Victor Wembanyama and five other NBA players with a surprising skill

If you consume enough NBA media, you’ll note how often we pigeonhole players into rigid categories. The superstars get more than their fair share of the discussion, but everyone else falls into generalities: the game manager, the rim-running big man, etcetera. After a while, players can blur together like uniform blocks within their segments, interchangeable and faceless. Categorization makes for easier conversation and analysis but loses the nuances that make basketball the best sport.

That’s a bummer! It’s fun to celebrate the individuality of each player, to look a little deeper into how they play. Below, I’ve gathered six players with quirks or tendencies that the general public doesn’t recognize enough. Some of these notes are borderline silly, and some are essential parts of what makes a player tick. But all deserve more (or at least a little!) discussion.

Disclaimer: I’m not always saying that these players are the absolute best at a thing. I’m simply highlighting unexpected skills or idiosyncrasies that aren’t well-known outside the local market. Don’t expect LeBron James to show up, but we may as well start with the biggest name (literally and figuratively).