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NBA Nickname Analysis
Posted by: Diana-Allen on May 30th, 2010
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.
While watching the Orlando-Boston game I began to think of nicknames of NBA players. I think Glen Davis’ nickname is quite funny and its no wonder he doesn’t want to be called by it anymore.
I had always assumed that Glen Davis was called “Big Baby” because he looked like a big baby. He has that baby face. Honestly with no disrespect intended he reminds me of that giant cartoon duck that wears a diaper.
My curiosity got the best of me during the game and I had to look up how Davis got his nickname. Davis received his nickname from his youth basketball coach at the age of nine. Davis was 5′6″ and 160 pounds at that young age. He was too big to play with the other nine year olds so he had to play with the senior teams. Big Baby did not like playing with the older kids and would cry all the time. His coach would constantly tell him “stop crying you big baby” and hence the nickname began.
I am not a fan of the initials and jersey number nicknames and therefore always thought CP3s nickname was dumb. Now that I know the background of his nickname I find it sweet. Chris Paul’s father’s name is Charles Paul, his older brothers name is CJ Paul. They are CP1 and CP2 and that make Chris Paul, CP3.
Who can think of nicknames without thinking of Shaquille O’Neil. Shaq, The Big Aristotle, (self given for his insights in interviews), Superman, The Diesel, The Big Cactus, just to name a few.
The best nickname on the Jazz is probably Andrei Kirilenko ’s name. AK47. Once again its intials and number but with AK it fits perfectly. It was given to him by a media member. It is named after the famous Russian assault rifle. I love it because when he is playing his game, getting his 5X5s or close to it impacting everything in the game, it is easy to call him AK47. When he is standing around shooting jumpshots not getting involved he is just Andrei.
Other great nicknames currently in the league are: Nashty for Steve Nash, The big fundamental for Duncan, the durantula for Kevin Durant, and Mr. Big Shot for Billups, just to name a few.
Nicknames that I hate the most are ones that players anoint to themselves. Lebron James-the King. Lebron gave the name to himself when he was 16 years old. (a little ego-centric right?). The Black Mamba for Kobe Bryant. Once again a self given nickname. Black Mamba doesn’t roll off the tongue, its lame.
What are your favorite NBA nicknames?
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I do like the Durantula one. I think that’s a goodie.
Money is pretty good for Memo.
To me the all time stupidest nickname ever given was Cap’n Crunch to Milt Palacio. That was awful. Hot Rod should be ashamed of that one.
Kobe and Lebrons nicknames suck. You cant give yourself a nickname. Durantula is a good one. Its hard to say that one without smiling. The Mailman is probably my favorite though.
The Mailman and Pistol Pete of course………..
I like too Clyde The Glide, Hakeem The Dream, Earl The Pearl and the Admiral…… great nicknames for great players
How about Cap’n Jack, the Shooting Guard, ET and Big Sh*t Bob. Hummmm, something close to that fit his personality.
Jazzaholic
thanks for your comments. I appreciate you coming up with other nba nicknames. I think we could/should do an article with past and present players, I was just focusing on the current players.
Like most of you the Mailman is one of my favorite nicknames of all time. I also liked Air Jordan because it fit him.
One nickname that I would not at all ever like to have is Boobie like Daniel Gibson.
When I was looking up Big baby’s orgins I came across how Doc Rivers got his nickname. It was given to him by Rick Majerus. He was coaching a summer team for the World Championship team in 1982. Rivers came into practice with a Dr J shirt on. Majerus said “Hey Doc” and that started Doc Rivers nickname.
oh Ben- I thought it was Bolerjack who gave Milt Palacio the nickname of Captain Crunch. but I could be wrong whoever it was yes the worse nickname ever!
I too like Money, it rolls off the tongue and fits Memo. “Memo Money for three!”
Funny stuff! You mean you don’t think it’s cool to give yourself a nickname? I think I want to start going by “The Hammer.” I wonder if it’ll catch on…
Self-named nicknames always remind me of George Costanza — T-Bone! Do Kobe and Lebron think they are as cool as George? I sure hope not!
I love Money for Memo too! It just goes, it is one of my favorites!
AK47 is great, because it is an actual russian weapon. I think Durantula is pretty lame and am amazed so many people like it. I like Superman for Dwight, because he earned it in a pretty entertaining way, and I don’t get why anyone would call Shaq that… The Closer for Korver is interesting too, he sure closed his share of games for the Jazz.
Nenê is a nickname too, it means little baby in portuguese. Back in 2003 he actually legally included Nenê as his second name, but he was originally called that way because he was the youngest boy both in his family and in his group of childhood friends. I once watched an interview with him and his mother, who is smaller than 5 feet. In the end, she hugged him and said “he’ll always be my nenê”.
The Glove (Gary Payton), The Worm (Dennis Rodman), Big Dog (Carr) The Bear (Brown); nicknames used to be so much cooler and applicable to the player (esp. Worm for Rodman). 10 points for anyone who knows who “The Mongoose” is (a former Jazz player).
Pistol Pete was a great nickname. I always thought Durant should be called the Oklahoma City Bomber… too soon?
The Mongoose, the best second round draft of all time for the Jazz……
I am a big fan of young buck for jennings in Milwaukee
@Trent – great ones! I still have crushes on The Glove and The Big Dog! ;]
Mongoose, isn’t he the one the Black Mamba is afraid of? A couple of my favorite nicknames were Dr. J. and the Admiral (also two of my favorite players). All time has to be “Horny” , to this day my Mom thinks it is disgusting.
And who can forget Dr. Dunkenstein (Darrell Griffith), Human Highlight Reel (Dominique Wilkins), The Pearl (Earl Monroe), The Round Mound of Rebound (Charles Barkley), The Answer (Allen Iverson), The Big Ticket (Kevin Garnett)…
The NBA really needs to get back to the awesome nicknames of the past…
Oh, and maybe Glen Davis should change his nickname to Glen “Baby Face” Davis instead of “Big Baby”?
Wow everyone has great memories. Its fun to remember all these names!. It just shows how awesome nicknames were 20 years ago and how lame they are now. I loved Charles Barkley’s nickname. It fit him perfectly. Remember Sky Blue Edwards. The Milkman for tyrone Corbin. The Little General for Avery Johnson. the Matrix for shawn marion.
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deb- I also loved the Admiral. He was one of my favorite non-Jazz players. I loved that he also played the piano since I LOVE playing the piano.
Lou- I love the George Costanza comparison I gotta wonder if Kobe and Lebron weren’t world class athletes if they would be socially like George
Joe I didn’t know that about Nene that is pretty cool
Don’t you mean Li’l'al Gen’al?
Said with a loud, high pitched, wide mouth, tooth filled grin.
Don’t let proper English pronunciation get in your way!
Jazzaholic
NIce work, Diana.
The Mailman is definitely the best nickname ever. When I was like 7, Malone came to visit my elementary school (Rolling Meadows in West Valley) and I just remember the teachers saying “We have a special guest today…the Mailman!” It was only Malone’s first or second year with the Jazz and, being 7, I was as obsessed with our letter carrier as with a basketball player so I honestly expected my neighborhood mailman to show up at the assembly.
The other best nickname ever is Black Jesus, which they used to call Earl Monroe on the Philadelphia playgrounds before he made the NBA and became The Pearl.
There’s a little more to the Chris Paul thing. CP-3 also stands for Calliope Projects 3rd Ward (it’s a housing project down here in New Orleans’ third ward, ward being a political boundary in Louisiana, kind of like a precinct). So while Paul may have wanted to honor his father and brother, it’s kind of ironic that his nickname also refers to a now-closed project whose most famous products were Master P and his brother, a rapper called C-Murder who is currently serving a life sentence for–you guessed it–murder.
I didn’t know The Admiral plays the piano, it just earned him lots of credits for me too.
Lol, JR! With that voice and pronunciation, I wonder how they could ever hire him to comment on games on TV!
Gosh, who knew Paul’s nickname also stands for such a closed project precisely in New Orleans. Unbelievable. I wonder if he knows it.
Durantula is awesome. all good nicknames i think. I have a couple i’ve came up with. Chauncey Billups is Chaincey Pull-ups, and Pau Gasol is the Geico twin. laker hater for life! “so easy a caveman can do it.” haha
One of my favorites was “The Hammer”(Armen Giliam), later known as “Rosin Man.”
AK47 is the greatest nickname in sports history, seriously. You couldn’t write it any better.
After KG sent Glen Davis to the bench crying on national television, he will always have deserve the nick name “Big Baby”
I never knew that about CP3!
I think the duck you are thinking of is Baby Huey.
My favorite current NBA nickname is “Psycho T”, AKA Tyler Hansbrough.
Mr. Big Shot is by far one of the best or the best…so many game winners/buzzer beaters.
Don’t forget Wilt “The Stilt” or “Magic” Johnson. I would have to agree that AK47 and The “Mailman” are amount the most creative. Clyde the Glide was awesome too. I’m still sticking with Sunny D for Sundiata and if we ever got to see Otheus Jeffers “OJ” play, he may become the “juice man” for squeazing every ounce of effort out of himself,
Cool blog nicely done too. When players get or pronounce nicknames they usually deserve them. I do have problems with Kobe and Lebron and their nicknames. Reasons for this is they don”t really fit them. Kobe doesn’t really have a sinister playing ability when he can be guarded by a first year undrafted player and be shut down. Lebron just isn’t royalty until he can win a championship gaining one he may be given the respect he deserves by me until then he will be just lebron. Of all the other my fav has to be the mailman for Malone he was and always will be the player who really lived up to his name