List of Sportspeople By Nickname - Basketball

Basketball

• "Ack-Ack" = Tom Heinsohn, American forward-center
• "Action Jackson" = Mark Jackson, American point guard
• "The Admiral" = David Robinson, American center
• "A.I." = Allen Iverson, American shooting guard
• "Agent Zero" = Gilbert Arenas, American point guard
• "Air Canada" = Vince Carter, American forward, during his tenure in Toronto
• "Air France" = Mickaël Piétrus, French basketball player
• "Air Jordan" = Michael Jordan, American shooting guard
• "The Answer" = Allen Iverson, American shooting guard
• "Apollo 33" = Jamario Moon,United States basketball player
• "The A-Train" = Artis Gilmore, American center
• "Baby Jordan" = Harold Miner, American shooting guard (and also twice NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion)
• "P-Diddy" = Patrick Di Primo, Italy basketball power forward
• "Backwards B" = Barrett Johnson, United States basketball player
• "Baddest Bad Boy of them all" = Rick Mahorn, American power forward
• "Basketball Jesus" = Larry Bird, American power forward
• "Batman" = Tony Battie, American center
• "B-Diddy" = Baron Davis, United States basketball player
• "The Beast of the East" = Patrick Ewing, Jamaica-born American center
• "Big Al" = Al Jefferson, American power forward
• "Big Aristotle" = Shaquille O'Neal, American center
• "Big Baby" = Glen Davis, American power forward
• "Big Ben" = Ben Wallace, American center-forward
• "Big Shaqtus" = Shaquille O'Neal, American center
• "Big Country" = Bryant Reeves, American center
• "The Big Dipper" = Wilt Chamberlain, American center
• "Big Dodger" = Wang Zhizhi, CHN center
• "Big Dog" = Glenn Robinson, American power forward
• "The Big E" = Elvin Hayes, American power forward
• "The Big Fundamental" = Tim Duncan, American power forward
• "Big Game James" =
  • James Worthy, American power forward
  • James Posey, American small forward
• "The Big J" = Robert Jaworski, Filipino point guard
• "Big Nasty" = Corliss Williamson, American power forward
• "Big O" = Oscar Robertson, American point guard (and precursor to the modern point forward)
• "Big Red" = Dave Cowens, American center
• "Big Shot Becky" = Becky Hammon, American-Russian point guard
• "Big Shot Bob" or "Big Shot Rob" = Robert Horry, American power forward
• "Big Smooth" = Sam Perkins, American power forward
• "Big Sofo" = Sofoklis Schortsanitis, Greek center
• "The Big Ticket" = Kevin Garnett, United States power forward
• "Big Wang" (Chinese for "Big Zhi") = Wang Zhizhi, Chinese center
• "Big Z" = Žydrūnas Ilgauskas, Lithuanian center
• "Bimbo" = Vernell Coles, United States basketball player
• "Bird" = George Yardley, United States basketball player
• "The Birdman" = Chris Andersen, United States center
• "The Black Hole" =
  • Kevin McHale, United States power forward
  • Nick Young, United States shooting guard
• "The Black Mamba" = Kobe Bryant, United States shooting guard
• "Blue" = Theo Edwards, United States shooting guard
• "Bo" = Charles Outlaw, United States power forward
• "Bonzi" = Gawen Wells, United States shooting guard
• "Boobie" = Daniel Gibson, United States basketball player
• "Boom Boom" = Pau Gasol, power forward/center in the NBA
• "Boom Dizzle" = Baron Davis, United States basketball player
• "Booyacic" = Sasha Vujačić, Slovenian shooting guard
• "The Boston Strangler" = Andrew Toney, United States shooting guard
• "Breezy" = LeBron James, American combo forward
• "The Brazilian Blur" = Leandro Barbosa, Brazilian point guard
• "The Brazilian Bomber" = Jonathan Tavernari, Brazilian guard/forward
• "Bubba Chuck" = Allen Iverson, American shooting guard
• "Buck" = Charles Williams, United States power forward
• "Buckets" = Tony Delk, American guard
• "Buddha" = James Edwards, United States center
• "Buddy" = Harry Jeannette, United States basketball player
• "Bug" = Tim Hardaway, United States point guard
• "Butterbean" = Bob Love, United States power forward
• "Cadillac" = Greg Anderson, United States basketball player
• "Campy" = Michael Russell, United States basketball player
• "The Captain" =
  • Willis Reed, New York Knicks center
  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, United States center
• "Capitan Canada" = Steve Nash, Canadian point guard
• "Captain Clutch" = Acie Law IV, United States point guard
• "Cat" = Cuttino Mobley, United States basketball player
• "CB4" = Chris Bosh, USA power forward
• "Chick" = Francis Hearn, United States basketball announcer (LA Lakers)
• "Chief" = Robert Parish, American center
• "Chocolate Thunder" = Darryl Dawkins, American center
• "The Chuckster" = Charles Barkley, American power forward
• "Chucky" = Clarence Brown, United States power forward
• "Clyde" = Walt Frazier, United States point guard
• "Clyde The Glide" = Clyde Drexler, United States shooting guard
• "Coach K" = Mike Krzyzewski, American coach
• "Connie" = Cornelius Hawkins, American forward
• "Coop" = Michael Cooper, American small forward
• "Cornbread" = Cedric Maxwell, United States basketball power forward
• "Cotton" = Lowell Fitzsimmons, American coach
• "CP3" =
  • Chris Paul, American point guard
  • Candace Parker, American combo forward
• "The Croatian Sensation" = Toni Kukoč, Croatian small forward
• "Curly" = Fred Neal, United States basketball player
• "C-Webb" = Chris Webber, United States power forward
• "D-Fish" =
  • Derek Fisher, United States point guard
  • DJ Fisher, United States point guard and shooting guard
• "Da Zhi" (大郅) (Chinese for "Big Zhi") = Wang Zhizhi, CHN basketball player
• D-Rose = Derrick Rose, United States point guard
• "DJ" =
  • Dennis Johnson, American combo guard
  • Didier Ilunga Mbenga, Congolese center
• "D-Lee" = David Lee, United States power forward
• "D Square" = Dale Davis, United States center
• "D-Wade" = Dwyane Wade, American shooting guard
• "D-Will" = Deron Williams, American point guard
• "Da Kid" = Kevin Garnett, American power forward
• "Le Dac" = Richard Dacoury, French basketball player
• "The Dagger" = Kobe Bryant, American shooting guard
• "Dee" =
  • DeCovan Kadell Brown, United States basketball player
  • Diana Taurasi, American guard
• "Dice Man" = Antonio McDyess, United States power forward
• "Diesel" = Shaquille O'Neal, American center
• "Digger" = Richard Phelps, American coach
• "Doc" =
  • L. J. Cooke, American coach
  • Glenn Rivers, American point guard
• "The Durantula = Kevin Durant
• "Dr. Dunkenstein" = Darrell Griffith, American shooting guard
• "Dr. J" = Julius Erving, American small forward
• "Dr. Rounds" = Dan Roundfield, United States power forward
• "Dollar Bill" = Bill Bradley, American small forward
• "Doug E. Fresh" = Gerald Wilkins, United States shooting guard
• "Downtown" = Fred Brown, American shooting guard
• "The Dream" = Hakeem Olajuwon, Nigerian-American center
• "Dugie" = Slater Martin, United States basketball player
• "The Dunking Dutchman" = Rik Smits, Dutch center
• "Earl The Pearl" = Earl Monroe, United States shooting guard
• "Easy Ed" = Elden Campbell, United States center
• "The Edge" = Edward Stone, United States basketball player
• "EJ6" = Eddie Jones, American shooting guard
• "El Toro" (Spanish, "The Bull") = Doro Plakadopoulos, Greek basketball player
• "Employee Number 8" = Antoine Walker, United States power forward
• "Fast Eddie" = Edward Johnson, Jr., United States basketball player
• "Fat" = Lafayette Lever, United States point guard
• "The Flash" = Dwyane Wade, American shooting guard
• "The Flying A" = Johnny Abarrientos, Filipino point guard
• "Franchise" = Steve Francis, United States point guard
• "Geese" = Hubert Ausbie, United States Harlem Globetrotters basketball player
• "The General" =
  • Horace Grant, American power forward
  • Bob Knight, American coach
• "Gentleman Joe" = Joe Dumars, American shooting guard
• "Ghiza" = Gheorghe Mureşan, Romanian center
• "Ghostface" or "Ghostface 'Billa" = Joel Przybilla, United States center
• "The Glove" = Gary Payton, American point guard
• "The Goat" = Earl Manigault, United States basketball player
• "The Goods" = Lamar Odom, United States basketball player
• "Googs" = Tom Gugliotta, United States power forward
• "Goose" = Reece Tatum, United States basketball player
• "G.P." = Gary Payton, American point guard
• "Grandma-ma" = Larry Johnson, United States power forward
• "Grand Teuton" = Detlef Schrempf, German power forward
• "Greyhound" = Walter Davis, United States shooting guard
• "Half Man, Half Amazing" = Vince Carter, American swingman
• "Hammerin' Hank" = Henry J. Nowak, United States basketball player
• "Hammontime" = Becky Hammon, American-Russian point guard
• "Hap" or "Happy" = Harold Hairston, United States basketball player
• "The Hawk" = Connie Hawkins, United States power forward
• "Hedo" or "Hido" = Hidayet Türkoğlu, Turkish small forward
• "Hibachi" = Gilbert Arenas, American combo guard
• "The Hick From French Lick" = Larry Bird, American power forward
• "The High Ayatolla of Slamola" = Larry Nance, United States power forward
• "His Airness" = Michael Jordan, American shooting guard
• "His Heinous" = Bill Laimbeer, United States center
• "Hondo" = John Havlicek, American small forward
• "Hooch" = Brad Daugherty, American center
• "Horse" =
  • Dan Issel, American forward-center
  • Malik Rose, American power forward
  • Harry Gallatin, American center
• "Hot Plate" = John Williams, American power forward
• "Hot Rod" =
  • Rodney Hundley, American swingman
  • John Williams, American power forward
• "The Houdini of the Hardwood" = Bob Cousy, American point guard
• "The Hoya Destroya" = Patrick Ewing, Jamaica-born American center
• "The Human Highlight Reel" = Dominique Wilkins, American combo forward
• "Iceman" = George Gervin, American shooting guard
• "Iggy" = Andre Iguodala, American small forward
• "J-Chill" = Josh Childress, American small forward
• "J-Ho" = Josh Howard, American small forward
• "J-Kidd" = Jason Kidd, American point guard
• "J.R." =
  • Herman Reid, Jr., United States power forward
  • Isaiah Rider, United States basketball player
  • Earl Smith III, United States basketball player
• "J-Rich" = Jason Richardson, United States basketball player
• "J-Tav" = Jonathan Tavernari, Brazilian basketball player
• "J-Smoove" = Josh Smith, United States basketball player
• "J-Will" = Jason Williams, U.S. point guard
• "The Jambulance" = Blake Griffin, United States power forward
• "Jellybean" = Joe Bryant, United States power forward and WNBA coach
• "Jesus Shuttlesworth" = Ray Allen, United States shooting guard
• "The Jet" =
  • Kenny Smith, U.S. point guard and analyst
  • Jason Terry, U.S. basketball player
  • Chet Walker, United States basketball player
• "Joe Barely Cares" = Joe Barry Carroll, United States center
• "Junior" = Ulysses Bridgeman, American small forward
• "The Junk Yard Dog" = Jerome Williams, United States power forward
• "K.G." = Kevin Garnett, American power forward
• "K-Mart" =
  • Kenyon Martin, United States power forward
  • Kevin Martin, United States basketball player
• "Kandi Man" = Michael Olowokandi, Nigerian center
• "Kangaroo Kid" = Billy Cunningham, United States basketball player
• "King James" = LeBron James, American combo forward
• "The Landlord" =
  • Latrell Sprewell, American small forward
  • Shelden Williams, American power forward
• "Larry Legend" = Larry Bird, American power forward
• "LBJ" = LeBron James, American combo forward
• "Li'l Abner" = Cliff Hagan, American forward-center
• "The Little General" = Avery Johnson, United States point guard and coach
• "LJ" =
  • Larry Johnson, United States power forward
  • Lauren Jackson, Australian forward and center
• "The L-Train" =
  • LeBron James, American combo forward
  • Lionel Simmons, American small forward
  • Luol Deng, British small forward
• "L.O." = Lamar Odom, American power forward
• "Loz" = Lauren Jackson, Australian forward and center
• "The Machine" = Sasha Vujačić, Slovenian shooting guard
• "Mad Max" = Vernon Maxwell, United States shooting guard
• "Magic" = Earvin Johnson, American point guard
• "Il Mago" = Andrea Bargnani, Italian power forward
• "The Mailman" = Karl Malone, United States power forward
• "Mamba" = Kobe Bryant, United States shooting guard
• "The Man in the Brown Suit" = Adolph Rupp, American coach
• "Manu" = Emanuel Ginobili, Argentine shooting guard
• "Mão Santa" (Portuguese for "Holy Hand") = Oscar Schmidt, Brazilian combo forward
• "The Matrix" = Shawn Marion, American swingman
• "The Mayor" = Fred Hoiberg, American shooting guard
• "Meadowlark" = George Lemon, United States Harlem Globetrotters basketball player
• "The Mechanical Man" = Charlie Gehringer, United States basketball player
• "The Meeks" = Chamique Holdsclaw, Semeka Randall, and Tamika Catchings when all three were basketball teammates at the University of Tennessee
• "Melo" = Carmelo Anthony, American combo forward
• "Microwave" = Vinnie Johnson, American shooting guard
• "Mighty Mouse" = Damon Stoudamire, American point guard
• "Mr. Big Shot" = Chauncey Billups, American point guard
• "Mr. Bill" = Bill Cartwright, American center
• "Mr. Clutch" = Jerry West, United States shooting guard
• "Mr. Everything" = Craig Ehlo, American small forward
• "Mr. Mean" = Larry Smith, United States basketball player
• "Mr. Moves" = Michael Russell, United States basketball player
• "Mo" = Maurice Cheeks, United States point guard and coach
• "Mo Pete" = Morris Peterson, United States shooting guard
• "Mo Wil" = Mo Williams, United States point guard
• "Monster Mash" = Jamal Mashburn, American power forward
• "Moochie" = Martyn Norris, United States point guard
• "Mookie" = Daron Blaylock, United States point guard
• "Mo-Pete" = Morris Peterson, American shooting guard
• "Muggsy" = Tyrone Bogues, American point guard
• "Nate The Great" = Nate Thurmond, United States center
• "Nenê" = Maybyner Hilario, Brazilian forward-center (like many Brazilian sports stars, they use their nicknames or are referred by one name only; now his legal name)
• "Never Nervous" = Pervis Ellison, United States center
• "Nick The Quick" = Nick Van Exel, American point guard
• "No No Mutombo" = Dikembe Mutombo, African center
• "Obi One Ginobili" = Manu Ginóbili, Argentine shooting guard
• "One Man Fastbreak" = Monta Ellis, United States shooting guard
• "The Original Bull" = Jerry Sloan, United States shooting guard
• "The Owl Without a Vowel" = Bill Mlkvy, United States basketball player
• "Pearl" = Dwayne Washington, American point guard
• "Peja" = Predrag Stojaković, Serbian small forward
• "Penny" = Anfernee Hardaway, United States basketball player
• "Perk" = Kendrick Perkins, United States center
• "Pig" = Oliver Miller, United States center
• "The Pink Panther" = Toni Kukoč, Croatian small forward
• "Pistol Pete" = Pete Maravich, United States shooting guard
• La Pistola (Spanish, "The Pistol") = Ricard Rubio, Spanish point guard
• "Pitchin' Paul" = Paul Arizin, United States basketball player
• "The Pocket Rocket" = Calvin Murphy, American point guard
• "Polish Rifle Man" = Erick Piatkowski, shooting guard
• "Pooh" = Jerome Richardson, United States basketball player
  • Derrick Rose, American point guard
• "Poohdini" = Derrick Rose, American point guard
• "Popeye" = Ronald Jones, United States power forward
• "Porky" = George Andrews, Canadian basketball player
• "Prince Charles" = Charles Barkley, United States power forward
• "Prince of Mid-Air" = Lloyd Free, United States basketball player
• "Psycho T" = Tyler Hansbrough, American power forward
• "Q" = Quentin Richardson, U.S. basketball player
• "Q-Rich" = Quentin Richardson, U.S. basketball player
• "R-Jeff" = Richard Jefferson, United States basketball player
• "Rad-Man" = Vladimir Radmanović, Serbian basketball player
• "The Reign Man" = Shawn Kemp, United States power forward
• "Rambo" = Kurt Rambis, United States power forward
• "Red" =
  • Arnold Auerbach, American coach and executive
  • William Holzman, American coach
  • Johnny Kerr, United States basketball player
• "Red" = Ephraim J. Rocha, United States basketball player
• "Ricky Buckets" = Ricky Davis, United States basketball player
• "Rifleman" = Chuck Person, American small forward
• "Rip" = Richard Hamilton, United States shooting guard
• "Rooney" = Šarūnas Marčiulionis, Lithuanian shooting guard
• "The Round Mound of Rebound" = Charles Barkley, American power forward
• "Saba" or "Sabas" = Arvydas Sabonis, Lithuanian center
• "Sam" = Justin Barry, American basketball player
• "Sam I Am" = Sam Cassell, United States point guard
• "Saras" or "Sharas" = Šarūnas Jasikevičius, Lithuanian point guard
• "Scal" = Brian Scalabrine, American small forward
• "Scooter" = Richard Barry, United States basketball player
• "Shaq" = Shaquille O'Neal, United States center
• "Sheed" = Rasheed Wallace, United States power forward
• "Silk" = Jamaal Wilkes, American small forward
• "Sir Charles" = Charles Barkley, United States power forward
• "Skip To My Lou" = Rafer Alston, United States basketball player
• "Skywalker" =
  • Avelino Lim, Filipino basketball player
  • David Thompson, American small forward
  • Kenny Walker, American combo forward
• "Sleepy" = Eric Floyd, United States shooting guard
• "Sloth" = Didier Ilunga Mbenga, Congolese center
• "Smooth" = Chauncey Billups, American point guard
• "Smush" = William Parker, United States basketball player
• "Soup" = Elden Campbell, United States center
• "Spanish Chocolate" = Sergio Rodriguez, Spanish basketball player
• "The Spanish Fly" = Pau Gasol, Spanish power forward
• "The Spanish Inquisition" = Pau Gasol, Spanish power forward
• "Speedy" = Craig Claxton, United States point guard
• "Spider" =
  • John Salley, United States power forward
  • Jerry Sloan, United States shooting guard
• "Spud" = Anthony Webb, American point guard
• "The Squid" = Sidney Moncrief, American shooting guard
• "The Stache" = Adam Morrison, American small forward
• "Starbury" = Stephon Marbury, United States basketball player
• "Stat" = Amar'e Stoudemire, American forward-center
• "Stormin' Norman" = Norm Van Lier, American point guard
• "Stumpy" = Gail Goodrich, United States basketball player
• "Sweetwater" = Nathaniel Clifton, United States basketball player
• "T-Mac" = Tracy McGrady, American swingman
• "T-Mac Canada" = Todd MacCulloch, Canadian center
• "Tex" = Morice Winter, American coach
• "Thunder Dan" = Dan Majerle, United States shooting guard
• "Tiny" = Nate Archibald, American point guard
• "Timmy" = Tim Hardaway, American point guard
• "T.P." = Tony Parker, French point guard
• "Tough Juice" = Caron Butler, United States basketball player
• "Tractor" = Robert Traylor, United States power forward
• "Tree" = Wayne Rollins, United States center
• "Tru Warier" = Ron Artest, United States forward
• "The Truth" = Paul Pierce, United States basketball player
• "U.D." = Udonis Haslem, American power forward
• "Uncle Cliffy" = Clifford Robinson, United States power forward
• "VC" = Vince Carter, American swingman
• "Vinsanity" = Vince Carter, American swingman
• "The Waiter" = Toni Kukoč, Croatian small forward
• "White Chocolate" = Jason Williams, American point guard
• "White Mamba" = Brian Scalabrine, American power forward
• "Wilt the Stilt" = Wilt Chamberlain, United States center
• "The Wizard(s)" =
  • Gus Williams, United States basketball player
  • Walt Williams, United States basketball player
• "The Wizard of Westwood" = John Wooden, American coach (specific to his coaching career at UCLA)
• "World" = Lloyd Free United States basketball player (once was his legal first name; has since reverted)
• "The Worm" = Dennis Rodman, United States power forward
• "The Wunderkind" = Dirk Nowitzki, German power forward
• "The X-Man" = Xavier McDaniel, American power forward
• "Zeke" = Isiah Thomas, United States point guard
• "Zeke from Cabin Creek" = Jerry West, United States shooting guard
• "The Zen Master" = Phil Jackson, coach of the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers