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- Chocolate Thunder. The late Darryl Dawkins lands our No. 1 spot for several reasons. Obviously, the alias Chocolate Thunder is fairly awesome on its own merits.
- Magic. Earvin Johnson has been known as Magic for so long it’s difficult to imagine the five-time NBA champion without his famous nickname. The label was applied by a sportswriter when Johnson was a 15-year-old standout at Everett High in Lansing, Michigan.
- Iceman. One of the most gifted scorers in basketball history, George Gervin received his nickname from Roland Taylor, a teammate with the ABA’s Virginia Squires.
- Dr. Dunkenstein. If you didn’t already know, you probably can deduce from the nickname that Darrell Griffith was one of the great dunkers of his era. The former University of Louisville and Utah Jazz star received the nickname from his brother in a nod to the Parliament-Funkadelic song “Dr.
- Julius Ervine – Dr. J, The Doctor
- Earvin Johnson – Magic
- Pete Maravich – Pistol Pete
- Hakeem Olajuwon – The Dream
- Kobe Bryant – The Black Mamba
- Michael Jordan – Air Jordan
- George Gervin – The Iceman
- Allen Iverson – The Answer
- Karl Malone – The Mailman
- Clyde Drexler – Clyde The Glide
One of the first players to transform the dunk into a form of art. He received his nickname from a childhood friend. His Long Island friend gave him the nickname The Doctor, which was later shortened to Dr. J because of the way he could always operate on opposing defenses.
Magic is one of the most recognizable nicknames in the history of the NBA. Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers as one of the tallest point guards in league history and was known to have the best vision on the court of all time. Said to be a wizard on the basketball court, Johnson made magic happen with some of the most amazing passes witnessed in th...
Known for never hesitating to make risky plays on the court, Pistol Pete played as if he had not a care in the world. The nickname came from his low and to the side shooting style and his gunslinger mentality on the court. In Maravich‘s 11 seasons in the league, he averaged over 24 points and 5.5 assists per game.
One of the best all-time defenders acquired his great footwork agility by growing up playing soccer. He was a force to be reckoned with, coming in at 6‘10″ with a gigantic wingspan and massive hands. Known for having a smooth fadeaway jumper and astounding leadership skills, Olajuwon led the Rockets to two championships in the mid-90s. He could do ...
Given to him by himself, The Black Mamba represents Bryant’s fierce passion for the game of basketball. Known for being very aggressive and fast on the court, it suited Bryant well. Read More: 25 Most Popular Kobe Bryant Nicknames
Remembered as one of the greats, Jordan had many nicknames over his basketball career, but the one that has stood the test of time is Air Jordan. Many basketball fans believed he could fly when he was soaring from the free-throw line to complete one of his outrageous dunks. Known for being one of the best dunkers in the run of play, the image of th...
Gervin was known for having a unique style of play. He had ice in his veins and never broke a sweat at practice or games. He had a coolheaded demeanor on the court that allowed him to become one of the greatest shooting guards in the league‘s history.
He played for four teams in his 14 seasons in the NBA as both point guard and shooting guard. Known as one of the toughest players in the league, Iverson was an eleven-time NBA All-Star, two-time NBA All-Star MVP, and became the NBA‘s Most Valuable Player in 2001. Having a big heart on the court and being relatable to his fans made it easy for him ...
A two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and fourteen-time NBA All-Star, Malone made a name for himself playing most of his career with the Utah Jazz. Holding the record for scoring the second-most career points in NBA history, Malone is considered one of the best power forwards ever to play in the league. Malone always knew how to deliver, mostly known...
Drexler was a smooth player, making it look like he glided effortlessly across the basketball court. His nickname was given to him because of the way he floated through the air to finish off one of his amazing dunks. Probably one of his best-known dunks was the windmill.
Nov 3, 2024 · 7. Melvin Turpin: 8. SALT LAKE CITY - 1988: Mel Turpin #54 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball during an NBA game at The Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1988. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty ...
- Shaquille O'Neal - 35 nicknames, probably more. Nicknames: Diesel, Dr. O'Neal, Hobo Master, LCL (Last Center Left), Manny Shaq-iaou, MayorMcShaq, MDE (Most Dominant Ever), O'Nealovic, Osama Bin Shaq, Saškuille, Shaq, Shaq Attack, Shaq Daddy, Shaq Fu, Shaqovic, Superman, The Big Agave, The Big Aristotle, The Big Banana, The Big Baryshnikov, The Big Cactus, The Big Conductor, The Big Cordially, The Big Daddy, The Big Deporter, The Big Felon, The Big Field General, The Big Galactus, The Big Leprechaun, The Big Maravich, The Big Shamrock, The Big Shaqtus, The Real Deal, Warrior and Wilt Chamberneazy.
- Charles Barkley - 19 nicknames. Nicknames: Boy Gorge, Bread Truck, Chuck, Food World, Goodtime Blimp, Love Boat, Pillsbury Dough Boy, Sir Charles, The Chuck Wagon, The Chuckster, The Crisco Kid, The Flying Coke Machine, The Human Refrigerator, The Incredible Bulk, The Leaning Tower of Pizza, The Prince of Pizza, The Round Mound of Rebound, Ton of Fun and Wide Load from Leeds.
- Michael Jordan - 11 nicknames. Nicknames: Air Jordan, Black Cat, Black Jesus, Captain Marvel, His Airness, Mike, MJ, Money, Mr. June, Superman and The G.O.A.T.
- Wilt Chamberlain - 11 nicknames. Nicknames: Big Musty, Dip, Dippy, Goliath, Hook and Ladder, Mr. 100, The Big Dipper, The Load, The Record Book, Whip and Wilt the Stilt.
Aug 5, 2024 · Key Takeaways. NBA players earn iconic nicknames through fame, game skills, and accomplishments. LeBron James, Vince Carter, Karl Malone are among the players with legendary nicknames. Michael ...
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Feb 24, 2019 · Courtesy of the indispensable Basketball Reference, HoopsHype readers and our own efforts, we have put together a super long list of NBA nicknames throughout league history. If you think there̵…
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Jun 29, 2024 · The NBA has had some many great nicknames that it was difficult to narrow this list down to 50, let alone the 30 greatest nicknames of all time. So with apologies to the honorable mention ...
