In the entertaining world of NBA basketball, nicknames often serve as a privilege and an honor. Iconic monikers like “His Airness” and “Black Mamba” will forever be fondly remembered by fans around the world. However, not all monikers hit the mark. Some feel stale, overused, or simply don’t associate well with the player using them, leaving fans and teammates alike rolling their eyes.
In today’s list, we will take a look at 10 popular NBA names whose teammates are sick of them.
LeBron James – "The King" and “Chosen One”
While LeBron James is undoubtedly one of the greatest players of all time, the nicknames “The King” and “Chosen One” have become too synonymous throughout his entire career in the NBA. He has used the nicknames since his early days in the league up until now.
LeBron undoubtedly has the right to call himself whatever he wants as he’s done everything physically possible on the basketball court but in all honesty, both names certainly can come off as self-righteous to some and it’s too overused.
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson – "Splash Brothers"
This nickname for the dynamic shooting duo of Curry and Thompson for the Golden State Warriors was once catchy but has now become somewhat cliché and has lost its charm in recent years, especially with the Dubs struggling to maintain their status as a contender.
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Make no mistake – Steph Curry can still shoot the rock and drain threes at a high rate despite his advancing age but the same can’t really be said for Klay Thompson nowadays. After two brutal back-to-back injuries and a ton of mileage on his knees, the other half of the “Splash Brothers” ain’t doing much splashing this season. There are still glimpses of their previous glory, but it’s a rare occurrence.
Joel Embiid – "The Process"
Initially coined during the Philadelphia 76ers’ rebuilding phase during Sam Hinkie’s reign, this nickname for Joel Embiid has definitely seen some better days. Sixers fans and his teammates once associated with it due to the years of hardship they had to endure in order to get to where they are today.
However, the recent shortcomings of Embiid and the Sixers in the playoffs clearly have taken a toll on the franchise and the city of Philadelphia. Now, it’s all about the “process” to go deep in the playoffs and bring home a championship soon.
James Harden – "The Beard"
James Harden’s iconic facial hair has led to this once cool nickname, but it’s now so prevalent that it’s lost its original appeal, especially when the former league MVP failed to deliver a championship to Houston and with his frequent trade requests in recent years.
With Harden’s game slowly deteriorating and his alleged Vegas trips being scrutinized by fans and his former teammates, you can hardly hear anybody call him “The Beard” nowadays. It’s casually mentioned now and then whenever he has a good game for the Clippers.
Anthony Davis – "The Brow"
Referring to Anthony Davis’ prominent unibrow, this nickname has been used so frequently that it’s become a mockery from fans and the media. We certainly think it was a cool nickname when Davis was younger but as time went on and with all the social media platforms available today, “The Brow” has certainly lost its steam.
Davis is still a great player but with all the injuries he’s gone through since donning the Lakers jersey, it’s quite understandable why he prefers going with “AD” rather than his old nickname. He wants to be taken seriously and “The Brow” isn’t really a good moniker to be associated with.
Russell Westbrook – "Mr. Triple Double"
While Russell Westbrook’s ability to consistently achieve triple-doubles is impressive, especially during his MVP campaign with the Thunder years ago, this nickname is considered obsolete in today’s game.
With multiple players racking up triple-doubles almost on a nightly basis in the league, Westbrook’s old moniker has become somewhat irrelevant. Already past his prime, his sharply declining skills on the court are just a nightmare to watch. Plus, he’s having an extremely hard time getting a triple-double within the last couple of seasons.
Dwight Howard – "Superman"
Dwight Howard’s nickname, inspired by his athleticism and dominance during his prime, has lost its charm over the years due to his decline on the court and frequent team changes. It was also extremely controversial due to Shaquille O’Neal’s insistence that he was the one and only original “Superman” in league history.
It was certainly fun at first when Howard broke out the nickname when he participated in the dunk contest ages ago but that’s about it. Nobody in their sane mind ever called Howard “Superman” except maybe for Reggie Miller and Kenny Smith. To make things worse, Shaq and Dwight beefed over the moniker for years.
Kristaps Porzingis – "The Unicorn"
Kristaps Porzingis’ unique combination of size and skills led to this nickname when he first entered the NBA scene, but it’s now so commonplace that it’s lost its originality and weight.
We get it as he’s 7’3” and shoots the lights out if given a chance but with guys entering the league with somewhat similar skills, especially within the last couple of years, the moniker is completely watered down and thrown around like a hot potato. Plus, Porzingis never really became a bonafide star like he was once projected to be.
Deandre Ayton – “DominAyton”
Deandre Ayton’s self-appointed moniker is not only far from how he performs on the court, it’s also as cringy as it sounds. He even uses this on his social media handles and markets it like crazy. But the reality is, that Ayton has been far from a dominant player throughout his NBA career and sadly, his trajectory to become a “DominAyton” force will never materialize.
He had the chance to prove his mettle and leadership skills with the rebuilding Blazers team but his numbers inevitably took a nosedive since arriving at RIP City.
Trae Young – “Ice Trae”
In all honesty, it seems the only people who call Trae Young “Ice Trae” are Atlanta Hawks play-by-play announcers Bob Rathbun and Dominique Wilkins. Young usually rubs his shoulders, indicating that he’s a cold-hearted assassin whenever he makes a clutch play or drains a long three-pointer in a game.
We fully understand where his flair is coming from but for opposing fans and perhaps some of his teammates, the moniker is somewhat questionable, especially when the Hawks only had minimal success during Young’s time at Atlanta.
