In the NBA, many players are often associated with famous nicknames. This increases the recognition of the players, even becoming so attached to them that many people do not remember the real names of legends in the most prestigious arena in the world.

In this article, The Sporting News will provide you with information about some famous nicknames in the NBA.

Magic – Earvin Johnson

Magic Johnson is one of the greatest legends of the NBA. He is considered the best point guard in history, associated with the Los Angeles Lakers during the Showtime period and also the time when he was competing with Larry Bird.

The nickname “Magic” was given to him by a scout after he witnessed a game where he scored 36 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists when he was only 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, the famous rapper Drake. In 2014, the rapper released a single with, in collaboration with Curry’s wife, Ayesha. The work was called “Chef Curry With The Pot”. The song became famous at that time and attracted a lot of attention. The clip of Ayesha and Curry dancing to the song 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 of this confusion spread so quickly that “Chef” became associated with Stephen Curry’s name.

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The Answer – Allen Iverson

This is the nickname associated with Allen Iverson, one of the greatest untitled legends of the NBA. He was the one who brought the wild style of street basketball to the NBA, as well as pioneered the hip-hop trend and asserted his ego through costumes, clothes and stylized hairstyles for future generations of players.

In 1996, the NBA faced a big question: who would be the face of the league once the legendary generation of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird or Michael Jordan retired? Close friend Jamil Blackmoon blurted out that All Iverson was the “answer” to the questions that many people were waiting for. Allen Iverson loved this idea, and the nickname “The Answer” officially stuck with him from that moment 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 homonym “freak” which is used to describe the physique, physical strength and explosive, skillful and flexible playing style of the 2m11 tall player, something the NBA has never seen before.

At first, Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t like the nickname, but he gradually accepted it as the Greek identity ran in his blood.

Vinsanity – Vince Carter

Vince Carter was the fifth overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, and was later traded to the Toronto Raptors. In Canada, he built a reputation for explosive play, impressive scoring ability, and extremely powerful, powerful dunks at a very high level of difficulty, even in exhibition competitions such as the Slam Dunk Contest.

Vinsanity is a nickname that combines Vince Carter’s name with the word Insanity, which means crazy, impressive.

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, believing that he would be the central player for the team’s revival process (The Process).

Joel Embiid struggled with injuries early on, before blossoming into one of the best players in the world. The 76ers made the right choice in terms of personnel, but since then, they haven’t even made it to the NBA Finals.

Big Ben – Ben Wallace

Ben Wallace was one of the most famous power forwards/centers in the NBA during the late 90s and early 2000s. He rose to prominence during his time with the Detroit Pistons, winning the 2004 NBA championship and being named “Defensive Player of the Year” four times.

With the name Ben, this player was nicknamed “Big Ben”, referring to the famous clock tower in England. They likened Ben Wallace to a symbol of authority in the area under the basket because of his height and incredible strength in the NBA.

The Worm – Dennis Rodman

Like Ben Wallace, Dennis Rodman was a player who lacked offensive ability. However, his incredible physicality, aggressive play, and superior basketball IQ made him one of the greatest rebounders in NBA history. Dennis Rodman’s image was even used to create the character Hanamichi Sakuragi in the famous manga series Slam Dunk.

Dennis Rodman was nicknamed The Worm since he was a child, when he liked to twist and wiggle his body on the practice field like a worm. This nickname stuck with Dennis Rodman throughout his career.

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