NBA Hall of Fame Guide

Allen Iverson High School: Bethel in Hampton, VA

Allen Iverson's high school was Bethel High in Hampton, Virginia, where he was state Player of the Year in football and basketball.

Carmelo Anthony High School: Towson Catholic to Oak Hill

Carmelo Anthony's high school career: Towson Catholic in Baltimore, then Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, then Syracuse and the 2003 NBA Draft.

Kawhi Leonard High School: King in Riverside, CA

Kawhi Leonard's high school was Martin Luther King in Riverside, CA — 2009 California Mr. Basketball before signing with San Diego State.

Kevin Garnett High School: Mauldin to Farragut

Kevin Garnett's high school career started at Mauldin (SC) and ended at Chicago's Farragut Academy, where he became 1995 USA Today POY.

Kobe Bryant High School: Lower Merion in Ardmore, PA

Kobe Bryant's high school was Lower Merion in Ardmore, PA. He led the Aces to the 1996 PIAA state title before jumping to the NBA.

LeBron James High School: SVSM in Akron, Explained

LeBron James high school was St. Vincent–St. Mary in Akron, where he and his Fab Four chose private and won three Ohio state titles.

Vince Carter High School: Mainland in Daytona Beach

Vince Carter's high school was Mainland in Daytona Beach, Florida. He was a 1995 McDonald's All-American before signing with North Carolina.

Where Stephen Curry Went to High School: Charlotte Christian

Stephen Curry's high school was Charlotte Christian School, NC — a private 4A program where his father Dell coached as varsity assistant.

College Roots (9)

Hakeem Olajuwon College: Houston (Phi Slama Jama)

Hakeem Olajuwon's college was Houston, where he anchored Phi Slama Jama and reached three straight Final Fours from 1982 to 1984.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar College: UCLA's Three NCAA Titles

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's college was UCLA (1966-69). He won three NCAA titles under John Wooden and went 88-2 across three varsity seasons.

Magic Johnson College: Michigan State and the 1979 NCAA Title

Magic Johnson's college was Michigan State (1977-79). He won the 1979 NCAA title over Larry Bird's Indiana State, then went #1 to LA.

Where Anthony Edwards Went to College: Georgia (One Year)

Anthony Edwards spent one year at Georgia (2019-20) — a rare top prospect choosing the SEC over a blue blood — before going #1 overall.

Where Charles Barkley Went to College: Auburn

Charles Barkley's college was Auburn, where he was the 1984 SEC Player of the Year and the most-improbable rebounding force in the league.

Where Jayson Tatum Went to College: Duke (One Year)

Jayson Tatum spent one year at Duke (2016-17), winning ACC Rookie of the Year before going #3 overall to Boston in 2017.

Where Shaq Went to College: LSU (1989-1992)

Shaquille O'Neal went to LSU (1989-92) under Dale Brown — three NCAA Tournament trips and the 1991 Wooden Award before going #1 to Orlando.

Where Tim Duncan Went to College: Wake Forest

Tim Duncan stayed all four years at Wake Forest, won the 1997 Naismith Award, and went #1 overall to San Antonio.

Where Zion Williamson Went to College: Duke (One Year)

Zion Williamson spent one year at Duke (2018-19), winning ACC Player and AP National Player of the Year before going #1 to NOLA.

Draft Lookups (4)

1996 NBA Draft: Why It's the Best Class Ever

Best NBA draft ever? 1996: Iverson, Kobe, Nash, Ray Allen, four MVPs, 16 All-Stars. The case for 1996 over 1984 and 2003.

2025 NBA Draft #1 Pick: Cooper Flagg to the Dallas Mavericks

Cooper Flagg was the 2025 NBA Draft #1 overall pick — the Dallas Mavericks took him out of Duke after winning the lottery on 1.8% odds.

Larry Bird Draft: Boston Took Him a Year Early in 1978

Larry Bird's draft: 6th overall by Boston in 1978 — a year before he played a pro game. Red Auerbach used the junior-eligibility rule.

Michael Jordan Draft: 3rd Overall, 1984 Bulls

Michael Jordan draft: 3rd overall in 1984 to the Bulls, after Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie. The most second-guessed pick in NBA history.

Childhood & Hometowns (8)

Where Cooper Flagg Grew Up: Newport, Maine

Cooper Flagg grew up in Newport, Maine — the rural town that produced the 2025 #1 NBA pick after one season at Duke.

Where Derrick Rose Grew Up: Englewood, Chicago

Derrick Rose grew up in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago's South Side, raised by his single mother and three older brothers.

Where Giannis Antetokounmpo Grew Up: Athens, Greece

Giannis Antetokounmpo grew up in Athens — stateless until 18 because Greece didn't grant his Nigerian parents citizenship.

Where Joel Embiid Grew Up: Yaoundé, Cameroon

Joel Embiid grew up in Yaoundé, Cameroon. He didn't pick up a basketball until age 15 and moved to the US for high school in 2011.

Where Kevin Durant Grew Up: Suitland, Maryland

Kevin Durant grew up in Suitland, MD — a DC suburb where his mother Wanda raised him through working-class struggles.

Where Luka Dončić Grew Up: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Luka Dončić grew up in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and signed with Real Madrid at age 13. Won EuroLeague MVP at 19 — the youngest ever.

Where Michael Jordan Grew Up: Wilmington, North Carolina

Michael Jordan grew up in Wilmington, NC, where he was famously cut from the Laney High varsity as a sophomore — a slight that fueled him.

Where Victor Wembanyama Grew Up: Le Chesnay, France

Victor Wembanyama grew up in Le Chesnay, France. Played pro basketball there from age 15 before going #1 to San Antonio in 2023.

Jersey Numbers (8)

Why Allen Iverson Wore #3 — Bethel High Roots

Allen Iverson wore #3 because he wore it at Bethel High School in Hampton, Virginia. Kept it through Georgetown and his entire NBA career.

Why Did Michael Jordan Wear 23?

Michael Jordan wore 23 because his older brother Larry wore 45 and Michael wanted half — rounded up. He wore 45 briefly in 1995 too.

Why Jayson Tatum Wears #0 — A Russell Westbrook Tribute

Jayson Tatum wears #0 as a tribute to Russell Westbrook — his favorite player growing up in St. Louis. He's worn it since high school.

Why Joel Embiid Wears #21 — A Tribute to His Brother

Joel Embiid wears #21 to honor his younger brother Arthur, who died at age 13 in a hit-and-run car accident in 2014.

Why Kobe Bryant Changed From #8 to #24

Kobe Bryant changed from #8 to #24 in 2006 to mark a chapter break — and the Lakers retired both numbers in 2017, a first in NBA history.

Why LeBron James Wears 23 (and Briefly Wore 6)

LeBron James wears #23 as a Michael Jordan tribute he picked in middle school. He switched to #6 in Miami before returning to 23 in 2014.

Why Magic Johnson Wore #32 — Three Schools, One Number

Magic Johnson wore #32 from middle school through Michigan State and the Lakers — assigned by chance and kept the rest of his career.

Why Stephen Curry Wears #30 — A Father-Son Tribute

Stephen Curry wears #30 to honor his father Dell, who wore #30 with the Hornets, Cavs, and Raptors during his 16-year NBA career.

Records & Milestones (8)

Most NBA Career Points: LeBron James, 41,000+

LeBron James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 38,387 career points on February 7, 2023 and entered 2024-25 with 41,000+ career points.

Most NBA Coach of the Year Awards: Don Nelson, 3

Don Nelson, Pat Riley, and Gregg Popovich each won the NBA Coach of the Year award 3 times — the most in league history.

Most NBA Finals MVPs: Michael Jordan With 6 (Career Sweeps)

Michael Jordan won NBA Finals MVP all 6 times he played — the most ever. LeBron has 4. Shaq has 3.

Most NBA Playoff Points Ever: LeBron James, 8,000+

LeBron James scored 8,000+ NBA playoff points — the all-time record by 2,000+ over Michael Jordan in second place. Kareem is third at 5,762.

Most Points as an NBA Rookie: Wilt Chamberlain, 2,707

Wilt Chamberlain scored 2,707 points as a rookie in 1959-60 — the all-time NBA rookie record at 37.6 points per game.

Who Has the Most NBA Championships? Bill Russell — 11

Who has the most NBA championships? Bill Russell with 11, all in Boston — including the last two as player-coach of the Celtics.

Who Won the Most NBA Scoring Titles? Michael Jordan — 10

Michael Jordan won the most NBA scoring titles ever — 10 — including a record seven in a row from 1987 to 1993, before his first retirement.

Wilt Chamberlain 100-Point Game: March 2, 1962

Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game: March 2, 1962 in Hershey vs the Knicks. 36-of-63 from the floor. The only 100-point NBA game ever.

Height, Weight & Reach (6)

How Tall Is Victor Wembanyama? 7'4" With 8' Wingspan

Victor Wembanyama is 7'4" tall with an 8'0" wingspan — the longest verified wingspan in modern NBA, only behind Manute Bol's 8'6".

How Tall Is Yao Ming? 7'6" — The Tallest All-Star Ever

Yao Ming is 7'6" tall — the tallest player ever to make an NBA All-Star team. Mureșan and Bol at 7'7" never were All-Stars.

How Tall Is Zion Williamson? 6'6" — But 285 lb

Zion Williamson is 6'6" and listed at 285 lb — the most-massive front-court player in modern NBA history at his height.

Shaquille O'Neal Height: 7'1" and 325 lbs

Shaquille O'Neal's height: officially 7'1" (1992 combine: 7'2¼" in shoes, 9'7" reach, 327 lb at 20). How Shaq compares to other big men.

Shortest NBA Player Ever: Muggsy Bogues at 5'3"

The shortest NBA player ever is Muggsy Bogues at 5'3" — 14 seasons, 6,726 career assists, and a famous block on Patrick Ewing.

Tallest NBA Player Ever: Mureșan and Bol at 7'7"

The tallest NBA players ever are Gheorghe Mureșan and Manute Bol, both at 7'7". One won Most Improved; the other broke the blocks record.

NBA · Point Guard / Shooting Guard

NBA player profiles

Career totals, honors, teams, draft context, and Hall of Fame or eligibility status.

Browse every player →

Allen Iverson

2001 NBA MVP, 11× All-Star, the smallest #1 overall pick in NBA history at 6'0".

View player profile → NBA · Shooting Guard

Anthony Edwards

2024 Olympic Gold (Paris). 3× NBA All-Star. Led Timberwolves to 2024 Western Conference Finals — deepest run in franchise history.

Bill Russell

11× NBA champion (record). 5× MVP. The first Black head coach in major American pro sports. The NBA Finals MVP trophy is named after him.

Carmelo Anthony

10× NBA All-Star, 2013 NBA scoring champion, freshman who won the 2003 NCAA title at Syracuse.

View player profile → NBA · Power Forward / Small Forward

Charles Barkley

1993 NBA MVP. 11× All-Star. Two Olympic golds. The Round Mound of Rebound. Now Inside the NBA on TNT.

Cooper Flagg

2025 NBA Draft #1 overall pick. 2025 Naismith National Player of the Year as a Duke freshman. The Newport, Maine kid who became Dallas's lottery jackpot.

View player profile → NBA · Point Guard

Derrick Rose

2010-11 NBA MVP (youngest ever, age 22). 3× All-Star. The Englewood, Chicago kid whose prime was lost to chronic knee injuries.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

2021 NBA champion + Finals MVP. 2× NBA MVP. 2020 Defensive Player of the Year. The Greek Freak. Stateless until age 18.

Hakeem Olajuwon

2× NBA champion (1994, 1995). 1994 MVP. The only player to win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in the same season.

Jayson Tatum

2024 NBA champion. 2024 East Finals MVP. 5× All-Star. 4× All-NBA First Team. The Celtics' 2020s cornerstone.

Joel Embiid

2023 NBA MVP. 2× NBA scoring champion. 7× NBA All-Star. The Process. Cameroon's first NBA superstar.

View player profile → NBA · Small Forward / Power Forward

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

6× NBA MVP (record). 6× NBA champion. NBA's all-time scoring leader for 38 years (1984-2023).

Kevin Durant

2× NBA champion + Finals MVP. 4× NBA scoring leader. 2014 MVP. 30,000+ career points. 6'11" with a guard's handle.

View player profile → NBA · Shooting Guard

Kevin Garnett

First high-school-to-NBA jump in 20 years; 2004 MVP; 2008 NBA champion.

Kobe Bryant

5× NBA champion, 2× Finals MVP, 2008 NBA MVP. 81-point game (Jan 22, 2006).

Larry Bird

3× NBA Champion, 3× NBA MVP (consecutive), 1986 Finals MVP. Half of Magic vs Bird.

View player profile → NBA · Point Guard / Shooting Guard

LeBron James

All-time NBA scoring leader; 4× MVP; 4× champion; 21+ NBA seasons.

Luka Dončić

5× All-NBA First Team. 2018 EuroLeague MVP at age 19 (youngest ever). 2024 West Finals MVP. Slovenia's first NBA superstar.

View player profile → NBA · Point Guard

Magic Johnson

5× NBA champion, 3× NBA MVP, 3× Finals MVP. The 6'9" point guard who reshaped the position.

View player profile → NBA · Shooting Guard

Michael Jordan

6× NBA Champion, 6× Finals MVP, 5× MVP — the GOAT debate's anchor.

View player profile → NBA · Head Coach

Phil Jackson

11× NBA champion as head coach (record). 6× with Chicago Bulls (Jordan era). 5× with Lakers (Shaq + Kobe era). The Zen Master.

Scottie Pippen

6× NBA champion. The defensive engine and second star of the 1990s Bulls dynasty. Two Olympic golds.

View player profile → NBA · Point Guard

Shaquille O'Neal

4× NBA champion, 3× Finals MVP, 2000 NBA MVP — most dominant center of his era.

Stephen Curry

4× NBA champion. 2× NBA MVP (one unanimous). The all-time NBA leader in three-pointers made — by a wide and growing margin.

View player profile → NBA · Center / Power Forward

Tim Duncan

5× NBA champion (1999-2014). 2× MVP. 3× Finals MVP. The cornerstone of the most-consistent franchise in any modern American pro sport.

Victor Wembanyama

2024 NBA Rookie of the Year. The most-anticipated NBA prospect since LeBron in 2003. 7'4" with an 8'0" wingspan and a guard's handle.

View player profile → NBA · Shooting Guard / Small Forward

Vince Carter

8× NBA All-Star, 2000 Slam Dunk Contest legend, longest career in NBA history (22 seasons).

Wilt Chamberlain

100-point game (March 2, 1962). 4× MVP. 50.4 ppg in 1961-62. Two-time NBA champion.

Yao Ming

8× NBA All-Star. 2002 #1 overall pick — first international player taken #1 without playing US college basketball. Naismith Hall of Fame, 2016.