| 100% | ONEAL | 5 | N.B.A. star with size 22 shoes |
| 82% | ONEAL | 5 | N.B.A. great with size 22 shoes |
| 58% | ONEAL | 5 | Shaq with size 22 shoes |
| 57% | SHAQ | 4 | Hoops legend with size 22 shoes |
| 53% | YAOMING | 7 | Sports star with size 18 shoes |
| 52% | RODMAN | 6 | Former N.B.A. star who has unofficially served as a peace ambassador with North Korea |
| 51% | LARRYBIRD | 9 | Former N.B.A. star with a hint to 17-, 23-, 52- and 60-Across |
| 50% | LALAKERS | 8 | N.B.A. team with a 1980s "Showtime" era |
| 48% | LUCILLEBALL | 11 | TV star with a museum in Jamestown, N.Y. [4] |
| 47% | ONEAL | 5 | N.B.A. star called "The Shack" |
| 47% | WEBB | 4 | Spud ___, 5'7" N.B.A. star who famously won a Slam Dunk Contest |
| 46% | YAO | 3 | 7'6" N.B.A. star |
| 46% | SHAQ | 4 | N.B.A. star in the '96 film "Kazaam" |
| 46% | ONEAL | 5 | 7'1" former N.B.A. star |
| 46% | YAO | 3 | 7'6" N.B.A. star ___ Ming |
| 46% | SHAQ | 4 | 7'1" N.B.A. star, informally |
| 46% | MAVS | 4 | N.B.A. team that shares an arena with the N.H.L.'s Stars, familiarly |
| 45% | RIK | 3 | 7'4" former N.B.A. star Smits |
| 45% | NEMO | 4 | Pixar star with a "lucky fin" |
| 45% | DRJ | 3 | N.B.A. star who started in the A.B.A. |
| 44% | JAZZ | 4 | N.B.A. team with a non-plural name |
| 44% | LALAKERS | 8 | N.B.A. franchise with a famous “Showtime” era |
| 44% | ONEAL | 5 | N.B.A. great with a doctorate in education |
| 44% | TONI | 4 | ___ Kukoc, 6'11" N.B.A. star of 1993-2006 |
| 44% | EARL | 4 | N.B.A. legend Monroe with a signature spin move |
| 44% | SUNS | 4 | N.B.A. team with a gorilla mascot, strangely enough |
| 44% | DURANTE | 7 | Early TV star with a biography titled "Schnozzola" |
| 43% | AVIA | 4 | Shoe brand with a "fly" name |
| 43% | DIANA | 5 | W.N.B.A. star Taurasi with five Olympic gold medals |
| 43% | MAN | 3 | "___ With A Plan" (sitcom starring Matt LeBlanc) |