The best sports nicknames are colorful accents that effortlessly add a dash of flavor to the games we watch and play.
Some originate as terms of endearment, while others are bestowed as labels of ineptitude. That got us wondering about where some of the greatest players in basketball history — such as Michael Jordan (Air), LeBron James (King James) and Earvin Johnson (Magic) — rank in the pantheon of great NBA nicknames.
Baseball, with its long and rich history, once generated vivid monikers such as the Sultan of Swat (Babe Ruth) and the Splendid Splinter (Ted Williams). But basketball, with its playground roots and hip-hop culture, arguably is the sport with the most imaginative sports nicknames today.
With that in mind, Thomas Neumann of Rookie Wire took a shot at ranking the 101 greatest nicknames in NBA history. See below for where players with ties to the Houston Rockets were ranked in that list.
All nickname commentary and history is from Neumann.
A fun (but true) item for NBA fans on April 1:
The 101 greatest nicknames in NBA history https://t.co/Vz9PIo4mIz via @rookiewire
— Thomas Neumann (@tnn95) April 1, 2021