The NBA Finals, between Miami and San Antonio for the second straight year, ended tonight with the Spurs winning another title, so this list post will be of the top 10 nicknames in basketball. With apologies to the legends whose nicknames are known to even non-basketball fans, like Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Michael “Air” Jordan and Julius “Dr. J” Erving, and also to players with lesser known nicknames who didn’t make the cut, like Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwan, Clyde “The Glide” Drexler and John “Hondo” Havlicek, here is my list:
1. Charles Barkley “Round Mound of Rebound” – he always had a bit of a paunch and didn’t look like a star basketball player, but he was one of the great ones. He had a great all-around game, and was an intimidating force on the floor. He was always outspoken with the media, and continues to be that way today as a member of the media, working NBA telecasts for the TNT Network.
2. “Pistol” Pete Maravich – well, what does a pistol do? SHOOT! And Pistol Pete could certainly do that. He was one of the all-time great shooters in NBA history, and was also a tremendous ball handler. He basically put the old New Orleans Jazz NBA franchise on the map, although his nickname was already in place in his college days.
3. Dennis Rodman “The Worm” – one of the Detroit Piston “Bad Boys”, Rodman may have the most fitting nickname of all. He was a thorn in the sides of all his opponents, and a controversial figure on and off the court. Behind all the noise, however, he was a very talented player, and one of the top rebounders in NBA history.
4. Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain “The Big Dipper” – “The Stilt” was his more famous nickname, but Wilt didn’t like it, since it put a focus on his height, which he was self-conscious about. He preferred “The Big Dipper”. Either way, he was the dominant big man of his era. He never was a big fan favorite, other than in the cities he played for, but as he always pointed out – “Nobody cheers for Goliath”.
5. Marvin Webster “The Human Eraser” – his is one of the classic nicknames of all time in the NBA. It was a tribute to his knack for blocking shots, a skill he used to perfection in his pro career with Denver, Seattle, the New York Knicks and Milwaukee. A 7’1″ center, Webster also once corralled 21 rebounds in the first half a game while playing for the Supersonics, a team record that still stands.
6. Jerry West “The Logo” – a star player in the 1960s and ’70s, he earned this nickname because the NBA’s official logo is actually a silhouette of him bringing the ball up the court (see photo inset). West actually had a number of nicknames, including “Mr. Clutch” for his knack of scoring in the big moments, “Mr. Outside” for his outstanding perimeter play, and “Zeke From Cabin Creek” after a creek in his small hometown in West Virginia.
7. Darryl Dawkins “Chocolate Thunder” – he was a big time contributor on a 1970s Philadelphia 76er squad loaded with star players, known for his monster dunks that regularly broke helpless backboards. He was directly responsible for the NBA adopting “breakaway” rims. His nickname was given to him by musician Stevie Wonder.
8. George Gervin “The Iceman” – he was one of the all-time sharpshooters in NBA history, with a cool demeanor that earned him this nickname. Gervin was one of a number of stars in the old American Basketball Association who successfully transitioned into the same roles when the new league merged with the NBA. Although he never played on a championship team in San Antonio, he helped bridge the franchise into the era of title-winning teams it enjoys today.
9. Tim Duncan “Old Man Riverwalk” – his 18 year career in the NBA, at age 38, earned him this nickname, which is a nod to San Antonio’s downtown tourist area. A quiet, unassuming leader, Duncan has helped the Spurs win five league titles. Duncan, and the Spurs, are my favorite team of the modern NBA era, as they play an old school brand of basketball that highlights unselfish play and passing to the open man, a style that perfectly fits Duncan.
10. Karl Malone “The Mailman” – one of the game’s all-time power forwards, he earned his nickname because “he always delivered”. Along with John Stockton, Malone led a talented Utah Jazz team into the playoffs, where they seemed to unfortunately run into Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bull title teams every year.