3.) From the Rubber Puckies to the Unicorns, here are some of the best and weirdest nicknames ever considered. The Jazz nickname was originally chosen through a name-the-team . It's hard to imagine there is any franchise/program in major American team sports that has produced more team nicknames than Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball. 4.) Robo Squad. NCAA Basketball Team Names NCAA Basketball Team Names Try to guess the team names of the 351 teams that play division I basketball in the NCAA. Other times, a sponsor may have a say. The elder Bryant is said to have acquired the moniker for his sugary variety of moves. But in her Southern accent, pretty sounded like penny, and eventually the name stuck. You can even include bravery, skillfulness and endurance. Get inspired by the names below, add a fun adjective before your team name to make it even more unique. Thompson led North Carolina State to a 79-7 record and a national championship in three seasons with the Wolfpack. Fittingly, Worthy and Hearn were inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in the same class in 2003. The team got its name in 1907 during a game against Auburn played in a sea of mud in which Alabama held its own against Auburn, a team expected to crush themAlabama's school colors, crimson and white, also played a role in the cultivation of the new name. Barkley received 11 All-Star bids during his 16-year NBA career and was named the leagues MVP for the 1992-93 season. More recently, Cousins has preferred to leave the nickname behind, implying that it accompanied a loss of privacy during his pro career. He played a key role on the Lakers 1972 championship team and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980. But earlier this year, Durant said he had changed his mind on the subject. A three-time MVP, Bird was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. After leading the Cougars to three consecutive Final Fours, Olajuwon was drafted No. Matt Bonner was initially known as the Red Rocket in a nod to his hair color and shooting ability. ", "Analyzing the Splash Brothers in a Whole New Way", "Rockets History 198385: How Do You Stop Two 7-Footers? Marvin Barnes earned his nickname for a series of inadvisable decisions off the court. Davis Bertans possesses rare shooting range for a big man. The Dunkin' Dudes Hoop-la Heroes Three Pointer Magnets Basket Beasts The Alley Cats Swish Squad Fast Break Fetishists Flamin' Dunks The 3 Ballers Air Apparents Triple Threats Foul Mouthed Funsters The Rim Rattlers Slam Dunk Slammers Full Court Pressures Most Famous NBA Nicknames 1. Most are based on player names. King of All Blatche. Johnson went on to lead Michigan State to the 1979 national championship, followed by a brilliant pro career with the Lakers. Majerle (aka Thunder) was the inside dunking and rebounding presence for the Chippewas, complementing the outside shooting of Leavy (aka Lightning). Sign up for the The Rookie Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Free ranked second in the NBA in points per game in the 1978-79 and 1979-80 seasons with the San Diego Clippers, earning a spot in the 1980 All-Star Game. NBA team rosters, stats, rankings, upcoming games, and ticket links He won the 2011 NBA championship with the Mavericks. On Feb. 4, 2012, the Knicks had lost 11 of their past 13 games, and Lin had barely seen action for the club. Despite the lofty predictions posited by the regal moniker, James indeed has become one of the greatest players in basketball history. But Joe had a solid pro career, and a pretty sweet nickname, in his own right. Robert Parish was tagged with this moniker by Celtics teammate Cedric Maxwell. Despite finishing his playing career nearly 50 years ago, Jerry West is still considered one of the greatest shooters in basketball history. 1 overall by the Sacramento Kings in 1989. (AP Photo / San Antonio Express-News / Tom Reel). Succinct and powerful, the moniker stuck. Expectations were high after Ellison was drafted No. Arkansas State University changed its mascot from the Indians to the Red Wolves in January 2008. (Photo courtesy of Temple University athletics). After his playing career, Bradley served three terms as a U.S. senator representing New Jersey. He went on to enjoy a 15-year pro career with the Nets, Spurs, Rockets, Hawks and Jazz. Best Basketball Nicknames Cat King Kong The Mailman Humpty-Hump Sausage Big Shot Rob Cougar Short Shorts Hagrid Cinderella Ammo Limbs Penny The Glide th Iron Giant The Glove Lankee Peaches Mr Big Shot Tank Tippy Toes B-Easy Wookie T-Rex Tiny Jolly Green Giant Bear Twister Sister Speedy Gonzales Big Bird Ball Queen The Iceman Chewy Boom Dizzle Bigly Ballers. One of the great second-round draft picks in NBA history, Arenas also played for the Magic and Grizzlies during his 11-year career in the league. Iverson made 11 All-Star teams and won four scoring titles during his 14-year NBA career with the 76ers, Nuggets, Pistons and Grizzlies. Funkenstein, he received the nickname from legendary musician Stevie Wonder, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Bricklayers and Alley-oopers (or Alley-oopsies). 131.) Jokers +800. Basketball has more than two billion fans globally! Not only did the name signify the dawn of a global shoe brand, but it stuck as a nickname that described Jordans awesome aerial theatrics. Nederlands. Larry Bird: Clutch Player (and Trash Talker). Tom Heinsohn averaged 18 shots per game over the course of his nine-year NBA career with the Celtics, earning the logical handle Tommy Gun. Carter earned the nickname after applying tenacious defense and bite marks to a 76ers teammate in practice. Get that kid out of the game. Build The Wall - Their defense makes it impossible to get past. The Diamond Dunkers. ", "The Grindhouse: Created By A Team, Now Embraced By A City And Its People NBA.com Hang Time Blog", "Florida Gulf Coast Eagles vs. Georgetown Hoyas NCAA Tournament Game Recap March 22, 2013 ESPN", "Devils-Nets home doesn't look like the home of champions", "MSG will always be the 'Mecca', no matter how bad things get", "Entertainment in a Can: The Pepsi Center experience", "Goodbye, 'Madhouse on Madison' | CSN Chicago", "House That Jordan Built welcomes Democrats", "Phoenix Suns makeover takes shape with new logos, uniforms", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_nicknames_in_basketball&oldid=1139351739, Lists of people with nickname by occupation, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2016, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "The Greatest Team of All Time" (Finished the 19951996 NBA Season with 72 wins and 10 losses), "The Bad Boys" (the Original from 1986 to 1991) . Legend Fantasy Basketball Team Names Kip-koech/flickr/CC 2.0 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar The Tower from Power The Captain The Big A The Big Fella Showtime KAR33M Kareem of the Crop Schroder+Schombs PR Brands/flickr/CC 2.0 Gilbert Arenas Agent Zero Agent 0 The Gambler The Hibachi Nacho Black President High Noon R24KBerg Photos/flickr/CC 2.0 Charles Barkley Braindead Zombies - You can't reason with these monsters. ", "RTRS: Sixers Awards, Playoff Predictions, HOLLIS", "Ben Simmons Embraces 'Fresh Prince' Nickname", "Ben Simmons' new jersey number with Nets leads to jokes", "The Story of Marcus Smart: "I Love Boston, Boston Loves Me", "NBA analyst Kenny Smith lists Encino home for $3.6 million", "Rik Smits: The "Dunkin' Dutchman" of the Indiana Pacers", "Nik Stauskas embraces Sauce Castillo nickname", "The Knicks call 40-year-old Kurt Thomas 'Mid Life', "Jonas Valanciunas is key for Grizzlies' offense going forward", "Tom Izzo switched to 'one & done' mode weeks ago", "Thursday's San Diego State-Connecticut game may come down to 'Cardiac Kemba', "OKC Thunder: Genesis of player nicknames OK3, Brodie, and Chinese versions", "Here comes Maple Jordan: Andrew Wiggins' latest mix of dunking dominance just watch it", "His Game, and Name, Create Stir; Jason (White Chocolate) Williams Sets Off Debate on Stereotypes", "Where did Robert Williams's nickname come from? West played his entire 14-year pro career with the Lakers, earning an All-Star appearance in all 14 of those seasons. Horry was entrusted with taking the final shot numerous times in playoff runs throughout his career. The Clumsy Waiters We keep dropping treys. These days, Joe Bryant is better known as the father of Kobe Bryant. He also might have been guilty of cherry picking once or twice. Deutsch. Black Panthers - Name yourselves after badass civil rights activists. After winning an NCAA championship at Nevada-Las Vegas, Augmon enjoyed a 15-year NBA career with the Hawks, Pistons, Trail Blazers, Hornets and Magic. Whether a fusion of Stephon and Marbury or a predictor of his future fame, the handle makes sense. He led the NBA in rebounding six times in a span of seven seasons from 1978-79 through 1984-85. The team is still called the Illini. Duncan was voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020. Swish Kebabs. Italiano. Credit: Nick Wass/AP Photo Fantasy Basketball Team Names 6.) " The Magnificent Seven ": This is an empowering team name that embodies strength and success. He can defend. Billups credits former Pistons big man Rick Mahorn, who worked on Pistons radio broadcasts at the time, for bestowing him with the nickname. Re: What are some cool nicknames for expansion teams? Find your sport, then choose a name! Here are some clever basketball team names: 1) The Ball Hogs. 2.) Updated for 2022-23! No part of this site may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the copyright owner. Funny Basketball Team Names Ideas. His outsized influence on the post-World War II-era NBA led to introduction of the goaltending rule and the widening of the free-throw lane. Bookmark Quiz Bookmark Quiz Bookmark. The former University of Louisville and Utah Jazz star received the nickname from his brother in a nod to the Parliament-Funkadelic song Dr. 6.) 3) All Dribble, No Bite. 10.) Williamson played 12 NBA seasons with Sacramento, Toronto, Detroit and Philadelphia. If you didnt already know, you probably can deduce from the nickname that Darrell Griffith was one of the great dunkers of his era. Olajuwon actually got the nickname in college at the University of Houston, where he was Akeem the Dream. Best Basketball Team Names For Kids' Squads 1.) The Touchdown Titans. Getty Images The Cleveland Indians removed the Chief Wahoo. Easy Ridnour. David Thompson is one of the greatest leapers and dunkers in basketball history, and his aerial feats were such that he was bestowed with one of the games great nicknames. So here is the list of cool team names for you: 31. This name should represent a particular value. Golden Tornadoes Gasol Train Blurred Lins Yellow Jackets Red Devils The Morrow Majority Crossover Pwners DragonBlade Streets to da Courts Westchester Knicks. He was named to 12 All-Star teams and won three NBA MVP awards. ONeal is one of the great centers in basketball history. . 163.) Login. His fire and passion perfectly complemented the stoicism of star center David Robinson. Strange Dragic. Tupac's Thugs-N-Harmony Nasir Jones and the Infamous Egos JJ Reddick and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers Steve Urkel and the Winslow Celtics Klay Thompson's One Night in Bangkok Damian Lillard and the Dame Dollas LeBron James' Posse (or Band) Ginuwine Basketballs (credit to Ernie Abbott) Iverson's Crossover (credit to Josh Homme) But consider that he received the nickname from legendary musician Stevie Wonder. Seed of Stuckey. Kevin Garnett earned his moniker as the first true franchise player in Minnesota Timberwolves history. Basketball Swish Kebabs The Hot Shots Big Net Worth BasketBrawlers 99 Problems But a Swish Ain't One Drilling Me Softly Alley-Oops Pippen Ain't Easy Sky's the Limit The Traveling Men Shooting Stars Football Back That Pass Up Loose Ends No Punt Intended Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team, 199293, Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, 199596, United States men's national basketball team, Australia women's national basketball team, New Zealand men's national basketball team, "League MVP "Double A" Back To The Mill Rats", Trevor Ariza#Los Angeles Lakers (20072009), "A Pete Rose by Any Other Name Would Play as Sweet", "Harrison Barnes' "Black Falcon" nickname came from ESPN Tar Heel Times 1/28/2011", "How Wizards' Bradley Beal got his 'Big Panda' nickname", "Phoenix Suns Michael 'Super Cool Beas' Beasley Busted For PossessionAgain", "Myth: Chauncey Billups is really 'Mr. Frazier helped the Knicks to NBA championships in 1970 and 1973 and earned seven consecutive All-Star bids from the 1969-70 season through 1975-76. Arenas was a three-time All-Star selection. Even though Julius Erving operated with surgical precision on the court, his famous nickname dates to his high school days on Long Island. Darko Milicic is mostly remembered as the journeyman big man who was drafted No. The following is a full list of all 30 teams in alphabetical order, from Atlanta Hawks to Washington Wizards. 2 overall in the NBA draft. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004. Rudy Goberts nickname is a clever twist on the 1971 film The French Connection and a nod to his shot-blocking ability. Didnt matter. 117.) Typically, it doesnt count if you give yourself a nickname. These are the general, collective nicknames that various colleges and universities' athletic teams compete under, grouped by a general theme before dividing into specific nicknames. Copyright 2009-2023 Michael & Gabriel, Inc. Privacy Policy Note: We earn an affiliate commission from some of the sites we link to. Check out Maurice Cheeks assisting a young singer who forgets National Anthem (heartwarming video). Maxwell reached back to the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and likened Parish to Chief Bromden, the hulking, stoic character played by actor Will Sampson. Clear and Present Granger. An athlete's appearance or style of play are the most common reasons for these bad nicknames, while personality or lifestyle are other common paths. Sports names can include warriors, panthers and knights. Magic Johnson and the Lesser Wizards. Michael Jordan had yet to take the court as a professional when his agent, David Falk, coined the name Air Jordan for a potential line of Nike sneakers. Uncle Festus. It seems assistant coach Rod Strickland was impressed by the dribbling skills of the 6-foot-10 Cousins. Ray Allen famously portrayed blue-chip recruit Jesus Shuttlesworth in the 1998 film He Got Game, and the nickname stuck. Some originate as terms of endearment, while others are bestowed as labels of ineptitude. Clearly, those methods were successful; he guided the Bulls and Lakers to a combined 11 league championships. Many a time a team likes to follow the footsteps of their professional idols, thus they follow names like Celtics, Lakers, Bulls or such other names. Clever Basketball Team Names Checkout these awesome and cool clever basketball team names list: War Eagles Bandits BigHorns Burlington Knights. One of the most impactful sixth men in NBA history, Vinnie Johnson earned his nickname for his ability to come off the bench and get hot immediately. I came up with that name because of his style, Stephanie Shepard told The New York Times in 1999. The King and I. Jimmy Butler did it in the Ballroom. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. Big Texas. Various accounts abound on the internet, but one thing not up for debate is the fact the nickname stuck with the Indiana University and Detroit Pistons legend. For example, add color to a team nickname so The Crush becomes The Red Crush or The Blue Crush. Or, add Lady to a name for a girls or womans team. Funkenstein.. Sticking with a Western theme, John Havlicek got his nickname from a childhood friend who had trouble pronouncing his last name and thought the future Celtics great carried himself like John Waynes character in the 1953 film Hondo.. Are you looking for the best AAU basketball team name? Pete Maravich - Pistol Pete 4. Daron Oshay Blaylock was dubbed Mookie as a child by his older sisters, and the nickname stuck. Chicken Hoop! The nickname followed Majerle to the NBA, with a slight tweak from Dan Thunder Majerle to Thunder Dan. Carter, who racked up eight All-Star nods during his career, retired from the NBA in June 2020 at age 43. Or, Chicken Hoop For The Soul. With fluid body control, slick dribbling skills and defensive prowess, Antetokounmpo has been named an All-Star five times and league MVP twice. 1 spot for several reasons. A 15-time All-Star, he won four NBA championships and led the league in scoring twice. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images). Most are related to professional basketball, although a few notable nicknames from the U.S. college game are included. Nickname so the Crush becomes the Red Wolves in January 2008 a U.S. senator representing New.. His mind on the post-World War II-era NBA led to introduction of the great centers in Basketball history six. These days basketball team nicknames Joe Bryant is said to have acquired the moniker for his sugary variety of moves David.... So the Crush becomes the Red Crush or the Blue Crush to a team nickname so Crush. All-Star, he received the nickname followed Majerle to Thunder Dan Erving operated surgical. 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