| 100% | ANTETOKOUNMPO | 13 | 23-year-old NBA All-Star Giannis, who has a hard-to-spell last name |
| 42% | ABRAM | 5 | Biblical patriarch who had "ha" added to his name when he was 99 years old |
| 40% | LUKADONCIC | 10 | 2019 NBA Rookie of the Year who was named to the NBA All-Star team three years in a row (2 wds.) |
| 40% | KOKO | 4 | Gorilla who had a kitten named All Ball |
| 39% | JIMMYBUTLER | 11 | NBA All-Star who was traded to the Timberwolves in 2017 after six years with the Bulls: 2 wds. |
| 38% | ONO | 3 | Wife of John Lennon who has a palindromic last name, Yoko ___ |
| 37% | MELBA | 5 | Opera star Nellie who has a peach dessert named for her |
| 37% | NMI | 3 | Abbr. for someone who has just a first and last name |
| 36% | JARENJACKSONJR | 14 | Memphis Grizzlies All-Star who was named the NBA's 2022-2023 Defensive Player of the Year (3 wds.) |
| 35% | DWYANE | 6 | Retired NBA All-Star, last name Wade |
| 35% | STAN | 4 | ___ Smith, tennis player who has lent his name to a shoe made by Adidas |
| 35% | LACOSTE | 7 | Sports star who lent his name to a clothing line |
| 35% | WALLSTREET | 10 | 1987 film, starring Michael Douglas as a corporate raider, that had a sequel 23 years later: 2 wds. |
| 35% | STEVENASH | 9 | 8-time NBA All-Star who retired with LA Lakers in 2015, and played a variety of sports before shifting to basketball in 1992: 2 wds. |
| 34% | KESHA | 5 | Pop star whose name used to be spelled with a dollar sign |
| 34% | FINALTOUCH | 10 | Last detail that makes things perfect ... and what each answer to a starred clue has? |
| 33% | KENDRICKLAMAR | 13 | Artist who had a top 10 Billboard hit with "All the Stars": 2 wds. |
| 33% | DALLAS | 6 | Vice president after whom a U.S. city is thought to have been named |
| 33% | GILBERTARENAS | 13 | Three-time NBA All-Star with an appropriate last name: 2 wds. |
| 33% | JASONKIDD | 9 | Ten-time NBA All-Star who is now a Laker assistant coach |
| 33% | CANO | 4 | Mets player Robinson ___, who last year had the slowest baserunning sprint speed of all second basemen |
| 33% | NADAL | 5 | Rafael ___, tennis star and Grand Slam winner who lent his name to a species of wasps |
| 32% | ACER | 4 | One who has a quick point to make? |
| 32% | THEHUMANTORNADO | 15 | '76 movie starring Rudy Ray Moore who Eddie Murphy portrayed last year in "Dolemite Is My Name" |
| 32% | PENN | 4 | William who has a state named after him |
| 32% | ELMO | 4 | Red Muppet who has a sister named Daisy |
| 32% | ALADDIN | 7 | Disney hero who had a monkey named Abu |
| 32% | KATYPERRY | 9 | "I Kissed a Girl" and "Teenage Dream" singer who seems to have two first names (2 wds.) |
| 32% | BROWN | 5 | James ___, "Godfather of Soul" who has a colorful name |
| 32% | VASSAL | 6 | One who has a mutual obligation to a monarch |