Some Amazing Nicknames from the NBA History

Be it MLB, NFL, or NBA— sports players have got some amazing nicknames and that for different reasons. Every year some new names come up & gain traction. Won’t that be FUN to look at some of the great nicknames of the NBA players in history? In this post, we’re going to bring back the memories of some of the most popular, amusing & memorable nicknames in NBA history. These nicknames directly relate to the greatness & power they have had displayed through their careers. 

There have been stars in NBA history like in all other sports whose power to play spectacular games could not be defined by simply their birth names. For a superstar like Earvin Johnson— the name could not have been enough to define his basketball skills. During the history of the NBA, there have been a huge number of nicknames around— most of which have pretty succinctly described their great sports. Check out this list of the 10 best NBA nicknames of all time. Here we go:

10 best NBA nicknames of all time

Air Jordan— Michael Jordan

Some people might not find “Air Jordan'' interesting enough for someone with the real name Michael Jordan, but yeah that perfectly defined his sports. The dunk champion was popularly known for his games where he would sly through the air — and the Jumpman logo is still popular. The man with this pitch-perfect nickname would be known for his five-six NBA championships that he won while playing with the Chicago Bulls over the course of his career. 

Magic— Earvin Johnson

“Magic”, the nickname even superseded the actual name, Earvin Johnson— we can count on fingers the name of people who called the superstar player Earvin. Most people around him call him Magic Johnson and that is the name he has been called since he becomes a popular NBA player. Jonson is magical— be it on the ground or off ground and the nickname is perfect for a crazy player like Johnson. And, many basketball fans don’t even realize that — MAGIC is a nickname. The former Lakers player just created magic on the court and was probably the best point guard. 

The Dream— Hakeem Olajuwon

Nigeria-born basketball champ Hakeem Olajuwon was popular with one of the dreamiest names— The Dream. Olajuwon was one of the first foreign players to have found his place in the team for his great game. He was called “Dream” for his amazing footwork, which made his every game look so graceful on the court. The Dream player, during his Hall of Fame career, won two NBA championships. Call dream and people will know you are talking about Hakeem, Akeem whatever you call. 

The Black Mamba— Kobe Bryant

Bryant was one of the most brilliant fourth-quarter assassins after the retirement of Jordan. Injuries kept coming on his way to becoming one of the assets of the team and that is why he was called “The Black mamba” of the team. It was Bryant who gave himself this nickname and that was so much more than just a nickname— he created this name to fight through the darkest phase of his life. Black Mamba was a part of his fight through everything happening in his life off the court during the period of 2003 and 2004. In one of the documentaries, Bryant says, "I went from a person who was at the top of his game, had everything coming, to a year later, having absolutely no idea where life is going or if you are even going to be a part of life as we all know it.”

The Answer— Allen Iverson

For all his off-the-court issues, he was often called by his friends in high school as “the answer”. His personality was like too-cool for high school! After being inducted into the NBA, the only tattoo he has had was that of a bulldog, and that read “The Answer”. He was the number one pick for the Philadelphia 76ers, won the rookie of the year, and went on to become the MVP, leading the Sixers to the Finals & much more— in a nutshell, he literally became the answer to all the questions for his team. The nickname was suitable for a guy who simply gave an altogether different direction to NBA, the game.