THE NBA LORE STARTER KIT   Basketball has had an amazing history, filled with so many moments that have lit so many sparks for countless players around the world. Instead of stumbling upon these moments by chance, we've organized a great deal of them right here for you to bear witness. Enjoy!

HIGHLIGHTS
Dr J Rocking the Baby - One of the greatest dunks by one of the greatest dunkers in history. Definitely surreal.
Jordan Switching Hands - The man no one could stop. Well, it seems not even gravity could stop him here.
Iverson Crossing Jordan - Iverson's crossover was destroying the league, and he was bold enough to try it on the myth himself.
Bird's Mid-Air Switch - Larry Bird's hustle, skill, and craftiness are all on display during this epic play.
Blake Griffin over Mosgov - He might have a couple of better dunks, but this is the one that put the world on notice!
Gerald's Alley-Oop Windmill - Even role players can leave their mark. Be sure to watch the reaction from the opposing team's bench!
Vince Carter's Dunk Contest - People were so impressed with Vince's dunks they forgot to cheer.
Iverson Stepping Over Lue - He wasn't gonna let anything stand in his way. So when his defender fell, there was only one thing to do.
Kemp over Lister - You know your dunk is something special when even the man you dunk on congratulates you.
Shaq vs Backboards - Shaquille O'neal was a freak of nature, and the NBA's backboards didn't appeciate it one bit.
MOMENTS
Kobe's 81 - The highest scoring game of his career was also done in the midst of an epic comeback.
Willis Reed's Return - Whenever you hear the phrase "Shades of Willis Reed", this is where it comes from.
God Disguised as Michael Jordan - These were the words spoken by Larry Bird after witnessing MJ's greatness first-hand.
Reggie Miller's Comeback - No matter the score or how little time, anything is possible when it's Miller Time!
T-Mac's 13 in 35 seconds - An unbelieveable comeback in the blink of an eye by a player whose prime was as high as any.
Linsanity - Nothing compares to how Jeremy Lin went from obscurity to superstardom in a matter of days.
Warriors go 73-9 - Few teams have changed the entire game the way this team did.
MJ's Flu Game - Neither sickness, bad pizza, or bad luck could stop Jordan this night.
Lebron Straight from High School - The most hyped high school player in history was a Pay Per View attraction before he was even drafted.
Celtics' Dynasty - Led by Bill Russell, there was a time when it seemed the Boston Celtics never lost.
GAMES
1998 Finals, Game 6 - Michael Jordan's final game with the Bulls ends in dramatic fashion.
2013 Finals, Game 6 - The legend of Jesus Shuttlesworth came to real life this day. Never lose hope.
2016 Finals, Game 7 - When Lebron blocked that shot, the air completely left the building.
1980 Finals, Game 6 - No Kareem, no problem! The rookie wearing #32 would save the day.
1988 Finals, Game 6 - An injured Isiah would soldier through in dominating fashion.
2001 Finals, Game 1 - Facing the worst odds in NBA Finals history, tiny Allen Iverson showed his gigantic heart.
Raptors 2019 Conf Finals, Game 7 - Kawhi might not speak often, but his game was heard around the world.
Kobe's Last Game - Scoring 60, Kobe proved why he's known as one of the best closers ever. Mamba out.
Celtics 1988 Conf Semis, Game 7 - An amazing duel between Bird and Dominique!
1987 Finals, Game 4 - Magic's Baby Sky Hook over 3 legends...


CHARACTERS
The Worm - Dennis Rodman was controversial, emotional, entertaining, hard-working, and a basketball genius.
Larry Legend - "For a shot to save a game, I'd choose Michael Jordan. For a shot to save my life, I'd take Larry Bird." - Pat Riley.
White Chocolate - Jason Williams did it with so much flair, you would've thought style points actually counted.
Dr. J - With a game larger than his afro, Julius Irving brought street hoops to the mainstream.
Pistol Pete - As a ball-handling pioneer, his scoring prowess still would never take a back seat. "Pistol" Pete Maravich was a sight to behold.
Grandmama - Larry Johnson brought his UNLV Runnin' Rebel style of play to the NBA, but his alter ego is what really set him apart.
Penny & Lil' Penny - Anfernee Hardaway teaming up with Shaq was one thing; but teaming up with Lil' Penny made him a household name.
SHAQ - Shaquille O'neal's massive stature wasn't near as large as his game, but both weren't as great as his enormous personality.
Magic - Earvin "Magic" Johnson played the game with a smile, and he played in such a way spectators had to smile the same.
The Answer - Allen Iverson's bravado and street game made the NBA cooler than it could ever dream to be.
INSANITY
Malice at the Palace - Probably the worst event to ever take place in professional sports. Even the fans were fighting!
Rodman's Kick - Dennis received one of the largest fines in NBA history for what he did to this sideline cameraman.
Lebron's Decision - A bad PR move on Lebron's part turned out to shift the balance of power from those in league offices into the hands of the players.
The Bad Boys - They played the game ugly and mean and brutal, but won in the end... making no friends along the way.
JR Smith Forgot! - LeBron was set to somehow defeat the greatest team ever assembled in game 1, but then tragedy struck.
Javale McGee Shaqtin a Fool - One of the goofiest players in league history, Javale was mercilessly mocked for his strange list of top plays.
Sprewell Choking his Coach - People lose their cool, but Latrell Sprewell definitely took things too far in this horrific NBA episode.
Kobe's Death - The helicopter crash that caught the world's attention.
Magic's HIV Diagnosis - The press conference shocked the world, but his life afterwards would inspire many.
Muggsy Bogues - At 5'3", his greatness was in how he turned his stature into a strength rather than a detriment.
NON-NBA
Chris Webber's Timeout - Even a hall of fame career couldn't overshadow this one mistake.
Magic-Bird Rivalry - Without a doubt, the storyline between these two is what brought the sport of basketball into the mainstream.
Laettner's Shot - When it comes to clutch shots on huge stages, very few are bigger than this.
The Harlem Globetrotters - A huge part of basketball is the creativity aspect. But what if it were all that?
The Dream Team - Basketball wasn't a global sport until the greatest players ever assembled as one to tour the world.
Vince over Weis - With the world watch, Vince decided to make it worth their while.
Hank Gathers' Death - One of the saddest moments in all of sports changed the way we medically evaluate all players.
Jordan's Clutch 1982 Jumper - Even as a young college kid, Jordan didn't shy away from the moment.
The Fab 5 - These five young stars set the college world on fire, and even got people around the world to wear baggy shorts!
UCLA's Dynasty - With the help of Kareem and Walton, UCLA and Coach Wooden dominated the decade.


WE COULDN'T INCLUDE EVERYTHING   So be sure to check out the following links for a bunch more:

  • Jordan and Nique's dunk contest
  • Tim Donaghy cheating as a ref
  • Nuggets upsetting the 1-seed
  • Tim Hardaway's killer crossover
  • Magic's no-look passes
  • George "The Iceman" Gervin
  • Vince Carter's top 10 dunks
  • Steph's 3-point revolution
  • NBA-ABA merger
  • Jordan's shot over Ehlo
  • Kareem's Skyhook
  • Jimmy V's 1983 NCAA Championship
  • Derek Fisher's Last Second Shot
  • George Mikan
  • Dr. J's baseline scoop
  • Jerry "The Logo" West's 3/4 court shot
  • Dwyane Wade over Varejao
  • Shaq & Kobe Beef
  • Isiah Thomas not on the Dream Team
  • 2003's Draft Class
  • Rafer "Skip 2 My Lou" Alston
  • Kevin Durant's trade from OKC
  • 1983's highest scoring game ever
  • The Shamgod
  • Bob Cousy
  • And-1 mixtapes
  • Hakeem "The Dream"
  • James Naismith
  • Dikembe's finger wag
  • so much more!