NBA Players Reveal Fun (and Strange) Facts in New Survey
As you could probably tell from their awesome celebrations and sometimes-great, sometimes-gawdy but always entertaining outfits, the NBA is full of colorful characters and larger-than-life personalities. But things may have reached a whole new level in a recent survey released by the league to promote the start of the 2015-2016 season (which tips off October 27). In it, players gave candid answers about their guilty pleasures, including their favorite fashion styles, pop songs, and social media platforms. Here are some of the most surprising things they revealed.
Chris Bosh Loves Pinterest
Bosh isn’t too macho to admit he hangs out on the picture-friendly social site, where the user base is 72 percent female. And why should he be? After all, where else are you going to go to find a recipe for buffalo chicken dip topped with Doritos? That’s right, nowhere. But in a world where NBA players are showing off their post-game outfits on Instagram or Tweeting things like, “Wow did u see how hard i dunked on Kobe last night? #dreamsdocometrue,” it’s odd that Bosh opts to pin his thoughts instead.
Chandler Parsons Jams to Taylor Swift
Don’t get us wrong. Swift’s “Bad Blood”—which Parsons identifies as one of his favorites—is a great song, especially when Kendrick Lamar hopped on the remix. But it takes on a funnier meaning when you realize that Parsons probably listens to it in his car every day on the way to the arena, sobbing and cursing DeAndre Jordan for bailing on Mark Cuban at the last minute this summer. Things will get better, Chandler. We promise. In the meantime, hang out with Russell Westbrook, who is also an enormous fan of T-Swizzy.
Ty Lawson Somehow Uses a Delivery Truck in His Conversations
Most NBA players answered this question with the common “crying face” emoji or the “keep it 100” emoji, but Ty Lawson went in a different direction. He chose a delivery truck, for reasons currently unknown to both us and science. He might have used it to indicate that “he delivers” on the court, but no other player showed this emoji, so what’s the real meaning behind it? Does Lawson have so many things delivered to his home that he needs to use the delivery truck emoji that often? Is “Hey honey, has the <delivery truck emoji> stopped here yet? I’m expecting that baby cheetah to be delivered” a common query he sends his wife? We may never know.
Al Horford Is Really Into Sweaters
Al Horford’s choice of sweaters as his go-to apparel raises more questions than answers. What kind of sweaters? Old Florida Gators crew necks he’s had since college that have more ketchup stains on them than he’d care to admit? That sweater his grandmother knitted out of dog hair that once repulsed him? Oh, that type of sweater. Got it. Does Horford realize he plays basketball in Atlanta, a place that gets so hot it is nicknamed “Hotlanta”? Whatever works!
Paul George Would Be OK With Fishing for a Living
Can you imagine George floating around in his hand-crafted canoe, boat hat on, trying not to capsize as he struggles to reel in an Indiana bass? (I don’t know if that’s a real fish, but I’m going to pretend it is.) To be fair to George, he did win his first-ever fishing tournament over the summer, catching a 5.49-pound bass. Let’s hope the motion of casting a fishing line into the water doesn’t screw with his jump shot.
More Fun Facts:
Every Single Player Thinks He’s the King of Fashion
Many of the players, when asked who was the best-dressed man on their team, nominated themselves. Along with the ridiculous outfits that spice up their post-game press conferences, this goes to prove that every player in the NBA thinks he’s the king of fashion—despite sometimes looking like this, and this (objectively terrible).
Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady Reign King
The most common answer to the question, “Who inspired you to get into basketball?” is not surprising at all. Michael Jordan single-handedly inspired thousands of kids to start putting up shots in their backyard. Allen Iverson isn’t too surprising either. The undersized point guard lit up the league with his lethal crossover and fearless drives to the hoop. But Tracy McGrady? That was unexpected. Yes, he was probably one of the best offensive players the NBA has ever seen. But the man never won a playoff series! And he always looked like he was about to fall asleep! Can’t Robert Horry get some love? And where’s Kobe Bryant?
Everyone Wants to Be a Rapper
“Rappers want to be ballers, and ballers want to be rappers.” In 2015, that rings true. A common answer to the question, “If you weren’t playing basketball you’d be . . . ” was “rapping.” A handful of NBA players are already doing it. From Damian Lillard to Iman Shumpert, the league has enough hip-hop artists to start its own label, which is not necessarily a good thing. No offense, guys, but you should probably stick to your day jobs, shooting jumpers. Just kidding, Lillard. You’re actually pretty good.
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NBA Players Reveal Fun (and Strange) Facts in New Survey
As you could probably tell from their awesome celebrations and sometimes-great, sometimes-gawdy but always entertaining outfits, the NBA is full of colorful characters and larger-than-life personalities. But things may have reached a whole new level in a recent survey released by the league to promote the start of the 2015-2016 season (which tips off October 27). In it, players gave candid answers about their guilty pleasures, including their favorite fashion styles, pop songs, and social media platforms. Here are some of the most surprising things they revealed.
Chris Bosh Loves Pinterest
Bosh isn’t too macho to admit he hangs out on the picture-friendly social site, where the user base is 72 percent female. And why should he be? After all, where else are you going to go to find a recipe for buffalo chicken dip topped with Doritos? That’s right, nowhere. But in a world where NBA players are showing off their post-game outfits on Instagram or Tweeting things like, “Wow did u see how hard i dunked on Kobe last night? #dreamsdocometrue,” it’s odd that Bosh opts to pin his thoughts instead.
Chandler Parsons Jams to Taylor Swift
Don’t get us wrong. Swift’s “Bad Blood”—which Parsons identifies as one of his favorites—is a great song, especially when Kendrick Lamar hopped on the remix. But it takes on a funnier meaning when you realize that Parsons probably listens to it in his car every day on the way to the arena, sobbing and cursing DeAndre Jordan for bailing on Mark Cuban at the last minute this summer. Things will get better, Chandler. We promise. In the meantime, hang out with Russell Westbrook, who is also an enormous fan of T-Swizzy.
Ty Lawson Somehow Uses a Delivery Truck in His Conversations
Most NBA players answered this question with the common “crying face” emoji or the “keep it 100” emoji, but Ty Lawson went in a different direction. He chose a delivery truck, for reasons currently unknown to both us and science. He might have used it to indicate that “he delivers” on the court, but no other player showed this emoji, so what’s the real meaning behind it? Does Lawson have so many things delivered to his home that he needs to use the delivery truck emoji that often? Is “Hey honey, has the <delivery truck emoji> stopped here yet? I’m expecting that baby cheetah to be delivered” a common query he sends his wife? We may never know.
Al Horford Is Really Into Sweaters
Al Horford’s choice of sweaters as his go-to apparel raises more questions than answers. What kind of sweaters? Old Florida Gators crew necks he’s had since college that have more ketchup stains on them than he’d care to admit? That sweater his grandmother knitted out of dog hair that once repulsed him? Oh, that type of sweater. Got it. Does Horford realize he plays basketball in Atlanta, a place that gets so hot it is nicknamed “Hotlanta”? Whatever works!
Paul George Would Be OK With Fishing for a Living
Can you imagine George floating around in his hand-crafted canoe, boat hat on, trying not to capsize as he struggles to reel in an Indiana bass? (I don’t know if that’s a real fish, but I’m going to pretend it is.) To be fair to George, he did win his first-ever fishing tournament over the summer, catching a 5.49-pound bass. Let’s hope the motion of casting a fishing line into the water doesn’t screw with his jump shot.
More Fun Facts:
Every Single Player Thinks He’s the King of Fashion
Many of the players, when asked who was the best-dressed man on their team, nominated themselves. Along with the ridiculous outfits that spice up their post-game press conferences, this goes to prove that every player in the NBA thinks he’s the king of fashion—despite sometimes looking like this, and this (objectively terrible).
Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady Reign King
The most common answer to the question, “Who inspired you to get into basketball?” is not surprising at all. Michael Jordan single-handedly inspired thousands of kids to start putting up shots in their backyard. Allen Iverson isn’t too surprising either. The undersized point guard lit up the league with his lethal crossover and fearless drives to the hoop. But Tracy McGrady? That was unexpected. Yes, he was probably one of the best offensive players the NBA has ever seen. But the man never won a playoff series! And he always looked like he was about to fall asleep! Can’t Robert Horry get some love? And where’s Kobe Bryant?
Everyone Wants to Be a Rapper
“Rappers want to be ballers, and ballers want to be rappers.” In 2015, that rings true. A common answer to the question, “If you weren’t playing basketball you’d be . . . ” was “rapping.” A handful of NBA players are already doing it. From Damian Lillard to Iman Shumpert, the league has enough hip-hop artists to start its own label, which is not necessarily a good thing. No offense, guys, but you should probably stick to your day jobs, shooting jumpers. Just kidding, Lillard. You’re actually pretty good.