Can You Identify These Legendary '80s NBA Players From an Image?

By: Gavin Thagard
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Can You Identify These Legendary '80s NBA Players From an Image?
Image: NBA

About This Quiz

By the end of the '70s, the NBA was on a decline because of what many considered boring team play, with only a few stars to really captivate audiences. Sure, there were some great moments, like when the Los Angeles Lakers won 33 games in a row or when an injured Willis Reed inspired the New York Knicks to a victory in Game 7 of the Finals, but those moments were few and far between. In the '80s, those rare highlights would become common, season in and season out.

The NBA at the start of the '80s was still quite regionalized, as only a few teams received national coverage. For example, the rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers was always must-see television. After all, each team contained rosters filled with the best players in the game, and combined they took home eight of the possible 10 NBA titles throughout the decade. But there were also other players starting to make names for themselves in the '80s, one of which would go on to dominate the '90s almost singlehandedly.

Are you prepared to test your knowledge of the legends who stepped on the basketball court during the '80s? From champions to individual award winners, this quiz covers them all. Get started and see if your retro basketball knowledge is on par with other NBA fans.

Larry Bird
Steven Carter via WikiCommons
Few players in NBA history were as clutch as which NBA Hall of Famer shown here?
Jack Sikma
Larry Bird
Dennis Johnson
Bill Laimbeer
Magic Johnson
Stanford Graduate School of Business
One of the best passers to ever step on the court, is this a player you recognize?
Moses Malone
James Worthy
Earvin "Magic" Johnson
Isiah Thomas
Julius Erving
Kevin Fitzgerald via WikICommons
Do you know this player who made playing above the rim cool in the NBA?
Marques Johnson
Julius Erving
Dominique Wilkins
Ralph Sampson

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Isiah Thomas
Keith Allison via WikiCommons
The leader of the "Bad Boy" Pistons, who is this?
Isiah Thomas
Adrian Dantley
Alex English
Bernard King
Kevin McHale, Mayor Raymond L. Flynn
City of Boston Archives via WikiCommons
Can you identify this NBA champion who humiliated the opposition in the post?
Charles Barkley
Robert Parish
Kevin McHale
Patrick Ewing
Charles Barkley
R24KBerg via WikiCommons
What's the name of this legend who was never afraid to express his opinion, on or off the basketball court?
Patrick Ewing
James Worthy
Dominique Wilkins
Charles Barkley

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Angela George via WikiCommons
This NBA legend had a career that lasted 20 seasons, extending across three decades. Who is he?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Hakeem Olajuwon
Shaquille O'Neal
Bill Russell
Clyde Drexler
University of Houston via WikiCommons
How well do you know this basketball star who was part of the legendary "Phi Slama Jama" in college, before he joined the NBA?
Isiah Thomas
James Worthy
Charles Barkley
Clyde Drexler
Dominique Wilkins
ChrisRaptis via WikiCommons
Nicknamed "The Human Highlight Film," which legend do you see here?
George Gervin
Dominique Wilkins
Sidney Moncrief
Micheal Ray Richardson

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Moses Malone
Cpl. Lameen Witter via WikiCommons
Do you recognize this player who won the 1983 Finals MVP?
Dennis Johnson
Moses Malone
Ralph Sampson
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olujuwan
University of Houston via WikiCommons
Have you been watching the NBA long enough to identify this Hall of Fame center?
Hakeem Olajuwon
Shawn Kemp
David Robinson
Alonzo Mourning
Michael Jordan and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey
D. Myles Cullen via WikiCommons
Are you familiar with this MVP caliber player who was dominant from the moment he entered the NBA in 1984?
Earvin "Magic" Johnson
Julius Erving
Isiah Thomas
Michael Jordan

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James Worthy
Zeke Smith via WikiCommons
Select the name of this player who was a huge part of the Lakers dynasty in the '80s?
Walter Davis
Bill Laimbeer
Adrian Branch
James Worthy
Artis Gilmore
The Sporting News Collection via WikiCommons
Can you identify this physical center who was a monster on the boards?
Mike Mitchell
Artis Gilmore
Nate Archibald
Bobby Jones
Jack Sikma
Illinois Wesleyan via WikiCommons
Racking up double-doubles was common for which legend shown here?
Jack Sikma
Mike Mitchell
Dan Roundfield
Eddie Johnson

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Robert Parish
Cpl. Lameen Witter via WikiCommons
This star played more regular season games than anyone in league history. Who is he?
Adrian Dantley
George Gervin
Robert Parish
Alex English
Bill Laimbeer
Lorie Shaull via WikiCommons
Are you able to identify this star who became notorious for his physical play and intentional fouls?
Bobby Jones
David Robinson
Bill Laimbeer
Jim Paxson
Dennis Johnson
Steve Lipofsky via WikiCommons
Are you familiar with this legendary guard who played both ends of the court on a nightly basis?
Marques Johnson
Micheal Ray Richardson
Bobby Jones
Dennis Johnson

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Maurice Cheeks
OfficialHoophall via YouTube
Can you name the NBA point guard who led the Philadelphia 76ers throughout the '80s?
Maurice Cheeks
Andrew Toney
Gus Williams
Kiki VanDeWeghe
Joe Dumars
Rajan Bansal via YouTube
How familiar are you with this player who was a huge part of the Detroit Pistons' success in the late '80s?
Dennis Rodman
Ben Wallace
Bob Lanier
Joe Dumars
George Gervin
Kevin Fitzgerald via WikiCommons
Few players could put the ball in the hoop quite like "The Iceman." What's his real name?
Truck Robinson
George Gervin
Reggie Theus
Artis Gilmore

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Adrian Dantley
Ryan Van Dusen via YouTube
Who is this gifted forward who could score with the best of them?
Paul Westphal
Truck Robinson
Adrian Dantley
Otis Birdsong
President Reagan with Patrick Ewing and John Thompson
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library via WikiCommons
Can you identify this dominant big man who was named to the All-Star Game during his rookie season in 1986?
Patrick Ewing
David Robinson
Bill Walton
Wes Unseld
Nate Archibald
Malcolm W. Emmons via WikiCommons
Does this Hall of Fame player have a face you recognize?
Nate Archibald
Reggie Theus
Otis Birdsong
Paul Westphal

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Bill Walton
NBA
Can you identify this NBA legend who was great despite being hampered by injuries throughout much of his career?
Doc Rivers
Karl Malone
Bill Walton
Bob Pettit
Mark Aguirre
YouAndMeThisMorning via YouTube
Who is this player that finished off the '80s with an NBA title?
Mark Aguirre
Jim Paxson
Andrew Toney
Otis Birdsong
Bernard King
MSG Networks
Is this scoring champion from 1985 a player you're familiar with?
Bob Lanier
Kelly Tripucka
Sidney Moncrief
Bernard King

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Larry Nance Sr.
MJ23 His Airness Forever via YouTube
Do you know this star who could grab rebounds, score and play defense?
Calvin Natt
Larry Nance
Terry Cummings
Jeff Ruland
Kiki VanDeWeghe
Anthony Ryan via YouTube
The stepback was a move popularized by which player shown here?
Steve Nash
Kiki VanDeWeghe
Dirk Nowitzki
Arvydas Sabonis
Ralph Samspon
Houston50 via WikiCommons
Are you familiar with this big man who was putting up over 20 points and 10 rebounds in his rookie season?
David Robinson
Larry Nance
Terry Cummings
Ralph Sampson

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Norm Nixon
ThePostGame via WikiCommons
What's the name of this player who was one of the early members of the "Showtime" Lakers?
Gus Williams
Norm Nixon
Lonnie Shelton
Buck Williams
Buck Williams
Portland Basketball Classics via YouTube
Do you recognize this player who was the third overall pick in 1981?
Dan Roundfield
Bobby Jones
Kelly Tripucka
Buck Williams
Rolando Blackman
Richard Durrett via WikiCommons
One of the biggest stars to ever play for the Dallas Mavericks, who is this?
Rolando Blackman
Calvin Natt
Terry Cummings
Spud Webb

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Alex English
Juan Francisco Casal via WikiCommons
Can you identify this forward who became a legend for the Denver Nuggets in the '80s?
Buck Williams
Lonnie Shelton
Alex English
Gus Williams
Walter Davis
Phoenix Suns
Name this star who spent the prime of his career with the Phoenix Suns?
Jamaal Wikes
Dennis Johnson
Walter Davis
Marques Johnson
Jamaal Wilkes
Associated Students of UCLA via WikiCommons
Do you recognize this player who opened up the '80s by winning a championship?
Jack Sikma
Bernard King
Marques Johnson
Jamaal Wilkes

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Otis Birdsong
kcmetrosports via YouTube
Can you name this player who finished his career in 1989 with the Boston Celtics?
Andrew Toney
Jeff Ruland
Otis Birdsong
Rickey Green
Michael Ray Richardson
MSG Networks
A four time All-Star in the '80s, who is this?
Micheal Ray Richardson
Ralph Sampson
Alex English
Mark Aguirre
Marques Johnson
NBA
How well do you know this star who wore No. 8 throughout his NBA career?
Eddie Johnson
Bernard King
Marques Johnson
Sidney Moncrief

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Sidney Moncrief
OfficialHoophall via YouTube
This NBA legend smothered the opposition on the defensive side of the ball. Who is he?
Mark Aguirre
Sidney Moncrief
Gus Williams
Lonnie Shelton