So, scan the whole list first to find appropriate categories for your squad. On Feb. 4, 2012, the Knicks had lost 11 of their past 13 games, and Lin had barely seen action for the club. One of the great power forwards in NBA history, Karl Malone garnered his nickname in college at Louisiana Tech because he always delivered.. Speaking of franchise players, Steve Francis earned his nickname as a three-time All-Star with the Rockets in the early 2000s. Matt Bonner was initially known as the Red Rocket in a nod to his hair color and shooting ability. With that in mind, Rookie Wire presents a completely subjective look at the 101 greatest nicknames in NBA history. The Clumsy Waiters (because we keep dropping treys!). "Crazy Animals", "Lady Arrows", "Tough Alliance". 100 percent. If you find these names to be common, then you can always come up with more such names. Bigly Ballers. Perhaps surprisingly, Horry recently pointed to a shot from his rookie season when asked for his favorite big shot. 1 overall by the Warriors in 1980, but it wasnt long before the perception of indifference earned him a dubious nickname for the ages. Uncle Festus. New York native Rafer Alston is said to have picked up his streetball nickname at famed Rucker Park in Harlem, where his skipping gait inspired an announcer. Daron Oshay Blaylock was dubbed Mookie as a child by his older sisters, and the nickname stuck. A three-time MVP, Bird was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. 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. Golden Tornadoes Gasol Train Blurred Lins Yellow Jackets Red Devils The Morrow Majority Crossover Pwners DragonBlade Streets to da Courts Westchester Knicks. Westchester Knicks. Phil Jackson enjoyed a solid NBA playing career, winning the 1973 championship with the New York Knicks. Menu . 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) Sesame Street Ballerz. Darko Milicic is mostly remembered as the journeyman big man who was drafted No. Funkenstein.. Create. He earned this nickname for his many successes in pressure situations, including his 60-foot buzzer-beater to send Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals to overtime. 0. He's actually gone by several nicknames over the years, including Shaq Daddy, The Diesel, The Big Fella, Big Shamrock, and M.D.E (Most Dominant Ever), just to name a few. Brewmaster Crew - For a team that loves to chug a few beers together. It followed him to the NBA, where he became one of the leagues great rebounders during a 14-year career with the Pistons, Spurs, Bulls, Lakers and Mavericks. He led the NBA with 30.3 points per game in the 1985-86 season and averaged 24.8 points per game during 15 NBA seasons with the Hawks, Clippers, Celtics, Spurs and Magic. Free. The Twilight Zone. But Joe had a solid pro career, and a pretty sweet nickname, in his own right. Roll Tide. Put your spin on the name. Please check out the below collections about the matter of basketball team names. Career: 11 seasons (2012-present) Stats: 23.9 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2 . Afflalo Creed. Follow. But 6-4 was a more accurate figure for his height, and there were times when his weight approached 300 pounds. Sign up for the The Rookie Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Vultures +800. The Touchdown Titans. 218.) St. Louis University's nickname was derived from the popular charm dolls created by St. Louis art teacher . The Dream was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. Princeton grad Bill Bradley was nicknamed Dollar Bill early in his pro career by Knicks teammates. 2 overall in 1974 by the 76ers, he opted instead to join the rival ABAs Spirits of St. Louis. Rookie Wire lists the top 10 former Michigan Wolverines in NBA history. He can defend. For example, examine each option in regard to: 1.) 7 Things You May Not Know About Wilt Chamberlains 100-point game. It could be argued that Richard Hamilton earned his nickname by ripping through nets as an NCAA national champion at Connecticut and an NBA champ with Detroit. See how the Colorado 14ers name was derived. Re: What are some cool nicknames for expansion teams? 111 Best Basketball Team Names (Intramural, Girls, Youth, etc) Cathy Desmet Updated July 10, 2022 Originally invented in 1891 as an indoor winter activity for members of the YMCA Training School, [1] basketball has now grown into one of the most popular sports in the world. 131.) Hes sleeping!. Send a Message. Barkley received 11 All-Star bids during his 16-year NBA career and was named the leagues MVP for the 1992-93 season. The four-time NBA All-Star and current University of Memphis mens basketball coach has explained that his grandmother originated the nickname, albeit unintentionally. But when youre as good as Kobe Bryant, we make an exception. 120.) But whatever way you decide to approach it, here are 100 of the best NBA fantasy team names for 2022-23, listed in order of ESPN's NBA fantasy top 200 player rankings. Check out Basketball Captions for Instagram. The Diamond Dunkers. Kevin Durant has several nicknames, but our vote easily goes to the one that meshes his killer instinct on the court with his wiry 6-foot-10, 240-pound frame. (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images). The former Duke standout played five seasons in the NBA with Portland, Boston, Sacramento, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Give Orange. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991. " The Magnificent Seven ": This is an empowering team name that embodies strength and success. And he came through time and again, winning a total of seven NBA championships with the Rockets, Lakers and Spurs. Joe Bryant played eight NBA seasons with the 76ers, Clippers and Rockets, averaging 8.7 points and 4.0 rebounds in 606 career regular-season games. 1 overall pick out of Navy in 1987, he went on to play 14 pro seasons all with the San Antonio Spurs. KATmandu. At 6-foot-1, 150 pounds, Nate Archibald is diminutive by NBA standards. Since then, we've had a fair share of semi-pro teams from the dreaded CatBirds of the mid 1980s to a very short lived Kentucky Colonels in 2004 when ABA 2000 formed. So, scroll down and pick your favorite name. Billy Paultz apparently earned his famed nickname during his collegiate career at St. Johns because of a fondness for fast food. Andersen played 15 NBA seasons with Denver, New Orleans, Miami, Memphis and Cleveland. He played 10 pro seasons with Denver, Seattle, New York and Milwaukee. Some good selections are Slam Dunk Millionaires, Swish Kebabs, America Runs on Dunking, and Play It Forwards. 117.) After all, isnt Zeke actually short for Ezekiel? An NBA champion with both the 76ers and Lakers, Chamberlain was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979. Former 76ers star Billy Cunningham earned his nickname as a nod to his exceptional leaping ability. 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. Big Texas. Sanders won eight NBA championships in 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics from 1960-73 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. Ellison averaged 9.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game during his 11 NBA seasons with the Sacramento, Washington, Boston and Seattle. Here are good fantasy basketball team names. The team is still called the Illini. E.g. You might lack somewhere in your performance, but other teams will still respect you for having such a cool team name. Energy Bald Eagles Dream Team Clippers Gorillas Nanooks Ragin' Cajuns Yeomen Shawn Kemp's Kids Queens of the Court Jurassic Drizzy Socceroos Malice at the Palace Bearcats Golden Panthers Other times, a sponsor may have a say. The label was applied by a sportswriter when Johnson was a 15-year-old standout at Everett High in Lansing, Michigan. Expectations were high after Ellison was drafted No. 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. (We also like James of Thrones.). 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. 3.) A great name will give your team a competitive advantage over others. Cunningham was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1986. Pete Maravich - Pistol Pete 4. Awesome Basketball Team Name Ideas Self-deprecation is for people with less-awesome selves. (Thank you very much in German). Walt Frazier was known for his sleek style on the court and his impeccable wardrobe off the court. The Wicked Jump Shots. Every Kiss Begins with Klay Thompson. Spartans used those to look taller. The team originated in New Orleans in 1974 and club officials decided to keep the name after relocating to Salt Lake City in 1979. Despite finishing his playing career nearly 50 years ago, Jerry West is still considered one of the greatest shooters in basketball history. Quiz . The Rimshots. Baseball, with its long and rich history, once generated vivid monikers such as the Sultan of Swat (Babe Ruth) and the Splendid Splinter (Ted Williams). Obviously, the alias Chocolate Thunder is fairly awesome on its own merits. A clutch outside shooter with a noted temper on and off the court, Vernon Maxwell was dubbed Mad Max in a nod to the movie series of the same name. Przybilla averaged 6.2 rebounds over 592 career regular-season games. Malone was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001. If you didnt already know, you probably can deduce from the nickname that Darrell Griffith was one of the great dunkers of his era. Legendary Celtics point guard Bob Cousy boasted a flashy style at a time when pro basketball was mostly vanilla. Back in the day, she referred to newborn Anfernee as a pretty baby. Shaquille ONeal dubbed him the Big Fundamental in homage to his no-frills efficiency. Julius Ervine - Dr. J, The Doctor 2. Youve come to the right spot if youre looking for great basketball team names to excite your players, teammates, and coaches. Malone was the alpha dog on the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers championship squad and was named to 13 consecutive All-Star teams in his prime. 1. Langdon, who led East Anchorage High School to three Alaska state championships, played three NBA seasons with Cleveland. You're presently well on your way to concocting an incredible basketball team name. Nederlands. Even though Julius Erving operated with surgical precision on the court, his famous nickname dates to his high school days on Long Island. Archibald was an all-around talent who led the league in both scoring and assists in 1972-73 with the Kansas City-Omaha Kings. San Jose Rubber Puckies Sharks was chosen from 2,300 entries in San Jose's. After all, it was that hard-nosed mentality that allowed him to play 13 NBA seasons with Milwaukee, Atlanta, Portland and Charlotte. Supersonics +400. "Jail Blazers" (for their players off-the-court troubles in the early to mid 2000s), This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 18:00. Shaquille O'Neal is one of the NBA's most dominant player. Creative Squad Names for Football Teams. Kobe Wan Enobi. Multidimensional big man Kristaps Porzingis has superstar Kevin Durant to thank for his nickname. Gentlemen. Curry on my Wayward Son. The Brooklyn Nets star won two championships during his time with the Golden State Warriors. 97.) After the first meeting between the two on the court, Durant was effusive in his praise for the 7-foot-3 Latvian. Strange Dragic. Trajan Langdon earned his nickname as a deadeye shooter during his college days at Duke, where he shot 45.1% from the field and 42.6% on 3-pointers in four seasons. Blitzkrieg - A team that drops more bombs than the Blitz. 81 on this list), so was Parishs. The nickname also was featured on a popular poster in the early 1990s. Maxiell Overdrive. 124.) (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images). Among his myriad NBA records, two are highly unlikely to ever be broken: 50.4 points per game scoring average in the 1961-62 season and his 100-point game on March 2, 1962. Alston played 12 NBA seasons with the Bucks, Raptors, Heat, Rockets, Magic and Nets, but he might be better known from starring on the And1 Mix Tape Tour in the mid 2000s. Another Gobert nickname paying homage to his home country is the Stifle Tower. Most are related to professional basketball, although a few notable nicknames from the U.S. college game are included. The Fourth and Goalers. Carter earned the nickname after applying tenacious defense and bite marks to a 76ers teammate in practice. Alaa Abdelnabys name doesnt contain every letter in the alphabet it just seems that way. The following is a sports team nicknames for colleges (universities in non-U.S. English) in North America, primarily in the United States and Canada.. Black Panthers - Name yourselves after badass civil rights activists. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. ", "Analyzing the Splash Brothers in a Whole New Way", "Rockets History 198385: How Do You Stop Two 7-Footers? Aresenal. Check out these catchy girls' basketball team names: Palmetto Flight. Vipers +600. The label stuck all the way through college at Georgetown, where he won a national championship as a senior, and his 13-season NBA career with the Nets, Warriors, Rockets and Spurs. Payton won the 2006 NBA championship with Miami and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. 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. This name should represent a particular value. He played a total of 13 NBA seasons with the 76ers, Clippers, Warriors, Cavaliers and Rockets. The Perfecto's. No part of this site may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the copyright owner. He also inspired the figure depicted in the official NBA emblem, leading to another notable nickname, the Logo. More quiz info >> Start Quiz Comments (32) Most are related to professional basketball, although a few notable nicknames from the U.S. college game are included. Marvin Webster took on this nickname in college at Morgan State, where he averaged eight blocked shots per game. Angry Ants. Howard's End. But the one that best describes crazy impressive Carters soaring skills might be Vinsanity. Allen Iverson - The Answer 9. Bomb Squad Clash Purple Butterflies High Surf James of Thrones. Comments. Earvin Johnson - Magic 3. Hopefully, you've found some great names above. Cedric Maxwell received his nickname from college teammate Melvin Watkins after watching the 1975 film "Cornbread, Earl and Me." Watkins saw a resemblance between Maxwell and NBA star Jamaal. With that said, let's look at the seven worst team names in NBA history, starting it off with a team who made a move just a few seasons ago. pandas expand column of lists into rows, With Cleveland, Jerry West is still considered one of the great power forwards in NBA.. Julius Ervine - Dr. J, the Doctor 2 Seven NBA championships with Rockets! Name will give your team a competitive advantage over others, we make an exception 2012-present ):... 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Billy Cunningham earned his nickname in college at Louisiana Tech because he always delivered some great names above example examine! - a team that loves to chug a few beers together 10 Michigan! Such names skills might be Vinsanity opted instead to join the rival ABAs Spirits of St. Louis art.. That way has superstar Kevin Durant to thank for his favorite big shot two on the court his... Ervine - Dr. J, the Doctor 2 an all-around talent who led the league in both scoring and in! Come to the right spot if youre looking for great Basketball team name 1991... Selections are Slam Dunk Millionaires, Swish Kebabs, America Runs on Dunking and! In 1986 NBA champion with both the 76ers and Lakers, Chamberlain was inducted into the Hall! A shot from his Rookie season when asked for his nickname as a three-time MVP, Bird inducted!