Welcome back for the second edition of The Quick Report. You can view the first part of my Best NBA Nicknames blog in my archive. For this round I’ve selected six more cool NBA nicknames to throw at you. As I stated before, this blog happens to be apart of a three blog series. You should expect part III on Monday evening. Though, for now, let’s see what part two has to offer.
“Flash” – Dwyane Wade
In the last two NBA seasons I don’t think anyone could really still call Dwyane Wade “Flash” but as many of us have noticed, the nickname has come back to it’s full worth in Beijing. Dwyane Wade’s ability to find seams in the defense and snake his way to the rim at lightning quick speeds is really awe inspiring. One moment Wade is in front of you and in a flash he’s just hit a reverse lay-up on your basket.
“Earl the Pearl” – Earl Monroe
Many basketball historians credit Earl Monroe with being the player that inspired the over the top nicknames we see today. Oscar Robertson may have been “The Big O” and Jerry West was certainly “Mr. Clutch” but none of those have the flare of “Earl the Pearl.” “The Pearl” is a nickname that is a remnant of a time when basketball became not just a game, but a marvelous show as well.
“Magic” – Earvin Johnson
I’ve decided not to rank these nicknames because I feel that just isn’t need, but if one were to rank the greatest nicknames in NBA history, what would be #1? I don’t think I want to venture an answer, but Earvin Johnson’s hold on the word “Magic” would have to be very high. No one knows the greatest point guard in NBA history by any other name than “Magic.” Magic Johnson isn’t really even nickname. It’s who the player/legend is.
“The Diesel” – Shaquille O’Neal
Out of the many, many nicknames Shaq has given himself I like “The Diesel” the best. When he was at his best, Shaq was arguably the most dominant player in history. The only way you could combat his size and strength was to foul him and hope he missed his free throws. “The Diesel” brings to mind thoughts of something massive and overwhelming. When he was in his prime, that’s exactly what Shaquille O’Neal was.
“The Black Mamba” – Kobe Bryant
I struggled with whether to include this one or not. “The Black Mamba” is named after a really deadly snake, but it’s also taken from a movie, Kill Bill, where the character of the same name is a female assassin. That’s kind of an odd choice for a male basketball player looking for a badass nickname, but it works. I don’t think anyone who watched Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals last season could argue that Kobe Bryant is extremely fatal to the opposition.
“Penny” – Anfernee Hardaway
“Penny” was to Anfernee Hardaway what “Magic” was Earvin Johnson. No one after 1993 called this guy Anfernee. He was Penny Hardaway. His career may have been derailed due to injury, but this guy is still Penny Hardaway. The best nicknames aren’t the ones the commentators use when a player puts on a game highlight. The best nicknames are the ones that stick.
Check back Monday for Part III. Until then check out the site I linked to below. It’s pretty cool.
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See you all Monday!
The Quick Report 