• the key area of NBA basketball courts was widened to reduce the effectiveness of dominating centers like George Mikan?
• after becoming the first basketball player to lead the Big Ten in both scoring and rebounds, Michigan's M.C. Burton turned down a contract to play in the NBA to attend medical school?
• Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals set the record of the highest Nielsen rating for any NBA game?
• Frank Brickowski played basketball in Italy, France and Israel for three years in the early 1980s, until the New York Knicks thought he was ready for the NBA?
• American basketball player Fred Roberts was chosen by the Miami Heat in their expansion draft, but never played a game for them in the NBA?

Facts on topics related to NBA

National Basketball Association

• Ann Meyers signed with the New Jersey Gems in 1979, with her US$50,000 salary matching what she had been paid by the Indiana Pacers in her bid to become the first woman to play in the NBA?
• Milwaukee Hawks player Don Boven fouled out of six consecutive NBA games in 1952—a record that still stands?
• basketball player Bill Spivey sued the National Basketball Association and its commissioner in 1960, claiming that the league blacklisted him?
• Bobby Leonard, Jack McKinney, Larry Brown and Rick Carlisle have each coached the Indiana Pacers for 328 regular season games in the NBA?
• Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby were the first high school basketball players to directly enter the National Basketball Association after they were drafted in 1975?
• Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie were selected ahead of Michael Jordan in the 1984 National Basketball Association Draft?
• Larry Brown is the only National Basketball Association (NBA) head coach who has coached nine different NBA teams?
• Los Angeles Lakers point guard Nick Van Exel was fined $25,000 and suspended seven games by the National Basketball Association (NBA) for shoving referee Ron Garretson into the scorer's table?
• NBA point guard John Bagley was the first Boston College Eagle to earn Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year honors?
• Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy won the 2007 Rookie of the Year Award by a near-unanimous vote despite missing almost a third of his first season in the NBA due to injuries?