| BILLRUSSELL | Hall-of-Fame Celtics center whose name was added to the NBA Finals MVP Award in 2009: 2 wds. |
| ROBERTPARISH | Hall-of-Fame Celtics center who played in the NBA while a grandfather: 2 wds. |
| ONEAL | One of three players to win NBA MVP, All-Star Game MVP and Finals MVP awards in the same year |
| TEDWILLIAMS | Hall-of-Fame Red Sox left fielder whose name was added to the MLB All-Star MVP Award in 2002: 2 wds. |
| LANDONDONOVAN | US soccer great whose name was added to the MLS MVP Award in 2015: 2 wds. |
| OKCTHUNDER | Team that went to the NBA Finals with Durant, Harden, and Westbrook, familiarly |
| NIKOLA | ... Jokic, the man who got the NBA finals MVP trophy. (6) |
| JOHNHAVLICEK | Hall of Fame Celtics legend who won both NCAA and NBA championships: 2 wds. |
| KATHYGRIFFIN | My Life on the D-List star who received the GLAAD Vanguard Award in 2009: 2 wds. |
| TESH | John who wrote the theme to "The NBA on NBC" |
| JERRYLEWIS | The Nutty Professor star who received the Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2009: 2 wds. |
| CARLOSSANTANA | Oye Como Va musician who received the Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009: 2 wds. |
| WENDYWILLIAMS | New Jersey-born talk show host who was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2009: 2 wds. |
| RITCHIEVALENS | La Bamba singer who was inducted into the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame in 2009: 2 wds. |
| JOEYLOGANO | 2018 and 2022 NASCAR Cup Series champion who was also the NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 2009: 2 wds. |
| URANIUM | From the 1940s to 1980s, what was added to the porcelain for making dentures to enhance the fluorescence of the teeth? (7) |
| JEANKING | Billie ___ former World No. 1 professional tennis player who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009: 2 wds. |
| BLAKEGRIFFIN | Detroit Piston and 6-time All-Star who was the #1 NBA draft pick in 2009: 2 wds. |
| RENEEZELLWEGER | Cold Mountain Oscar winner who was Harvard's Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year in 2009: 2 wds. |
| NEILGAIMAN | Author whose YA novel "The Graveyard Book" won the Newbery Medal in 2009: 2 wds. |
