List of nicknames in basketball

This is a list of nicknames in the sport of basketball. Most are related to professional basketball, although a few notable nicknames from the U.S. college game are included.

Players

A

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – "The Captain", "Captain Hook",
Edrice Adebayo – "Bam" "The Onomatopoeia"
Ray Allen – "Ray Ray", "Sugar Ray", "Jesus Shuttlesworth"
Rafer Alston – "Skip To My Lou"
Chris Andersen – "Birdman"
Anthony Anderson – "Double A"
Greg Anderson – "Cadillac"
Giannis Antetokounmpo – "Greek Freak", "The Alphabet"
Carmelo Anthony – "Melo", "Captain America", "The Patriot", "Hoodie Melo"
Nate Archibald – "Tiny"
Gilbert Arenas – "Agent Zero", "The Hibachi", "Black President", "Nacho", "Gil", "High-Noon", "The Gambler"
Trevor Ariza – "Cobra", "Switchblade", "Athreeza"
Paul Arizin – "Pitchin' Paul"
Stacey Augmon – "Plastic Man"

B

Ken Bannister – "The Manimal"
Andrea Bargnani – "Il Mago"
Charles Barkley – "Chuck", "The Round Mound of Rebound", "Sir Charles", "Prince Charles", "Leaning Tower of Pizza", "Pillsbury Dough Boy", "The Human Refrigerator", "The Flying Coke Machine", "The Crisco Kid", "Boy Gorge"
Harrison Barnes – "The Black Falcon",
Jim Barnes – "Bad News"
Marvin Barnes – "Bad News"
Scottie Barnes – ”Scottier Barney”, ”The Acoustic”
Dick Barnett – "Fall Back Baby"
Brent Barry – "Bones"
Jerry Baskerville – "Hound"
Bradley Beal – "Big Panda"
Alfred Beard – "Butch"
Michael Beasley – "B-Easy" "Big Mike", "Super Cool Beas"
Marco Belinelli – "Beli"
Walt Bellamy – "Bells"
Chauncey Billups – "Mr. Big Shot"
Larry Bird – "The Great White Hope" "The Hick from French Lick", "Larry Legend", "Uncle Larry"
Bismack Biyombo – "Bizzy Bo", "The Acrobatic from the Democratic " "BB-8", "Biznation", "Big Bizness"
Daron Blaylock – "Mookie"
Eric Bledsoe – "The Bledshow"
Tyrone Bogues – "Muggsy"
Devin Booker – "Book", "D-Book"
Chris Bosh – "CB4", "The Boshtrich",
Chris Boucher – "Slimm Duck"
Bill Bradley – "Dollar Bill", "The Secretary of State", "Mr. President"
Shawn Bradley – "The Enormous Mormon"
Mikal Bridges – "The Warden" "Brooklyn Bridges"
Jon Brockman – "The Brockness Monster"
Fred Brown – "Downtown Freddie"
Joe Bryant – "Jellybean"
Kobe Bryant – "Black Mamba", "KB-24", "Vino"
Jimmy Butler – "Jimmy Buckets", "Jimmy Jordan"
D. J. Burns- The "Buuuuurn", "Big Boy", "Beast Boy"

C

Joe Caldwell – "Pogo", "Jumping Joe"
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – "KCP"
Brian Cardinal – "The Custodian"
Antoine Carr – "Big Dawg"
Joe Barry Carroll –"Joe Barely Cares", "Just Barely Carroll"
Vince Carter – "Vinsanity", "Old Man Vince", "Air Canada", "Half Man Half Amazing", "VC"
Michael Carter-Williams – MCW
Alex Caruso – "The Bald Mamba", "Carushow"
Sam Cassell – "Sam I Am", "The Space-man"
Wilt Chamberlain – "Wilt the Stilt", "The Big Dipper"
Derrick Chievous – "Band-Aid"
Nathaniel Clifton – "Sweetwater"
Craig Claxton – "Speedy"
Vernal Coles – "Bimbo"
Mike Conley - "Bite Bite"
DeMarcus Cousins – "Boogie"
Bob Cousy – "The Houdini of the Hardwood", "Cooz"
Forrest Cox – "Frosty"
Jamal Crawford – "J Crossover", "Crawssover Crawford" "L.A.'s Dance Instructor", "Mr And-One"
Billy Cunningham – "Kangaroo Kid"
Stephen Curry – "Splash Brothers", "Baby-Faced Assassin", "Chef Curry", "Steph", "The Golden Boy"

D

Bob Dandridge – "Bobby D"
Dyson Daniels - "The Great Barrier Thief"
Anthony Davis - "Brow", "AD", "Glass", "Day-to-day Davis"
Mel Davis – "Killer"
Glen Davis – "Big Baby", "Uno-Uno"
Ricky Davis – "Ricky Buckets", "Get Buckets", Grits 'N Gravy, Wrong Rim Ricky
Walter Davis – "The Greyhound", "The Candyman", "Sweet D" and "The Man with the Velvet Touch"
Darryl Dawkins – "Chocolate Thunder"
Dewayne Dedmon – "The Mechanic"
Matthew Dellavedova – "Delly" "The Curry Stopper"
DeMar DeRozan – "Deebo"
Dimitris Diamantidis – "3D"
Boris Diaw – "Tea Time"
Luka Dončić – "Luka Magic", "The Don", "Devin Booker's father"
Luguentz Dort – "Dorture Chamber", "Dortress"
Clyde Drexler – "Clyde the Glide"
Goran Dragic – "The Dragon", "Gold Dragon"
Andre Drummond – "Big Penguin"
Tim Duncan – "The Big Fundamental", "Slam Duncan", "Old Man Riverwalk", "Twin Towers"
Kevin Durant – "KD", "Durantula", "The Servant", "Slim Reaper", "Easy Money Sniper", "Snake"

E

Anthony Edwards – "Ant-Man", "Ant"
Theodore Edwards – "Blue"
Pervis Ellison – "Never Nervous Pervis", "Out of Service Pervis"
Joel Embiid – "The Process", a self-adopted nickname from a rebuilding process of the 76ers pushed by Sam Hinkie
Julius Erving – "Dr. J", The Doctor
Patrick Ewing – "The Beast of the East"

F

Derek Fisher – "D-Fish"
Eric Floyd – "Sleepy"
De'Aaron Fox – "Swipa"
Clarence Francis – "Bevo"
Steve Francis – "Stevie Franchise"
Walt Frazier – "Clyde"
James Taft Fredette – "Jimmer", "The Lonely Master", "Jimo Dashen", "The Lonely God"
Lloyd Bernard Free – "World", "World B. Free", "The Prince of Midair"
Markelle Fultz – "Quick Wash"

G

Aaron Gordon – "Air Gordon",
Dan Gadzuric – "The Flying Dutchman",
Harry Gallatin – "The Horse"
Danilo Gallinari – "Il Gallo", "The Rooster"
Kevin Garnett – "Big Ticket", "KG", "The Kid"
Marc Gasol – "Big Spain", "The Big Burrito"
Paul George – "PG-13", "Young Trece", "Playoff P", "Podcast P", "Pandemic P"
George Gervin – "The Iceman", "Iceberg Slim", just "Ice"
Daniel Gibson – "Boobie"
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – "SGA" "Mr. Buy 2 Get 1 Free"
Armen Gilliam – "The Hammer"
Artis Gilmore – "A Train"
Manu Ginóbili – "The Magician", "Gino", "El Contusione", "Manudona"
George Glamack – "The Blind Bomber".
Rudy Gobert – "The Stifle Tower", "The French Rejection"
Ben Gordon – "Madison Square Gordon"
Marcin Gortat – "The Polish Hammer"
Travis Grant – "Machine Gun"
Draymond Green "Day-Day", "The Dancing Bear", "Dray"
Jeff Green – "Iron Man", "Uncle Jeff",
Darrell Griffith – "Dr. Dunkenstein"
Robert Gruenig – "Ace"
Tom Gugliotta – "Googs",

H

Harold Hairston – "Happy"
Tyrese Haliburton - "The Haliban"
Richard Hamilton – "Rip"
Tom Hammonds – "The Terminator"
Anfernee Hardaway – "Penny"
Tyler Hansbrough – "Psycho T"
James Harden – "The Beard", "El Chapo"
Tobias Harris – "Tobi & Bobi"
Isaiah Hartenstein – "Hartenstein's Monster"
Connie Hawkins – "The Hawk"
Udonis Haslem – "U.D."
John Havlicek – "Hondo"
Elvin Hayes – "The Big E", "E"
Tommy Heinsohn – "Ack Ack", "Tommy Gun", "Heinie",
Juan Hernangómez – "Juancho", "Bo Cruz", "Cruz Missile"
Tyler Herro – "Baby Goat", "Boy Wonder"
Mario Hezonja – "Super Mario"
Buddy Hield – "Buddy Love"
Grant Hill – "G", "G-money"
Darnell Hillman – "Dr. Dunk"
Fred Hoiberg – "The Mayor"; given to him by his Iowa State teammates because of his extraordinary popularity in the school's home city of Ames, Iowa, where he was raised
Lionel Hollins – " L-Train"
Chet Holmgren – "Big Oxtail", "Abraham Lincoln"
William Holzman – "Red"
Robert Horry – "Big Shot Rob" or "Big Shot Bob"
Dwight Howard – "Superman", "Foul on You",, "D12"
Kevin Huerter – "Red Velvet"
Rodney Hundley – "Hot Rod"
Nah'Shon Hyland "Bones"

I

Serge Ibaka – "I-block-a", "Serge Protector", "Air Congo"
Andre Iguodala – "Iggy"
Zydrunas Ilgauskas – "Big Z"
Ersan İlyasova – "Turkish Thunder", "Ghostface Ilya"
Brandon Ingram – "B.I.", "Sleepy Reaper"
Kyrie Irving – "Uncle Drew", "Kyriediculous", "The Ankletaker"
Jonathan Isaac – "The Minister of Defense"
Allen Iverson – "A.I.", "The Answer", "Bubba Chuck", "Steven John Ray the Third"

J

LeBron James – "King James", "The King", "The Chosen One", " L-Train", "LBJ" "The Akron Hammer", "Bron Bron" "Unc"
Earvin Johnson – "Magic", "Buck", "E.J."
Gus Johnson – "Honeycomb"
Joe Johnson – "Iso Joe"
Larry Johnson – "Grandmama" "LJ"
Vinnie Johnson – "The Microwave"
Nikola Jokić – "Joker"
Isaiah Joe – "Strokin’ Joe", "Zai"
Damon Jones – "The World's Greatest Shooter"
Ronald Jones – "Popeye"
Sam Jones – "Sad Sam"
Michael Jordan – "Air Jordan", "His Airness", "MJ", "The G.O.A.T", "The Black Cat"

K

Greg Kelser – "Special K"
Shawn Kemp – "The Reignman" "The Family Man"
John Graham Kerr – "Red"
Jason Kidd – "J-Kidd"
Andrei Kirilenko – "AK47"
Dalton Knecht – "Kneckt 4"
Kon Knueppel – "The Konman"
Furkan Korkmaz – "Furk the Turk"
Toni Kukoc – "Croatian Sensation", "The Waiter", "Euro-Magic"
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – "MKG"
Jonathan Kuminga – "The Kum Bucket"

L

Trajan Langdon – "The Alaskan Assassin"
Meadow George Lemon – "Meadowlark"
Lafayette Lever – "Fat"
Kawhi Leonard – "The Claw", "Sugar K"
Meyers Leonard – "Meyers Legend"
Nancy Lieberman – "Lady Magic"
Damian Lillard – "Dame Dolla", "Sub Zero", "Logo Lillard", "Dame Time"
Jeremy Lin – "Linsanity"
Jim Loscutoff – "Jungle Jim",
Brook Lopez – "Splash Mountain"
Robin Lopez – "RoLo"
Bob Love – "Butterbean"

M

Ed Macauley – "Easy", "Easy Ed"
Mark Madsen – "Mad Dog"
Dan Majerle – "Thunder Dan"
Karl Malone – "The Mailman", "The Nasty Man", "Mr. 13"
Moses Malone – "Chairman of the Boards"
Earl Manigault – "The Goat"
Pete Maravich – "Pistol Pete"
Stephon Marbury – "Starbury"
Boban Marjanović – "Bobi & Tobi"
Kenyon Martin – "K-Mart"
Shawn Marion – "The Matrix"
Wesley Matthews – "Iron Man"
Cedric Maxwell – "Cornbread"
Luc Mbah a Moute "The Prince", "Moute Kicks Boute"
Xavier McDaniel – "The X-Man";
Antonio McDyess – "Dice"
Jon McGlocklin – "Jonny Mac"
Tracy McGrady – "T-Mac"
Dick McGuire – "Tricky Dick",
Kevin McHale – "Herman Munster", "The Black Hole"
Dean Meminger – "The Dream"
Sam Merrill- "Money Merrill" "Sammy Buckets"
Jordan Mickey – J-Mick
Darko Miličić – "The Human Victory Cigar", because his court appearances were at the end of routs. The first to have this nickname was Stojko Vranković.
Reggie Miller – "The Knick Killer"
Malik Milton – "Shake"
George Mikan – "Mr. Basketball", "The Big Number"
Harold Miner – "Baby Jordan"
Bill Mlkvy – "The Owl without a Vowel"
Donovan Mitchell – "Spida"
Sidney Moncrief – "Sid the Squid", "Sir Sid", "El Sid"
Earl Monroe – "Black Magic", "Earl the Pearl", "Black Jesus"
Greg Monroe – "Moose"
E'Twaun Moore – "Uncle E"
Mario Morales - "Quijote"
Ja Morant - "G12", "Ja Warrant" "Ja Wick" "Ja Dropper"
Marcus Morris – "Mook"
Alonzo Mourning – "Zo"
Charles Murphy – "Stretch"
Jamal Murray – "The Blue Arrow"
Dikembe Mutombo – "Mt. Mutombo"

N

Steve Nash – "Hair Canada"
Fred Neal – "Curly"
Jameer Nelson – "Mighty Mouse", "Crib Midget"
Dirk Nowitzki – "Tall Baller From The G", "Dirty", "The German Racecar", "Bavarian Bomber", "Dirk Diggler", "The Berlin Tall", "German Wunderkind", "Dirk Savage", "The Germinator", "The Big German"
Jusuf Nurkić – "The Bosnian Beast"
Frank Ntilikina – "The French Prince"

O

Jahlil Okafor – "Jah", "Big J", "Little Sully"
Lamar Odom – "The Candy Man", L.O
Mehmet Okur – "Memo", "The Moneyman"
Shaquille O'Neal – "Shaq", "Shaq Daddy", "Diesel", "The Big Aristotle", "Superman", "MDE", "The Big Maravich", "The Big Fella", "The Big Shaqtus", "Shaq Attack" "The Shnaq"
Jermaine O'Neal – "J.O"
Hakeem Olajuwon – "The Dream"
Michael Olowokandi – "Kandi Man"
Jose Ortiz - "Piculin"
Kelly Oubre Jr. – "Wave Papi"

P

Smush Parker – "Scrub"
Robert Parish – "The Chief"
Ruben Patterson – "The Kobe Stopper"
Chris Paul – "CP3", "The Point God"
Billy Paultz – "The Whopper"
Gary Payton – "GP", "The Glove"
Gary Payton II – "The Mitten"
Sam Perkins – "Big Smooth", "Sleepy Sam"
Elliot Perry – "Socks"
Chuck Person – "The Rifleman".
Paul Pierce – "The Truth"
Ricky Pierce – "Big Paper Daddy"
Jim Pollard – "Kangaroo Kid"
Kevin Porter – "Little Drummer Boy"
Kristaps Porziņģis – "KP", "Unicorn", "Tingus Pingus"
Vitaly Potapenko – "Ukraine Train"
Joel Przybilla – "Vanilla Gorilla"

R

Julius Randle – "The Black Panther", "Beyblade"
Zach Randolph – "Z-Bo"
Austin Reaves – "Hillbilly Kobe", "AR-15"
Paul Reed – "BBall Paul"
Bryant Reeves – "Big Country"
Jerome Richardson – "Pooh"
Mitch Richmond – "The Rock"
Mike Riordan – "Rags"
Rajon Rondo – "Johnny", "Swag", "Fedex", "Chris Paul"
Glenn Rivers – "Doc"
David Robinson – "The Admiral"
Glenn Robinson – "Big Dog"
Len Robinson – "Truck"
Nate Robinson – "KryptoNate"
Oscar Robertson – "The Big O"
Dennis Rodman – "The Worm"
Sergio Rodríguez -"El Chacho"
Wayne Rollins – "Tree"
Derrick Rose – "D-Rose", "Windy City Assassin"
Brandon Roy – "The Natural"
Terry Rozier – "Scary Terry"
D'Angelo Russell – "DLo"
Bill Russell – "Russ"

S

Arvydas Sabonis – "Sabas"
Domantas Sabonis – "Sabas Jr.", "Domas"
John Salley – "Spider"
Tom Sanders – "Satch" or "Satch Sanders"
Brian Scalabrine – "The White Mamba"
Oscar Schmidt – "Mão Santa"
Sofoklis Schortsanitis – "Baby Shaq", "Big Sofo"
Luis Scola – "Ice Cream Man"
Jon Scheyer – "The Jewish Jordan"
Detlef Schrempf – Det The Threat"
Dennis Scott – "3D"
Collin Sexton – "Young Bull"
Iman Shumpert – "Shump"
Pascal Siakam – "Spicy P"
Ralph Siewert – "Sky", and later "Timber"
James Silas – "Captain Late", "The Snake", "The Late Mr. Silas"
Jonathon Simmons – "Juice"
Henry Sims – "Lickface"
Ben Simmons – "Fresh Prince", "Big Ben", "Ben 10"
Marcus Smart – "The Cobra"
Bobby Smith – "Bingo"
Craig Smith – "Rhino"
Josh Smith – "J-Smoove"
Kenny Smith – "The Jet"
J. R. Smith – "JR Swish"
Larry Smith – "Mr. Mean"
Rik Smits – "The Flying Dutchman" or "The Dunkin' Dutchman"
Vassilis Spanoulis – "Kill Bill", "V-Span"
Marreese Speights – "Mo' Buckets"
Latrell Sprewell – "Spree"
Dave Stallworth – "The Rave"
Nik Stauskas – "Sauce Castillo"
Lance Stephenson – "Born Ready"
Isaiah Stewart – "Beef Stew"
Maurice Stokes – "Big Mo"
Amar'e Stoudemire – "STAT"
Predrag Stojakovic – "Peja"
Jerry Stackhouse – "Stack", "House"

T

Jayson Tatum – "The Anomaly"ˆ
Reece Tatum – "Goose"
Jason Terry – "JET"
Isaiah Thomas – "IT"
Isiah Thomas – "Zeke", "Cuts", "The Baby-Faced Assassin"
Kurt Thomas – "Mid Life", "Dirty Kurt", "Big Sexy"
David Thompson – "The Skywalker"
Klay Thompson – "Splash Brothers", "Game 6 Klay"
Sedale Threatt – "The Thief"
Andrew Toney – "The Boston Strangler"
Karl-Anthony Towns – "KAT", "Special-K", "The Big Meow"
Robert Traylor – "Tractor Traylor"
Melvin Turpin – "Golden Arches"

V

Jonas Valančiūnas – "JV", "Lithuanian Lightning"
Denzel Valentine – "Zel"
Nick Van Exel – "Nasty Nick", "Nick Van Excellent", "Nick the Quick"
Anderson Varejão – "Wild Thing"
Stojko Vranković – "Human Victory Cigar", because he played at the end of blowout games where Red Auerbach would light his cigar.
Dick Van Arsdale – "The Original Sun"
Nikola Vučević – "Vooch"

W

Dwyane Wade – "D-Wade", "Flash"
Kemba Walker – "Cardiac Kemba"
Ben Wallace – "Big Ben"lou
Gerald Wallace – "Crash", "G-Force"
Rasheed Wallace – "Sheed"
Anthony Jerome Webb – "Spud"
Chris Webber – "C-Webb"
Victor Wembanyama - "Wemby", "Alien"
Jerry West – "Mr. Clutch", "The Logo"
Russell Westbrook – "Brodie", "Beastbrook"
Derrick White – "The Buffalo", "D-White"
Andrew Wiggins –Maple Jordan"
Dominique Wilkins – "The Human Highlight Film"
Jamaal Wilkes – "Silk"
Deron Williams – "D-Will"
Jalen Williams – "J-Dub"
Jason Williams – "White Chocolate"
Jaylin Williams – "Jay Will", "Boom"
John Williams – "Hot Rod"
Jerome Williams – "Junkyard Dog"
John Sam Williams – "Hot Plate"
Kenrich Williams – "Kenny Hustle"
Lou Williams – "Sweet Lou"
Robert Williams – "Time Lord"
Corliss Williamson – "Big Nasty"
James Worthy – "Big Game James", "Clever"

Y

Guerschon Yabusele – "The Dancing Bear"
Yao Ming – "Ming Dynasty", "Chairman Yao", "Shaquie Chan", "The Great Wall of China"
Nick Young – "Swaggy P", "Uncle P", "Bean Burrito"
Trae Young – "Ice Trae"

Z

Max Zaslofsky – "Slats"

Coaches

Arnold Auerbach – "Red"
Mike Budenholzer - "Coach Bud"
Forrest Cox – "Frosty", "Forrest Grump"
Chuck Daly – "Daddy Rich"
Clarence Gaines – "Big House"
Fred Hoiberg – "The Mayor"
William Holzman – "Red"
Dan Issel – "The Horse"
Phil Jackson – "Zen Master"
Alvin Julian – "Doggie"
Mike Krzyzewski – "Coach K"
Ward Lambert – "Piggy"
Joe Mazzulla - "Psycho Joe"
Don Nelson – "Nellie"
Gregg Popovich – "Pop"
Pat Riley – "Riles"
Glenn Rivers – "Doc"
Erik Spoelstra – "Spo"
Tom Thibodeau - "Thibs"
John Wooden – "The Wizard of Westwood"
Rick Carlisle – "Flipper"

Teams

Locations

Air Canada Centre – "The Hangar", "Jurassic Park"
American Airlines Center – "The Hangar"
American Airlines Arena – "Triple-A"
Gainbridge Fieldhouse – "The Fieldhouse"
Charlotte Coliseum – "The Hive"
Chase Center – "The Gatehouse"
Chesapeake Energy Arena – "Loud City"
Chicago Stadium – "The Madhouse on Madison "
Crypto.com Arena – "The Crypt"
FedExForum – "The Grindhouse"
Alico Arena – Dunk City
Human Performance Center – "Chamber of Horrors"
Izod Center – "The Meadowlands", "The Swamp"
Key Arena – "The Key"
Madison Square Garden – "MSG", "The Mecca", "The Garden"
Quicken Loans Arena – "The Q"
Pepsi Center – "The Can"
Philips Arena – "The Highlight Factory"
TD Garden, Boston Garden – "The Garden"
Time Warner Cable Arena – "The Cable Box"
United Center – "The UC", "Madhouse on Madison", "The House that Jordan Built"
US Airways Center – "The Purple Palace"
Verizon Center – "The Phone Booth"

List of nicknames in basketball

Players

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

V

W

Y

Z

Coaches

Teams

College

Professional

International

Locations