Basketball Facts

Barack Obama was nicknamed "Barry O'Bomber" by some teammates at Punahou High School for his enthusiastic jump shot, though he spent most of his senior championship season on the bench

Michael Jordan wasn't actually cut from his high school basketball team - as a 5'10" sophomore, he was placed on the junior varsity squad instead of varsity, which was standard practice. He used the perceived slight as motivation and made varsity the following year.

Basketball great Wilt Chamberlain never fouled out of a game.

In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II was named an "Honorary Harlem Globetrotter."!

Chinese sports authorities reportedly arranged the marriage between Yao Ming's parents—Yao Zhiyuan (6'7") and Fang Fengdi (6'3"), both elite basketball players—as part of a state-sponsored athletic breeding program. Their son became the 7'6" NBA superstar.

There is a basketball court on the top floor of the U.S. Supreme Court Building. It’s known as the “highest court in the land.”

After being traded to the Phoenix Suns, Shaquille O'Neal went to Walmart at 2 AM to furnish his new apartment. He spent $70,000 on TVs, laptops, and appliances in a single trip. His credit card was declined because the bank flagged it as fraud — they couldn't believe someone was spending that much at Walmart.

Howard Schultz offered Shaq a Starbucks franchise deal in the late 1990s. Shaq told him: "Black people don't drink coffee, sir. I don't think it's gonna work." Magic Johnson took the deal instead, opened 105 Starbucks in underserved communities, and sold his stake for an estimated $100 million. Shaq calls it his biggest mistake.

Michael Jordan never wanted to sign with Nike. He wore Adidas. He begged Adidas to sign him. They told him: "We can not make a shoe work." Nike offered $2.5 million and a signature shoe. Jordan still did not want to go. His mother forced him onto the plane. Jordan Brand now generates $7 billion a year.

Dennis Schroder turned down an $84 million extension from the Lakers in 2021 because he believed he could get $100 million in free agency. After a poor playoff run, his market collapsed. He signed with the Celtics for $5.9 million.