Coolest NBA Nicknames Of All Time

Basketball is one of those sports where it has become a tradition to give nicknames to the players. Without a nickname, a basketball player doesn’t even seem like a professional athlete. These nicknames emphasize the players’ uniqueness and story, but at the same time, they make them more approachable, bridging the gap between athletes and fans. In this article, you can read about the coolest NBA nicknames!

Michael, aka Michael Jordan

Who else to begin with? The greatest basketball player of all time had several nicknames, but the most famous was not an original or apt one. They called him Air Jordan, but it was Nike’s idea rather than the fans' or the media's. He earned the name due to his spectacular acrobatic maneuvers. People called him MJ too, which obviously comes from his initials, though we have quite a few celebrities with the same initial. The next name sounds much better! The fans started calling him His Airness! It certainly sounds like one of the coolest NBA nicknames, does it not?  Since he was the king of slam dunks from the free-throw line and could leap into the air like no other, this nickname seems the most suitable. His other nicknames include Black Cat, The Jumpman, and Magic Jordan. You can check them all out at online sportsbook sites in the US! However, he achieved something during his career that no one could! He did not need a nickname. When people started to chant Michael, even if every player were called the same, everyone would know who they meant! 

The Worm, aka Dennis Rodman

Rodman’s nickname was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Anyone who thinks that some angry opponent called him worm is wrong because his mother gave him the nickname. Get ready for the cutest story! When Rodman was a kid, he played pinball a lot, squirming and wiggling like a worm. Then, as the years went by, he lived up to his nickname on the basketball court as well, as he became a ruthless player. He was not afraid of playing dirty and actually enjoyed playing mind games with his opponents, driving them crazy.  He was a movie star, wrestler, showman, ambassador, rebel, weirdo, and basketball player. Many professional players come from the same background as Rodman. His father left him, his mother, and two sisters. He was extremely close to his mother, who preferred her daughters. His sisters were popular and talented, unlike Rodman, who was not skillful or had an athletic body. He was closed off and a loner, so he was an easy target for the bullies. Since he was not a good enough player after high school, he did odd jobs until he got an ultimate from his mother. She wanted him to do something productive, or he had to leave. He did not believe his mother, but soon he found himself homeless. Since he grew 20 centimeters in a year, growing 201 centimeters high, he tried basketball again. After a few challenging years at college, he got drafted into the NBA by the Detroit Pistons. He was unstoppable, making the game hell for his opponents. He could stop or at least hold back the players on the other teams in almost any position. He always gave 100% on the court, even if he played like a worm!

Coolest NBA nicknames of all time

Hakeem the Dream Olajuwon and Clyde the Glide Drexler were two players who had much in common. They played together at the University of Huston, then became professional players on the same team, the Houston Rockets, where they also won a championship together. They both got catchy rhyming nicknames. Hakeem earned his due to his smooth playing style, it was like a dream, and Clyde got his because he glided through the opposing defenders as if he was skating.

Coolest NBA nicknames - White Chocolate

There was a time when the most entertaining team in the NBA was not in Minnesota or Phoenix but in Sacramento. Jason Williams got the nickname White Chocolate from the Sacramento Kings’ media relations assistant Stephanie Shepard. She called him that because of his playing style, though one would expect a more complicated story behind the name. They added that since he was a white player and his game had been called sweet, the name seemed on point!

Magic, aka Earvin Johnson

He is the king of nicknames. Johnson’s nickname was so on point and apt that it is hard to believe that outside of the baseball court, he had a normal name as well. The name, Magic, came at 15 when as a sophomore in high school, he contributed to a match with 36 points, 18 rebounds, and 16 assists. A journalist, Fred Stabley, came up with the name. It’s an interesting fact that Earvin’s mother was a very religious lady who considered the nickname sacrilegious. However, it was a perfectly apt name that managed to merge with Johnson!

Coolest NBA nicknames - The Mailman

The Mailman, aka Karl Malone, was another suitable nickname. The funny thing is that any player who did their job well could have earned this nickname, but it stuck to Malone. He got it in college, and thankfully, one of the coolest NBA nicknames went to a worthy player. The Mailman was an Olympic champion, NBA finalist, and Most Valued Player twice. He won the IBM award in 1998 and was a member of the All-NBA First Team eleven times.  Also, he was part of the All-NBA Second Team and Third Team. Hold on; the list still goes on! The Mailman was among the top five Defensive Player of the Year three times, the All-Star team fourteen times, and Malone was also an All-Star MVP two times. You have probably guessed why we called him a worthy player to receive a famous NBA nickname! Check out the NBA players who want to surpass the Mailman’s achievements at 888sport Sportsbook! 

Big Shot Brob, aka Robert Horry

Those who followed the NBA around the 2000s know where Robert Horry got his nickname. Although he never became an All-Star, everyone still remembers him. Horry owns seven NBA championship rings, and only two other players can say the same in the world. The name Brop came from Bill Simmons, who could never decide whether it was Rob or Bob, so he mixed it up, and Big Shot Brob was born.  He gave the best assists in the most important games and was also one of the best rebounders. His name and reputation are mainly due to his ability to withstand the pressure even in the most intense moments of the games. According to online sportsbook sites in the US, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal all loved to be on the same team with him. Since you can't see either of them on the basketball court anymore, here are the top 5 NBA players in 2022-2023!

Click here to try the best odds at 888Sport