Can You Match The NBA Hall Of Famer To The Team He Didn't Play For?

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"Social media can give a lot of people voices these days, and the first thing they say is 'No rings, no rings. You have to have a great team and some luck to get a ring, right? Unfortunately, I wasn't blessed with that. But I go back at them with this: Anybody can win a championship. Everybody can't get in the Hall of Fame."

Such were the recent words of former Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady, set to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame later this year and someone who never won a ring. McGrady does have a point - easy Hall of Famers like John Stockton, Karl Malone, and Patrick Ewing get flack for never winning a title, but Eddy Curry, Adam Morrison, and Brian Scalabrine all have rings.

That's not an insult to Curry, Morrison, or the White Mamba, but it is a simple fact that we've overrated the importance of rings in all sports. Even in the NFL, part of the argument for putting Tom Brady over Joe Montana is Brady has won five rings and, barring a major collapse or injury, is in pretty good position to win another this year.

Isn't that why McGrady, at the end of his career, signed with the San Antonio Spurs? So he could win a ring?

Today, you're going to be tasked with taking a look at some recent NBA Hall of Fame inductees (don't worry, we're not going to quiz you on a random 1940s NBA star that was inducted this decade) and have you tell us not if they won a championship, but which team they didn't play for. McGrady, a journeyman after his prime years, has inspired us.

How well do you know McGrady and his fellow Hall of Famers?

Question 1

Tracy McGrady never spent time with the....

Because it was Tracy McGrady that technically inspired this quiz, it only makes sense to start with the most recent Hall of Fame inductee. Now interestingly enough, the Hall of Fame doesn't seem to count McGrady's final season with the San Antonio Spurs because he only played postseason minutes with them, but that shouldn't take away from how dominant T-Mac was in his prime. Alas, injuries really ruined him by his early 30s, turning him into a late-career journeyman. Which team did McGrady not play for?

Question 2

Allen Iverson never played for the...

First off, if you haven't read the recent Sports Illustrated "Where are they Now?" piece on Iverson, we highly suggest you open it in another tab and read. I think because of how highly the current generation thinks of Iverson, likely because he was a human highlight tape both before and during sharing sites like YouTube and Twitter, we forget who The Answer was as a person. But, are you able to remember which of these teams A.I. never played for?

Question 3

Charles Barkley never added his commentary for the...

We could fill this entire space with Charles Barkley-isms, but would there really be any fun in that? Yes? Well, that's what YouTube is for! Besides, this is the same guy who said, "I don't care what people think. people are stupid!" and "The only difference between a good shot and a bad shot is if it goes in or not." For those of you young enough to where you still haven't graduated high school yet, please make that your senior quote. For now, answer the question.

Question 4

Before playing with Kim Jong-Un, Dennis Rodman didn't play for the...

However you feel about Dennis Rodman, his relationship with North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-Un, whether or not he should be doing more to help America find some sort of middle ground with North Korea...let's save that for another day, yeah? When Rodman was in his prime with the Detroit Pistons, I think we can all agree he was a lethal force (but not as lethal as a missile - I mean) and a key member of the Bad Boys. Which of the below teams did he not suit up with?

Question 5

Dikembe Mutombo never played for the...

NO NO NO! Even if you became a serious NBA fan after Mutombo's 2009 retirement, you really have to love what he stands for and how marketable GEICO made him a few years back in those ads. Finger wag and all, Mutombo was a dominant force in the paint and, not unlike Iverson was with scoring, a human highlight reel on defense. Imagine having Twitter and Vine when Mutombo was in his prime? Can you tell us which team he never played for?

Question 6

Scottie Pippen never played for the...

I'm far from a fan of ESPN's The Jump (I'd rather watch it than SportsNation, though), but Scottie Pippen always seems to steal the show whenever he appears. Listening to his analysis about LeBron James in the NBA Finals or how the Brooklyn Nets may actually be making smart calls, you can tell that Pippen really does his research and approaches broadcasting how he did basketball. Of the teams below, which team did Pippen not play for? This should be easy.

Question 7

Dominique Wilkins never dunked for the...

If you think today's dunks are interesting, I have two things to tell you. First off, you probably enjoyed the Star Wars prequels because of the lightsaber fights. Second, go on YouTube and watch some of Dominique Wilkins' dunks for the Atlanta Hawks in his prime because this guy was something special. That we've yet to get a Dominique Wilkins dunking game where all you do is pull arcade-style dunks on your phone is a travesty. Who didn't Wilkins play for?

Question 8

Shaquille O'Neal never wore these colors...

Of all the ones on this list, I think this will be pretty easy even if you stopped watching Shaq when he left the Lakers in 2004 - and no, we're not talking about his beef with Kobe Bryant today. Go take the Kobe Bryant quiz to get a question or two on that. Let's get back to the Big Diesel, though, who will be headlining the deluxe editions of NBA 2K18 this fall. Ready to pay extra money for virtual currency? Which team did Shaq not play for?

Question 9

Alonzo Mourning didn't dominate in the paint with this team...

Another big man, you ask? First off, show Alonzo Mourning some respect. Second, you have to remember that when most of these guys were playing, the three-point game wasn't what it is now; it was a novelty and the Stephen Curry-type player likely wasn't getting far in the NBA's physical days. The Chef is a Hall of Famer, but would he have survived his celebrating when guys were throwing punches on a nightly basis? While you consider that question, you can try to figure out which team 'Zo never played for.

Question 10

Jason Kidd never dished out passes for the...

Fine, we're cheating with this one because Jason Kidd isn't in the Hall of Fame just yet, but he's eligible for induction beginning this upcoming season. He has to be a first ballot Hall of Famer, right? I mean, if Tracy McGrady gets in on the first vote without a ring and, in the Hall's eyes, no playoff wins, Kidd absolutely has to be getting in next year - and that's without bias from the Nets fan in me. Which team did Kidd not play for?

Question 11

Patrick Ewing didn't enter the Hall of Fame by playing for the...

Nearly a decade ago, Patrick Ewing starred in a Snickers commercial as "Patrick Ewing." Cute, right? Well, EA Sports - who had Snickers as a sponsor - decided to put Patrick Chewing into Madden games as a free safety with an extremely high potential. Granted, you had to use the custom draft classes which people tried to avoid if they could, but there's a neat fact about the new Georgetown coach. Now, can you tell us which team Ewing didn't play for?

Question 12

Gary Payton didn't wear the Glove here...

The worst part about the Seattle Supersonics becoming the Oklahoma City Thunder - and really, this argument can be made for any team that relocates and rebrands - is that the history and impactful players (like The Glove in Seattle) can get lost in the shuffle. Did we spoil this one for you? Given that the Supersonics aren't one of the options, no - and come on, you already knew Gary Payton played for the Sonics. Which of the below teams, however, did he NOT play for?

Question 13

Who didn't Arvydas Sabonis play with overseas?

So this will probably be the toughest one on this list because, as a contrast to easy ones like Allen Iverson and Shaquille O'Neal, we want to give you a challenge. Because Sabonis is one of the few players currently in the Hall of Fame that had a serious impact in the NBA but was moreso known for his overseas efforts - which, really, are WHY he was inducted into the Hall - it only makes sense to test your knowledge. Do you want to take a guess?

Question 14

Before coaching, Pat Riley didn't play for the...

Pat Riley? Yep, one of the few characters Pop from Luke Cage would allow to swear in his barbershop makes an appearance on this list because, yes, Pat Riley played in the NBA! In fact, Riley played for a team he'd later serve as a coach with, but we're getting a bit too far ahead of ourselves. More importantly, if we put Pat Reilly on an active NBA roster, would he be more durable than Joel Embiid? Go ponder that while trying to find out this question's correct answer.

Question 15

Robert Parish didn't play for the...

Of all the players (and players-turned-coaches) on this list, Robert Parish is potentially the most unique because of how quiet he's been since retiring in 1997. Think about it - some of these guys are coaches now, others have gone into broadcasting, and more than a few are taking part in the BIG3 league. But Parish? With the exception of a few interviews, he's mostly remained quiet and away from the limelight. With that said, can you still get this one right?

Question 16

Before coaching, Larry Brown never played for this ABA team

Like with Pat Riley, Larry Brown gets a pass to end up on this list because he actually did spend some time in the NBA - and, unlike Phil Jackson, Brown has more than two teams to pick from. Don't you just love it when the circumstances work out in your favor? However you feel about Brown as a coach, you can't deny that he's certainly had an impact wherever he's gone...good or bad. Which team did Brown not play for?

Question 17

Moses Malone didn't grab rebounds for the...

It's hard to talk about Moses Malone and his prime days of grabbing rebounds and slamming dunks down without thinking about how young he was (60) when he died of a heart attack in 2015. But, I'm sure Malone wouldn't want us to think about his death; he'd instead want us to talk about averaging 24.2 points and 13.7 rebounds per game from 1978 to 1989. Take note, aspiring big men who want to see what makes an elite rebounder. Which team did Malone not play for?

Question 18

Lenny Wilkens never played for the...

Yes, Knicks fans, one of the many coaches you likely want to forget had an All-Star playing career in the 1960s and 1970s. Averaging 16.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game across 15 seasons with four different teams, Wilkins was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1989 and a coach in 1998. Would you believe Wilkens was a player-coach for the final few seasons of his first career? Which team of the options below did Wilkens not PLAY for?

Question 19

George Gervin never played for the...

Another current member of the BIG3, we love us some George Gervin. A four-time scoring champion and a 12-time All-Star, how can you beat this guy's penchant for scoring? From 1977 to 1984, Gervin averaged 28.8 points per game on 51 percent shooting while adding 4.9 rebounds and three assists a night. Not bad! Hopefully, Gervin sticking around the NBA and the BIG3 will allow more players to go back and watch his highlights. Which of the below teams did Gervin not play for?

Question 20

Alex English didn't play for the...

I'm sure you weren't quite expecting that to be the picture for Alex English, but how can we resist selfies with such an adorable puppet? An eight-time All-Star from the University of South Carolina, English played in the NBA from 1976-1991 and was a fan favorite wherever he went. I can't get my eyes off that picture, though. At least he's taking a selfie with that and not Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. Which of these teams did English not play for?

Question 21

Julius Erving didn't dunk for this team...

Growing up in the early 2000s, I always found it interesting that Julius Erving had been retired for over 20 years and kids were STILL trying to act like Dr. J on the basketball courts. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and even Charles Barkley made sense for retired players, but Dr. J? That right there is all you need to know about his impact on the sport and we're so glad to be seeing him again in the BIG3. Which team didn't he play for?

Question 22

Mitch Richmond was an elite big man, but not with this team...

Yet another big man on this list, I'm not going to repeat my earlier spiel about why there's so many centers and power forwards here. They say that game knows game and with Mitch Richmond, you knew what you were getting with him night in and night out. Richmond may never have been as elite a center as Shaquille O'Neal, but every team he played for received a major boost with him on the court and in the locker room. Every team aside from the...

Question 23

Adrian Dantley never played with...

It's always surprised me how despite being one of the NBA's better players in the 1980s, we always forget about Adrian Dantley. How? From 1979 to 1986, Dantley averaged 28.4 points on .559 percent shooting as a small forward with 5.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists a night. Why don't we give him the credit he deserves? Is it because he wasn't on Michael Jordan's Bulls teams or the legendary Boston Celtics teams? Give this man his credit and tell us which team he didn't play for.

Question 24

Bernard King didn't wear the crown with this team...

For the sake of transparency, I'll admit to forgetting King played in the 1992-93 season with *team retracted because it'd spoil the answer* and actually played in 32 games that year. I had thought his career was over after the 1990-91 season, but that was wrong. Well, King certain deserved his induction, even if he really only had four or five GREAT seasons. Did we set the bar lower because he played most of his career during Lakers-Celtics and the Jordan era? Eh, we still love B.K. Which team didn't he play for?

Question 25

Dennis Johnson didn't play for the...

In the past, I've raved about Dennis Johnson and his impact with several teams in the 1980s, so being reminded that he earned a spot in the Hall of Fame for his efforts makes me happy. Then again, let's not pretend the Basketball Hall of Fame is equal to the Baseball Hall of Fame in terms of the right players getting in. Can we please give Barry Bonds, Mike Mussina, and Roger Clemens plaques? Back to basketball - which team did Johnson not play for?

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