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Basketball · Interesting Facts

Chapter 4: Clubs & Arenas

10 parts · 10 tests · 100 facts · updated 24 October 2026 · markdown

Teams and the places they play: where NBA names came from, the teams that moved, famous arenas in America and halls in Europe, logos and colours, courts with a look of their own, rivalries, college traditions, European clubs' nicknames and the mascots.

4.41Where NBA Team Names Came From

Lakes in Minnesota, jazz in New Orleans, Dutch knickerbockers and a 1993 film.

Test 1where NBA team names came fromTake a test

  1. They were the Minneapolis Lakers before moving west in 1960.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  2. The name suits New Orleans, the home of jazz, better than Salt Lake City.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  3. It recalls the knee breeches of New York's Dutch settlers.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  4. The Declaration was signed in Philadelphia in 1776.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  5. They began as the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons in Indiana.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  6. Dinosaurs were everywhere after the 1993 film.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  7. They had played as the Royals in Rochester and Cincinnati.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  8. 1941, 1947, 1974 and 1995.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  9. 1946, 1949, 1967 and 1989.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  10. The San Diego Rockets moved to Houston in 1971.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

4.42Teams That Moved

The Lakers, Warriors, Sonics, Nets, Hornets, Clippers, Hawks and Kings on the move.

Test 1teams that changed cityTake a test

  1. They were the first NBA team on the West Coast.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  2. Wilt Chamberlain moved west with them.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  3. They beat the Washington Bullets in the Finals.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  4. They opened the Barclays Center that autumn.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  5. Charlotte took back the name its first team had taken to New Orleans.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  6. They had begun in 1970 in Buffalo.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  7. They beat Bill Russell's Celtics in the Finals.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  8. From 1948, 1957, 1972 and 1985.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  9. 1957, 1978 and 2001.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

  10. The Seattle SuperSonics became the Thunder.

    Source: NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites) · recall

4.43Famous Arenas in America

Madison Square Garden, Chicago Stadium, the Spectrum, the Forum and the Palestra.

Test 1famous American arenasTake a test

  1. The organ's roar made it one of the loudest buildings in sport.

    Source: Teams' and arenas' official histories (nba.com; msg.com; unitedcenter.com; chasecenter.com; pennathletics.com) · recall

  2. It was unveiled in 1994, the year the arena opened.

    Source: Teams' and arenas' official histories (nba.com; msg.com; unitedcenter.com; chasecenter.com; pennathletics.com) · recall

  3. The 76ers had to play elsewhere for a time.

    Source: Teams' and arenas' official histories (nba.com; msg.com; unitedcenter.com; chasecenter.com; pennathletics.com) · recall

  4. The Lakers then moved downtown.

    Source: Teams' and arenas' official histories (nba.com; msg.com; unitedcenter.com; chasecenter.com; pennathletics.com) · recall

  5. It belongs to the University of Pennsylvania.

    Source: Teams' and arenas' official histories (nba.com; msg.com; unitedcenter.com; chasecenter.com; pennathletics.com) · recall

  6. They had played across the bay since 1971.

    Source: Teams' and arenas' official histories (nba.com; msg.com; unitedcenter.com; chasecenter.com; pennathletics.com) · recall

  7. Their arena stands beside the convention centre.

    Source: Teams' and arenas' official histories (nba.com; msg.com; unitedcenter.com; chasecenter.com; pennathletics.com) · recall

  8. 1928, 1967, 1994 and 2019.

    Source: Teams' and arenas' official histories (nba.com; msg.com; unitedcenter.com; chasecenter.com; pennathletics.com) · recall

  9. Philadelphia, Chicago, then San Francisco on the Pacific.

    Source: Teams' and arenas' official histories (nba.com; msg.com; unitedcenter.com; chasecenter.com; pennathletics.com) · recall

  10. The fourth Garden opened above Penn Station in 1968.

    Source: Teams' and arenas' official histories (nba.com; msg.com; unitedcenter.com; chasecenter.com; pennathletics.com) · recall

4.44Famous Halls in Europe

Pionir, the Madrid fire, Kaunas, the Palau, Athens, Milan, Piraeus and Munich.

Test 1famous European hallsTake a test

  1. It is the home of Crvena zvezda and Partizan's smaller games.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  2. It reopened in 2005 and is now Real Madrid's home.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  3. Spain beat France in the final there.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  4. The club's football and basketball homes share a site.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  5. Argentina won the gold there.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  6. The round arena opened in 1990.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  7. The arena opened in 1985.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  8. 1971, 1973, 2011 and 2024.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  9. 1939, 2001 and 2022.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  10. The SAP Garden is shared with the city's ice hockey team.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

4.45Logos and Colours

Jerry West's silhouette, Forum Blue, the Raptors' dinosaur and the Knicks' colours.

Test 1logos and team coloursTake a test

  1. The league has never confirmed it officially.

    Source: NBA and team brand histories (nba.com; the teams' official sites) · recall

  2. It replaced an older logo with a ball and the letters NBA.

    Source: NBA and team brand histories (nba.com; the teams' official sites) · recall

  3. He named it after his new arena, the Forum.

    Source: NBA and team brand histories (nba.com; the teams' official sites) · recall

  4. He spins a basketball on one finger.

    Source: NBA and team brand histories (nba.com; the teams' official sites) · recall

  5. He came from North Carolina.

    Source: NBA and team brand histories (nba.com; the teams' official sites) · recall

  6. The spur sits in the middle of the word.

    Source: NBA and team brand histories (nba.com; the teams' official sites) · recall

  7. 1966, 1969 and 1995.

    Source: NBA and team brand histories (nba.com; the teams' official sites) · recall

  8. 1960, 1969 and 1997.

    Source: NBA and team brand histories (nba.com; the teams' official sites) · recall

  9. The city flag has bands of blue, white and orange.

    Source: NBA and team brand histories (nba.com; the teams' official sites) · recall

4.46Courts With a Look of Their Own

Boston's parquet, the MECCA floor, Pigalle and Oregon's forest.

Test 1courts with their own lookTake a test

  1. Leftover oak was fitted together in a chequered pattern.

    Source: Team and university histories (nba.com; goducks.com); Robert Indiana Foundation · recall

  2. Celtics players were said to steer opponents onto them.

    Source: Team and university histories (nba.com; goducks.com); Robert Indiana Foundation · recall

  3. The floor covered the court in bold colour and huge letters.

    Source: Team and university histories (nba.com; goducks.com); Robert Indiana Foundation · recall

  4. Its letters are stacked two by two, the O tilted.

    Source: Team and university histories (nba.com; goducks.com); Robert Indiana Foundation · recall

  5. It has been repainted several times in new colours.

    Source: Team and university histories (nba.com; goducks.com); Robert Indiana Foundation · recall

  6. Teams play some home games on them.

    Source: Team and university histories (nba.com; goducks.com); Robert Indiana Foundation · recall

  7. Denver is known as the Mile High City.

    Source: Team and university histories (nba.com; goducks.com); Robert Indiana Foundation · recall

  8. 1946, 1977 and 2011.

    Source: Team and university histories (nba.com; goducks.com); Robert Indiana Foundation · recall

  9. 1946, 1952 and 1995.

    Source: Team and university histories (nba.com; goducks.com); Robert Indiana Foundation · recall

  10. The design at Matthew Knight Arena is called 'Deep in the Woods'.

    Source: Team and university histories (nba.com; goducks.com); Robert Indiana Foundation · recall

4.47Rivalries

Celtics-Lakers, Bulls-Pistons, Duke-North Carolina, Kansas-Missouri and Istanbul's derby.

Test 1great rivalriesTake a test

  1. Boston won nine of them.

    Source: NBA History (nba.com); EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); Duke and North Carolina athletics (goduke.com; goheels.com) · recall

  2. Most of the Detroit players left with a few seconds still to play.

    Source: NBA History (nba.com); EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); Duke and North Carolina athletics (goduke.com; goheels.com) · recall

  3. It meant meeting him with two or three defenders and hard fouls.

    Source: NBA History (nba.com); EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); Duke and North Carolina athletics (goduke.com; goheels.com) · recall

  4. The road between them gave the rivalry the name Tobacco Road.

    Source: NBA History (nba.com); EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); Duke and North Carolina athletics (goduke.com; goheels.com) · recall

  5. His Lakers lost Game 7 to Boston.

    Source: NBA History (nba.com); EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); Duke and North Carolina athletics (goduke.com; goheels.com) · recall

  6. It dates back to the conflicts between the two states in the 1850s.

    Source: NBA History (nba.com); EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); Duke and North Carolina athletics (goduke.com; goheels.com) · recall

  7. Miller scored 25 in one quarter and gave a choke sign towards him.

    Source: NBA History (nba.com); EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); Duke and North Carolina athletics (goduke.com; goheels.com) · recall

  8. 1959, 1984 and 2010.

    Source: NBA History (nba.com); EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); Duke and North Carolina athletics (goduke.com; goheels.com) · recall

  9. 1988, 1989-90 and 1991.

    Source: NBA History (nba.com); EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); Duke and North Carolina athletics (goduke.com; goheels.com) · recall

  10. One club is on the Asian shore and the other on the European.

    Source: NBA History (nba.com); EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); Duke and North Carolina athletics (goduke.com; goheels.com) · recall

4.48College Traditions

Rock Chalk, the Cameron Crazies, candy stripes, Midnight Madness and Krzyzewskiville.

Test 1college basketball traditionsTake a test

  1. The chant dates from the 1880s.

    Source: University athletics histories (kuathletics.com; goduke.com; iuhoosiers.com; ukathletics.com; umterps.com); NCAA (ncaa.com) · recall

  2. They are named after Cameron Indoor Stadium.

    Source: University athletics histories (kuathletics.com; goduke.com; iuhoosiers.com; ukathletics.com; umterps.com); NCAA (ncaa.com) · recall

  3. Fans copy them in the stands.

    Source: University athletics histories (kuathletics.com; goduke.com; iuhoosiers.com; ukathletics.com; umterps.com); NCAA (ncaa.com) · recall

  4. It became known as Midnight Madness.

    Source: University athletics histories (kuathletics.com; goduke.com; iuhoosiers.com; ukathletics.com; umterps.com); NCAA (ncaa.com) · recall

  5. The 'Phog' is Phog Allen, and the noise of the crowd.

    Source: University athletics histories (kuathletics.com; goduke.com; iuhoosiers.com; ukathletics.com; umterps.com); NCAA (ncaa.com) · recall

  6. His jumper won it 63-62.

    Source: University athletics histories (kuathletics.com; goduke.com; iuhoosiers.com; ukathletics.com; umterps.com); NCAA (ncaa.com) · recall

  7. They follow the team in huge numbers on the road.

    Source: University athletics histories (kuathletics.com; goduke.com; iuhoosiers.com; ukathletics.com; umterps.com); NCAA (ncaa.com) · recall

  8. 1982, 1988 and 1991.

    Source: University athletics histories (kuathletics.com; goduke.com; iuhoosiers.com; ukathletics.com; umterps.com); NCAA (ncaa.com) · recall

  9. 1940, 1955 and 1976.

    Source: University athletics histories (kuathletics.com; goduke.com; iuhoosiers.com; ukathletics.com; umterps.com); NCAA (ncaa.com) · recall

  10. It is named after the coach Mike Krzyzewski.

    Source: University athletics histories (kuathletics.com; goduke.com; iuhoosiers.com; ukathletics.com; umterps.com); NCAA (ncaa.com) · recall

4.49European Clubs and Their Nicknames

Žalgiris, Panathinaikos, CSKA, Fenerbahçe, Efes, Olimpia and Crvena zvezda.

Test 1European clubs' names and nicknamesTake a test

  1. Žalgiris is the Lithuanian name of the battle.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  2. Its green clover gives the club the nickname Trifylli.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  3. Its full name means Central Sports Club of the Army.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  4. Fans call them the Yellow Canaries.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  5. The club has long been owned by the brewer of Efes beer.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  6. It comes from the red shoes the team wore in the 1950s.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  7. Their fans fill the arena in yellow.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  8. Madrid, Milan, Belgrade and Moscow.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  9. Moscow, Kaunas, Istanbul and Tel Aviv.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

  10. Crvena zvezda means Red Star.

    Source: EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball) · recall

4.50Mascots and Their Stories

Benny, the Gorilla, Rocky, Clutch, Butler Blue, Stuff and their Hall of Fame.

Test 1mascotsTake a test

  1. He is one of the oldest mascots in American sport.

    Source: Teams' official mascot pages (nba.com); Mascot Hall of Fame (mascothalloffame.com); Butler University (butler.edu) · recall

  2. The crowd loved him, so the team kept him.

    Source: Teams' official mascot pages (nba.com); Mascot Hall of Fame (mascothalloffame.com); Butler University (butler.edu) · recall

  3. He is known for sinking shots from far out.

    Source: Teams' official mascot pages (nba.com); Mascot Hall of Fame (mascothalloffame.com); Butler University (butler.edu) · recall

  4. He took over in 1995.

    Source: Teams' official mascot pages (nba.com); Mascot Hall of Fame (mascothalloffame.com); Butler University (butler.edu) · recall

  5. It opened in its own building in 2018.

    Source: Teams' official mascot pages (nba.com); Mascot Hall of Fame (mascothalloffame.com); Butler University (butler.edu) · recall

  6. Each Butler Blue goes to games and lives with a staff member.

    Source: Teams' official mascot pages (nba.com); Mascot Hall of Fame (mascothalloffame.com); Butler University (butler.edu) · recall

  7. He arrived with the team in 1989.

    Source: Teams' official mascot pages (nba.com); Mascot Hall of Fame (mascothalloffame.com); Butler University (butler.edu) · recall

  8. 1980, 1989, 1990 and 1995.

    Source: Teams' official mascot pages (nba.com); Mascot Hall of Fame (mascothalloffame.com); Butler University (butler.edu) · recall

  9. 1949, 1988 and 1995.

    Source: Teams' official mascot pages (nba.com); Mascot Hall of Fame (mascothalloffame.com); Butler University (butler.edu) · recall

  10. Some mascots flip in the air before dunking.

    Source: Teams' official mascot pages (nba.com); Mascot Hall of Fame (mascothalloffame.com); Butler University (butler.edu) · recall

Sources

Primary/official sources only, no Wikipedia citations: the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA, FIBA, the EuroLeague, the NCAA, the WNBA, clubs' and universities' own histories, auction houses' published results and named reputable media.

  • NBA History and team histories (nba.com and the teams' official sites)20
  • EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); clubs' and arenas' official sites; FIBA (fiba.basketball)20
  • Teams' and arenas' official histories (nba.com; msg.com; unitedcenter.com; chasecenter.com; pennathletics.com)10
  • NBA and team brand histories (nba.com; the teams' official sites)10
  • Team and university histories (nba.com; goducks.com); Robert Indiana Foundation10
  • NBA History (nba.com); EuroLeague (euroleaguebasketball.net); Duke and North Carolina athletics (goduke.com; goheels.com)10
  • University athletics histories (kuathletics.com; goduke.com; iuhoosiers.com; ukathletics.com; umterps.com); NCAA (ncaa.com)10
  • Teams' official mascot pages (nba.com); Mascot Hall of Fame (mascothalloffame.com); Butler University (butler.edu)10