The 40 Best NBA Nicknames of All Time

There are some stars that are so great and so popular that regular birth names just aren't good enough. Roland Bailey's mother had the foresight to nickname him "Champ" when he was young because she may have know he was going to be one of the greatest NFL cornerbacks ever. But Earvin Johnson? What's an Earvin? That certainly doesn't sound like a basketball player. A backup basketball announcer, maybe, but definitely not a ball player. But Magic Johnson? You can't have that nickname and not be something special.

The NBA has seen a massive amount of nicknames thrown around during its history (Shaquille O'Neal has at least 15). The best ones succinctly describes everything that's great about the player it's attached to, whether it's his on-the-court dominance or outward persona. They sometime sound badass, too. Like, AK-47 for instance. It's hard to go wrong if you're named after an assault rifle, and yet there are a slew of nicknames we deemed better than that one. Check them out on The 40 Best NBA Nicknames of All Time.

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Honorable Mentions: The White Mamba and The Red Rocket

Players: Brian Scalabrine & Matt Bonner
Brian Scalabrine's team(s): Nets, Celtics, Bulls
Brian Scalabrine's career:2002-2012
Brian Scalabrine's stats: 3.1 PPG, 2.0 RPG, .344 3P%

Matt Bonner's team(s): Raptors, Spurs
Matt Boner's career: 2005-Present
Matt Boner's stats: 6.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, .417 3P%

In case you didn't know, Scalabrine's the White Mamba because Kobe's the Black Scalabrine. No other explanation needed. And Matt Bonner's the Red Rocket because he has red hair and flings treys like his awkward shot is a rocket launcher. Bonner also had a contract with AND1 so that automatically earned him a nickname.

40. The Junkyard Dog

Player: Jerome Williams
Team(s): Pistons, Raptors, Bulls, Knicks
Career: 1997-2005
Stats: 6.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.1 SPG

Yup, Jerome Williams. Sure he played a lot of garbage time, the Junkyard Dog is one of the best nicknames in sports. Every team needs a guy to the dirty work and Jerome Williams made a career out of it.

39. Grandmama

Player: Larry Johnson
Team(s): Hornets, Knicks
Career: 1992-2001
Stats: 16.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.3 APG

This was more of a marketing scheme than it was a nickname, but it works. LJ's Converse commercials were some of the best sneaker ads of the '90s. There's something endearing about him dunking all over the place in a granny wig and Ms. Doubtfire dress. They should retro those kicks for old time's sake.

38. Durantula

Player: Kevin Durant
Team(s): Oklahoma City Thunder
Career: 2008-Present
Stats: 26.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.2 APG

After being in the climax of Will Smith's god awful Wild, Wild West, tarantulas had their namesake avenged when Durant rose to be being one of the best in the league. He's the three-time scoring champion and the second-best player in the world right now.

37. Flash

Player: Dwyane Wade
Team(s): Miami Heat
Career: 2003–present
Stats: 24.7 PPG, 5.9 APG, 4.9 RPG

Flash works because it encapsulates everything that makes Dwyane Wade Dwyane Wade. It symbolizes the showmanship of his game, from his mid-00s greatness to his flashes (no pun intended, seriously) of brilliance in recent years. It also expresses the color in his fashion choices and lowkey cocky personality. Flash is so perfect that it's hard to understand why did he try to make "WoW' happen. Oh, right.

36. Wilt the Stilt

Player: Wilt Chamberlain
Team(s): Warriors, 76ers, Lakers
Career: 1960-1973
Stats: 30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG, 4.4 APG

Chamberlain was both a literal and figurative Giant amongst men. Chamberlain's legend goes beyond his 100-point game as it includes four season MVPs, two championships, seven scoring championships, and really, really skinny legs. If you look at his legs and Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends Wilt, the character who's based on Chamberlain, you may find their leg size isn't that far apart.

35. Born Ready

Player: Lance Stephenson
Team(s): Pacers
Career: 2011-Present
Stats: 6.3 PPG, 2,2 APG, 2.8 TPG

You don't usually name someone "Born Ready" even if they are, but that's exactly what Bobbito García of the legendary The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show did. It still ended up sticking, however. Garcia was impressed by his skill during a 2006 Rucker game against older players: "I'd seen him go up against seasoned NBA veterans, seasoned college cats, high school kids two or three years older than he was, and he was always reppin', so I just called it. He's Born Ready."

34. The Admiral

Player: David Robinson
Team(s): Spurs
Career: 1990-2003
Stats: 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.4 SPG, 3.0 BPG

Before the start of his NBA career, Robinson was obligated to serve two years in the Navy, hence the nickname. The Spurs took him with the first pick in the 1987 NBA Draft, even though he wasn't going to play until 1989. The Admiral stayed true and played his entire career with the Spurs, winning two rings toward the end of his career after the Spurs drafted another guy you'll hear about on this list.

33. Clyde the Glide

Player: Clyde Drexler
Team(s): Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets
Career: 1983-98
Stats: 20.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.6 APG

Have you ever seen him dunk? If so, then you get the nickname. Since his days as a part of Houston's Phi Slamma Jamma, Clyde has been gliding all over the place. His flights to the rim were always majestic. Clyde, MJ, and Dr. J arguably have the most hangtime in NBA history.

32. Muggsy Bogues

Player: Tyrone Bogues
Team(s): Bullets, Hornets, Warriors, Raptors
Career: 1988-2001
Stats: 7.7 PPG, 7.6 APG, 1.5 SPG

You thought Muggsy was his real name, right? He earned that name by being smaller than his opponents which gave him an advantage of the stealing the ball. And once he mugged you for the rock, his speed made him impossible to catch. He's still the shortest player to ever ball in the NBA, and he started for most of it.

31. Nick the Quick

Player: Nick Van Exel
Team(s): Lakers, Nuggets, Mavericks, Warriors, Blazers, Spurs
Career: 1994-2006
Stats: 14.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 6.6 APG

The nickname rhymed, but it also fit his game. Van Exel was a scoring point guard that could get hot in a hurry, and once he got cooking his passing ability made him even more dangerous. Opponents didn't know whether he was gonna score or if he was gonna dish it.

30. The Reign Man

Player: Shawn Kemp
Team(s): SuperSonics, Cavaliers, Blazers, Magic
Career: 1989-2003
Stats: 14.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.2 BPG

Rain Man refers to this. Reign Man refers to the level of athletic dominance Shawn Kemp displayed throughout his peak. Kemp was known for his electrifying posterizations duing the '90s including his epic sonning of Alton Lister.

29. The Big Ticket

Player: Kevin Garnett
Team(s): Timberwolves, Celtics, Nets
Career: 1996-Present
Stats: 19.0 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.5 BPG

Of course, Kevin Garnett is far the from the young'n he was back his his younger days. During his years with the T-Wolves, KG was a one-man wrecking crew. Too bad they never got him help until they traded him to Boston. Finally a champion, he can talk all the shit he wants and there's not a damn thing you can do about it.

28. AK-47

Player: Andrei Kirilenko
Team: Jazz, Timberwolves, Nets
Career: 2002-Present
Stats: 12.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.9 BPG

Anybody who's played Call of Duty knows two things: Lag is a motherfucker and AK-47 can be inaccurate without that scope. Kirilenko is defintely not that latter though, as he's put up decent shooting numbers throughout his career, including a .507 shooting percentage last year with Minnesota. The originals of this names are simple: his initials, his jersey number, and the fact that the actual assault rifile and Kirilenko originate from Russia.

27. The Big Aristotle

Player: Shaquille O'Neal
Team(s): Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics
Career: 1992–2011
Stats: 23.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.3 BPG

O'Neal gave himself the creative title of "The Big Aristotle" because of his belief in one of Aristotles quotes. “For all my friends in the media who like quotes, mark this quote down," he said during one postgame conference. "From this day on I’d like to be known as ‘The Big Aristotle’ because Aristotle once said, ‘Excellence is not a singular act; it’s a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.’” O'Neal was repeatedly destroying those who came around him in the post during his early-00s peak.

26. Vinsanity

Player: Vince Carter
Team(s): Raptors, Nets, Magic, Suns, Mavericks
Career: 1999-Present
Stats: 20.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.8 APG

Before the tragically overhyped Linsanity, there was Vinsanity. Carter was named as such because of his dunking ability and his always excitng offensive displays during his prime. Plus, his performance at the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest was batshit insane and one of the best ones of millennium.

25. Black Mamba

Player: Kobe Bryant
Team(s): Los Angeles Lakers
Career: 1996-Present
Stats: 25.5 PPG, 4.8 APG, 5.3 RPG

The black mamba is Africa's longest venomous snake and a taste of its venom will kill a human being within 30 minutes. But is it deadlier than Kobe Bryant with the ball in his hands? Yes. Very much so. But even at 35, Bryant remains a lethal presence on the court. Now that we have that out of the way, feel free to make your own jokes about his moniker and the 2003 accusations.

24. The Truth

Player: Paul Pierce
Team(s): Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets
Career: 1998-Present
Stats: 21.8 PPG, 3.9 APG, 6.0 RPG

The story goes that when Paul Pierce scored 42 points with 13-of-19 in a Celtics loss to the Lakers on March 13, 2001, Shaquille O'Neal pulled aside a Boston reporter and said, "Take this down. My name is Shaquille O'Neal, and Paul Pierce is the [expletive] truth. Quote me on that, and don't take nothing out. I knew he could play, but I didn't know he could play like this. Paul Pierce is the truth." And it stuck, despite this nonsense.

23. Hondo

Player: John Havlicek
Team(s): Celtics
Career: 1962–1978
Stats: 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG

NBA's Hondo proved to be more important that John Wayne's Hondo. A legendary sixth man and extraordinarily versatile, Havlicek won eight NBA championships with Russell's help and was a 13-time All Star. His legend isn't going to make someone want to watch the movie, but being one of the greatest basketball players ever should be respected.

22. King James

Player: LeBron James
Team(s): Cavaliers, Heat
Career: 2004-Present
Stats: 27.5 PPG, 6.9 APG, 7.2 RPG

It's hard to openly carry around the title of "King" without some sort of perceived hubris, which James does unapologetically. James taking on that title is hard to argue against when we're talking about raw talent, the realization of that talent, and accolades. Being the reigning, two-time NBA Finals MVP is as close as you can get to basketball kingship anyway.

21. Jesus Shuttlesworth

Player: Ray Allen
Team(s): Seattle SuperSonics, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat
Career: 1996-Present
Stats: 11.0 PPG, 3.3 APG, 3.3 RPG

In 1998, Ray Allen starred in Spike Lee's He Got Game where he played high school phenomenon Jesus Shuttlesworth. It's a pretty good film, but more importantly, Jesus Shuttlesworth just sounds like a badass name. Being one of the greatest shooters in league history and making one of the greatest clutch shots in playoff history sounds like something a Jesus Shuttlesworth would do.

20. Skip 2 My Lou

Player: Rafer Alston
Team(s): Bucks, Rockets, Nets, Heat, Raptors, Magic
Career: 1998-2010
Stats: 10.1 PPG, 4.8 APG, 2.8 RPG

Skip 2 My Lou isn't just the name Rafer Alston called one of his crossovers. It's known to many as the name that started off the AND1 Mixtape movement. Ankles haven't been the same since.

19. Big Game James

Player: James Worthy
Team(s): Lakers
Career: 1983-1994
Stats: 17.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.1 SPG

The nicknames easily symbolizes James Worthy clutch factor. He stepped it up when it came time to during the '80s, particularly during playoff time. Worthy averaged 23.6 points during the 1986-87 Playoffs to help pushed to Lakers to a championship. There is also that outstanding 36-point, 16-rebound, 10-assist masterpiece in Game 7 of the 1988 Finals against the Pistons, a game with the Lakers went on to win as well.

18. Chocolate Thunder

Player: Darryl Dawkins
Team(s): 76ers, Nets, Pistons
Career: 1975-1989
Stats: 12.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.4 BPG

Having the great Stevie Wonder give you a nickname is a whole level of greatness by itself. Dawkins lived true to the name with his powerful dunks, breaking the backboard twice in one season in 1979. Speaking of those dunks, Dawkins also because known for giving them names. They include the Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam, the Yo-Mama, and Spine-Chiller Supreme. It's no wonder naming your dunks went out of style with corny names like these.

17. Sleepy Floyd

Player: Eric Augustus Floyd
Team(s): Nets, Warriors, Rockets, Spurs
Career: 1982-1995
Stats: 12.8 PPG, 5.4 APG, 1.2 SPG

The greatest moment of Sleepy Floyd's career happened when the 1986-87 Lakers made the mistake of sleeping on him. When the Warriors and Lakers faced off in the conference semifinals, the latter would win all but one game in the series. That was the game Sleepy scored an NBA Playoff record 29 points in one quarter and 39 in a half. The Lakers went on to win the Finals that year, but for one night, Sleepy Floyd was lights out.

16. The Round Mound of Rebound

Player: Charles Barkley
Team(s): Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets
Career: 1984-2000
Stats: 22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.6 APG

Charles Barkley is a little fatter more rotund than his playing days, but even then he looked rounder than his post patrolling adversaries. Barkley was also better than many of them too, despite his height. At 6'6", Barkley became the shortest player in history to lead the league in rebounds in 1986-87. He was also one heavy-ass mound, as his weight bounced between 252 and 284 pounds.

15. Mt. Mutombo

Player: Dikembe Mutombo
Team(s): Nuggets, Hawks, 76ers, Nets, Knicks, Rockets
Career: 1992-2009
Stats: 9.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2.8 BPG

Only a few have ever dared to climb one of the highest peaks in basketball history. If you tried to climb Mt. Mutombo he sent you packing with a finger wave, as to say: "No, no, no." It also helped that he was drafted by the Denver Nuggets. Dikembe patrolled the paint wherever he went.

14. The Glove

Player: Gary Payton
Team(s): SuperSonics, Bucks, Lakers, Celtics, Heat
Career: 1991-2007
Stats: 16.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.8 SPG

Not only did GP play some of the best defense at his postion, he would also tell you about it. Payton would take your cookies and turn them into an alley-oop to Shawn Kemp. He even had a signature sneaker that embodied his nickname. Not too many on this list can say that.

13. The Human Highlight Film

Player: Dominique Wilkins
Team(s): Hawks, Clippers, Celtics, Spurs, Magic
Career: 1982-99
Stats: 24.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.5 APG

Before injuries got the best of him, 'Nique was worth the price of admission by his damn self. He was a scoring machine that enjoyed powerful dunks more than anybody else. Everytime he jumped in the air, cameras flashed and highlight reels were made. We wish people would stop being lazy and quit it with the first intial, last name nonsense.

12. Mad Max

Player: Vernon Maxwell
Team(s): Spurs, Rockets, 76ers, Magic, Hornets, Kings, SuperSonics, Mavericks
Career: 1988-2001
Stats: 12.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 3.4 APG

Hailing from the not-quite post-apocalyptic Gainesville, FL.,Venon Maxwell made his name off his ridiculous three-point shooting ability and solid defense. He had mad skills, but he also indulged in some mad (as in crazy) behavior. He had all of the points he scored for the Florida Gators nulled because he was taking payments from coaches and snorted cocaine before at least one game. There was also that one time he ran into the stands to punch a fan during a game. The '90s were a mad world, no?

11. Larry Legend a.k.a The Hick From French Lick

Player: Larry Bird
Team(s): Boston Celtics
Career: 1979-1992
Stats: 24.3 PPG, 6.3 APG, 10.0 RPG

Yeah, the internal rhyme in that nickname is crazy! But "The Hick From French Lick" feels modest for a man who helped bring the league into national prominence and become one of the greatest to ever do it. Putting "The Hick From French Lick" and "Larry Legend" together don't just create a juxtaposition; it looks transformative.

10. Earl the Pearl

Player: Earl Monroe
Team(s): Bullets, Knicks
Career: 1968-1980
Stats: 18.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.0 SPG

Also known as, Black Jesus, Earl earned his nicknames on the streets of Philly where he honed his skills. The Pearl invented an array of moves. He was one of the first players to have a devasting crossover and all those broken ankles created a path to the basket where he would make acrobatic layups. The Pearl always shined.

9. The Big Fundamental

Player: Tim Duncan
Team(s): Spurs
Career: 1998-Present
Stats: 20.1 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 2.2 BPG

Yes, Tim Duncan's game is boring, but so is practice. And what did basketball coaches always preach to you about in practice? The fundamentals. Timmy has made a career of playing the right way. He's basically a robot. Duncan might be the most reliable player in NBA history. He uses the backboard, his footwork is textbook, and he never loses his temper. We thank Barkley for giving Duncan this name, it fits him perfectly.

8. The Answer

Player: Allen Iverson
Team(s): 76ers, Nuggets, Pistons, Grizzlies
Career: 1996-2013
Stats: 26.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.2 APG

There's a sense of ubiquity within being simply called "The Answer," as if every single problem on the court can be solved with overwhelming confidence, an uncanny scoring ability, and vicious crossovers. For a time it looked like it was, especially when Iverson willed his team to the 2001 NBA Finals against the dominant Lakers. The Sixers ended up losing, but there's still no questioning The Answer's status as one of the game's greatest.

7. The Mailman

Player: Karl Malone
Team: Utah Jazz
Career: 1985-2004
Stats: 25.0 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.5 APG

Named for his consistency, "The Mailman" probably would've ranked a bit higher if Scottie Pippen didn't use the name to diss him. Malone was getting ready to shoot his free throws in Game 1 of the 1997 NBA Finals when Pippen said, "Just remember, the mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays, Karl." Malone went on to miss both crucial free throws that would've gave the Jazz the lead in the game's closing seconds.

6. The Iceman

Player: George Gervin
Team(s): Spurs, Bulls
Career: 1972–1990
Stats: 25.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.6 APG

One hundred percent cool and 99 percent less campy than his Gotham counterpart, George Gervin was one of the NBA's biggest offensive threats in the in the late '70s to early '80s. He won three straight scoring titles from 1978-80 and one more in 1982. The most by a guard before Michael Jordan smashed the record. However, the nickname started in the locker room. Gervin says his teammates gave it to him when he used to come in with a dry jersey after practice while everyone else's was soaked in sweat.

5. The Dream

Player: Hakeem Olajuwon
Team(s): Rockets, Raptors
Career: 1984–2002
Stats: 21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 3.1 BPG

One of the indisputable greatest centers ever, Olajuwon was called the The Dream because of his finesse on the court and amiable personality off of it. There was also that Dream Shake, which was a post fake that had defenders guarding a dream version of Olajuwon while the real one scored the basket. This magical power is probably one of the reasons when Shaquille O'Neal said he's the only person he couldn't intimidate.

4. Air Jordan

Player: Michael Jordan
Team(s): Bulls, Wizards
Career: 1984-1993, 1995-1998, 2001-2003
Stats: 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.3 SPG

Normally it sounds lame when you greet somebody like, "Yo, Air!" But Air Jordan? That's not just a name. That's a brand. A brand that's recognized in every corner of the globe. No other nickname on this list accomplishes that. The name also recalls that really, really cool thing he kept doing from the free throw line.

3. Pistol Pete

Player: Pete Maravich
Team: Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans/Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics
Career: 1970-1980
Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.4 APG

Boldy James rapped, "Shooting from the hip/Click, quicker than Pistol Pete Maravich," which pretty much summarizes the origin of Maravich's nickname. The legendary point guard often shot the ball from his side as if he was removing his gun from his holster. It's weird, but if you've averaged 44.2 throughout your college career with that form, it's a wonder why weird hasn't become the norm.

2. Dr. J

Player: Julius Erving
Team(s): Philadelphia 76ers
Career: 1976-1987
Stats: 24.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.0 SPG

The nickname makes him one of the greatest doctors to ever walk the earth. He's up there with Dr. Dre, Dr. Octagonecologyst, Dr. Who, and Patch Adams. The "Dr." moniker implies Erving's display of skill is a form of science, however. His displays were more like works of art.

1. Magic

Player: Earvin Johnson
Team(s): Los Angeles
Career: 1979-91, 1996
Stats: 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG

As kids we thought Magic was his real name. A natural born leader, Earvin earned his nickname by doing supernatural things on the basketball court. Like playing center in a series-clinching Finals game when he stepped in for Kareem, as a rookie. He's been pulling tricks his entire career. Ayo!