomshakalaka!: Ranking the 27 rosters from the original NBA Jam (1993 arcade edition)

January 21, 2025
Let’s grab our roll of quarters and call dibs on next game, because we’re traveling back in time to 1993 to rank the rosters from the original arcade version of NBA Jam, on the 30th anniversary of its initial release.

Soles power: 16 notable signature basketball shoes

December 21, 2024
Many a Christmas tree featured one of these pairs of shoes under it over the years, after the 16 superstars listed below blessed the line with their donning of them and/or their name.

Media matters: A history of the NBA in 12 television rights contracts

December 1, 2024
Just as the NBA itself has morphed, grown, and shifted over the years, so has the league’s contract agreements to broadcast games nationally.

Golden voices: Eight NBA announcers with retired microphones

November 11, 2024
Only the most beloved icons behind the microphone have been granted their franchises’ greatest honor, a place in the rafters amongst the playing legends

Video killed the radio star: Seven notable VHS releases from NBA Entertainment

March 11, 2024
As part of our Totally ’80s series, we go full nostalgia, recalling some of the most indelible home video releases of the decade from NBA Entertainment

Strictly commercials: 19 memorable television advertisements starring NBA players

February 1, 2024
One the eve of another Super Bowl, we take a look back at 19 classic, disastrous, and otherwise memorable national television commercials which featured NBA superstars.

Don’t you forget about me: 80 basketball moments from the ’80s that changed the sport forever

January 11, 2024
As part of our Totally ’80s series, we explore the 80 most monumental, controversial, influential, unforgettable, and indescribable basketball moments from the 1980s.

Round mound of dumbfound: 10 times that Charles Barkley’s mouth got him into trouble

February 11, 2023
With Charles Barkley set to celebrate his 60th birthday, we take a look back at some of the most controversial moments of maybe the most polemic figure in NBA history.

Digital dunks: 18 great, influential, outrageous, or otherwise notable basketball video games

December 21, 2022
From the early days of Atari and arcades to the modern next generation consoles, basketball titles have been a constant on the video game market. Here are 18 basketball games that are notable for their influence, their greatness, or their uniqueness.

Extracurricular activities: 75 off-court moments that shaped the NBA

November 21, 2021
Going back to the invention of the game in 1891, we take a look at the 75 innovations, signings, mergers, rule changes, lawsuits, agreements, disagreements, trades, hirings, draft picks, and other off-court events that shaped the course of NBA history.

Summer reading list: 11 essential books about the NBA or ABA

July 1, 2021
Whether you’re hitting the beach or pool this summer or relaxing inside away from the heat, here’s a list of notable books about NBA and ABA history that you can enjoy.

Lights! Camera! Shaq-tion!: 21 films that star (or prominently feature) NBA players

October 11, 2020
Many of the NBA’s biggest stars have attempted to transfer their talents to the silver screen, with results ranging from better to worst. Mostly worst. With LeBron James’ Space Jam 2 reportedly in the can, we take a look back at 21 of the most prominent examples.

Start getting real: 20 NBA players with memorable reality television appearances

December 11, 2019
Sometimes forcefully and sometimes unwittingly, these former (and occasionally current) NBA players subjected themselves to eventful roles in the realm of reality television.


Full archive
Features
Topics and Themes
500 Greatest Players
Index
On This Date in Basketball History
Timelines of Basketball History
NBA Hall of Fame