In the NBA, many players are often associated with famous nicknames. This further increases the recognition of the players, even being so closely associated with them that many people do not even remember the real names of the legends in the most prestigious arena in the world.
In this article, The Okada Manila will provide you with information about some famous nicknames in the NBA.
The most famous nicknames of NBA players: Magic, Big Ben, Chef, Greek Freak…
Magic – Earvin Johnson
Magic Johnson is one of the greatest legends in the NBA. He is considered the best ball-dribbling defender in history, associated with the Los Angeles Lakers during the Showtime period and the time when he was a rival to Larry Bird.
The nickname “Magic” was given to him by a scout after witnessing a game of 36 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists when he was just 15 years old. Later, the name Magic Johnson became so popular that many people forgot that Earvin was his real name.
Chef – Stephen Curry
This is the nickname used for Stephen Curry, the greatest 3-point shooter in NBA history. Curry’s nickname “Chef” comes from his close friend, famous male rapper Drake. In 2014, the rapper released a single with Curry’s wife Ayesha. That work is called “Chef Curry With The Pot”. The song became famous at that time and attracted great attention. The clip of Ayesha and Curry dancing to the music of this song has attracted millions of views on YouTube.
However, Stephen Curry later confessed that the word Chef was originally used to refer to his wife. However, the speed at which this confusion spread was so fast that “Chef” became associated with the name of Stephen Curry.
The Answer – Allen Iverson
This is the nickname associated with the name of Allen Iverson, one of the greatest titleless legends in the NBA. He is the one who brought the wild playing style of street basketball to the NBA, as well as being the pioneer of the hip-hop trend and asserting his ego through costumes, clothes and other things. Stylized hairstyle for future generations of players.
In 1996, the NBA faced a big question, who would be the face of the tournament once the legendary generation of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird or Michael Jordan retired. Close friend Jamil Blackmoon blurted out that All Iverson is the “answer” to the questions that many people have been waiting for. Allen Iverson really liked this idea, and the nickname “The Answer” officially stuck with him from that point on.
Greek Freak – Giannis Antetokounmpo
This is the nickname associated with Giannis Antetokounmpo. The birth of this nickname is because Giannis is a Greek player, as well as the homophone “freak” which describes his body shape, physical strength and explosive, skillful and flexible playing style. The action of the 2m11 tall player, something the NBA has never seen before.
At first, Giannis Antetokounmpo did not like this nickname, but he gradually accepted it as the Greek identity runs in his blood.
Vinsanity – Vince Carter
Vince Carter was the player selected 5th in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, and then was traded to the Toronto Raptors. In Canada, he has built a reputation thanks to his explosive playing style, impressive scoring ability and extremely strong, powerful dunks with very high difficulty, even in performance competitions such as Slam Dunk Contest.
Vinsanity is a nickname combining Vince Carter’s name with the word Insanity, which means madness and impressiveness.
The Process – Joel Embiid
This is the nickname associated with Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers. In the summer of 2014, the Philadelphia 76ers faced an opportunity to rebuild the team after a long period of disappointing performance. They chose Joel Embiid, with the belief that this will be the central player for the process of reviving the team.
Joel Embiid spent his early years struggling with injuries, before exploding to become one of the world’s top players. The 76ers’ choice was right in terms of personnel, but since that time, they haven’t even made it to the NBA Finals.
Big Ben – Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace was one of the famous striker/center players in the NBA in the late 90s and early 2000s. He stood out during his time playing for the Detroit Pistons, bringing home the NBA championship title in 2004 as well as being voted “Best Defensive Player of the Year” four times.
With the name Ben, this player was given the nickname “Big Ben”, related to England’s famous clock tower. They consider Ben Wallace to be a symbol of authority in the area under the basket because of his incredible height and strength in the NBA.
The Worm – Dennis Rodman
Like Ben Wallace, Dennis Rodman is a player with no attacking ability. However, his amazing physical ability, fiery playing style and superior basketball IQ helped him become one of the greatest rebounders in NBA history. Even Dennis Rodman’s image was used to create the character Hanamichi Sakuragi in the famous comic book Slam Dunk.
Dennis Rodman has been nicknamed The Worm since childhood, when he liked to squirm and wiggle his body on the practice field like a worm. This nickname has been associated with Dennis Rodman throughout his career.
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