Basketball Facts

Went to a table quiz last night and missed out by one point. We were outdone by the following question: What is 12 in London, 10 in New York, and 40 in Rome? Our first thought was clothing but one of our team members was adamant that a 10 in London would be a 6 in New York. She was right and wrong: dresses and suits have a difference of four but clothing only has a difference of two. We went with shoe size after my suggestion of bishops received no love.

Anyway, since the event was for a basketball team, I did some prep work* on basketball and learned a few interesting facts.

* My favourite prep work story is from a volleyball quiz where a friend had found out that USA was both Olympic and World Champions. When the quiz master announced that the next question was a volleyball question, he presumptuously wrote down the answer. The question? Who are the European Volleyball Champions.

• I received much derision when I announced that I knew the scores from all of Ireland's matches, male and female, over the last two years. Sadly, I know this because the teams were wound down due to Basketball Ireland being in debt.
• Of the last Irish team there is one player playing abroad: Bryan Mullins at Champagene Chalon-Reims. There is a list of all Irish players playing abroad here but since, as best as I can tell, Caroline Nixon left Burgos in 2005 I am not sure how accurate it is - but elsewhere on the site you can look up  all the GAA clubs in Europe such as Clermont Gaels.
• The only Irish-born player to appear in the NBA is Pat Burke. He has also won three Greek league titles with Panathanoikos, a Spanish league title with Real Madrid, a Russian cup championship with Khimiki Bc, and a Polish league with Asseco Prokom Sopot - winner!
• The NBA career leader in field goal percentage is Artis Gilmore
• Michael Jordan matched Wilt Chamberlain's 30.1 points per game career average.
• Sergei Belov is considered the greatest international player of all time. He is not to be confused with Aleksander Belov who scored the winning basket in the 1972 Olympics.
• The Lakers just signed the all-time leader in free-throw percentage.