NBA stars Christmas traditions
If you enjoy basketball, you most likely have a Christmas Day ritual of watching it. If you’re a professional, however, you might want to reconsider. Christmas is nothing more than a regular day at the office.
For many basketball lovers, the 25th of December is one of the most thrilling days of the NBA season because, in the middle of Christmas day, between one meal and the next, one of the most important sporting events of the year takes place in the United States.
The NBA not only has Christmas Day games, but it also arranges high-profile and blockbuster match-ups, such as this year’s Finals rematch between the Warriors and Cavs.
Why? The NBA is in the entertainment industry, after all. As a group activity, people will naturally tune into thrilling sporting events throughout the holidays.
This results in increased TV viewing, which means more advertising money for the League — not to mention actual sales from fans who attend the game in person (ticket prices naturally surge).
Here are some NBA Christmas traditions
- Multiple games
Throughout the NBA’s history, Christmas Day games were played in a similar manner. Every 25th, there were many games, with big markets like New York and Los Angeles showing up the most.
Only one game was offered in 1989, 1990, and 2006, and half of the season was cut short in 1998 due to a lockout. Since 2008, the NBA has released a five-game schedule every year.
Even now, the NBA Christmas day has multiple games played for the lovers of basketball. This means that you can still bet on the games all around the world. And for the Thailand crowd watching the NBA, the latest news is on Betting 88.
- 10 Games played
Being a basketball fan on Christmas Day in 1971, when a record 10 games were played, would have been a blast (including three ABA games).
They included 32 players and coaches who would go on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, as well as seven players who went on to be coaches or vice versa (for example, Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson played power forward for the New York Knicks on Christmas Day 1971, while Hall of Fame point guard Bob Cousy was coaching the Cincinnati Royals).
- Reading the christmas record book
Reading the Christmas Day record book by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate is usually an excellent idea. Bernard King set the scoring mark with 60 points in 1984, Tiny Archibald and Guy Rodgers each handed out 18 assists in 1972 and 1966, and Wilt Chamberlain pulled down 36 rebounds on Christmas Day 1961.
Today is LeBron James’ thirteenth Christmas performance, trailing only Kobe Bryant, who has sixteen.
- Christmas jerseys
In 2012, the NBA and Adidas collaborated on limited-edition Christmas jerseys, continuing the theme of consumerism. The players on the court would only wear them for a year, but children who found them beneath the Christmas tree would keep them forever.
While the NBA did get imaginative on occasion (see: Green SuperSonics vs. Red Trailblazers), it wasn’t until 2012 that the uniforms became truly memorable.
The specialty outfits were worn from 2012 to 2016, and while they weren’t very “Christmassy,” they were nonetheless pretty cool.
- Holiday parties
While the NBA doesn’t really do anything special for Christmas, it does host holiday parties for its employees. These include the Rookie Transition Program, where rookies can mingle with veterans and learn about life in the league; the All-Star Game MVP party; and the NBA Awards show, which takes place at the end of the regular season.
- Santa visits
Santa Claus makes his annual appearance at the NBA offices during the week before Christmas. He leaves presents for all the kids, including one for LeBron James.
- Basketball Camps
Every summer, the NBA hosts basketball camps for kids ages 6–18. This includes camps for boys and girls, as well as camps for younger kids. Some camps are held across the country, while others are hosted in cities around the world. For instance, this past July, the NBA held a camp in China.
- Hoops for Hope
Each December, the NBA donates $1 million to charity through the Hoops for Hope program. It started in 2009, and since then, the NBA has donated more than $10 million to various charities.
In addition to donating money, the NBA also provides free tickets, travel expenses, and other perks for those who work with these organizations.
- NBA Store
The NBA Store is located near Madison Square Garden, and it sells everything you could possibly need related to the NBA. From shoes to apparel, the store offers something for everyone.
- NBA TV
The NBA’s official television network features highlights, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with NBA players, coaches, and executives. It also shows some of the best games in the league.
Conclusion
So there you have it! 10 things you didn’t know about the NBA. Hopefully, you learned something new today. If you enjoyed this article or learned something new, please share it with your friends and family using the social media buttons below.
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