A high number of top players in the league have popular nicknames which the fanbase have given them. So, let's take a look at some.
Giannis “Greek freak” Antetokounmpo
Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetonkoumpo has seen great success in his career since joining the Bucks in 2013 as the 15th pick in the draft.
Giannis has been the key to Milwaukee’s great results throughout his years in the team and helped them win the NBA Championship in 2021 for the first time since 1971.
The 29-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down as he is still proving himself to be one of the best players and athletes in the league.
This season, Giannis has averaged 30.8 points, 11.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists in just over 35 minutes each game. He has also seen a drastic increase in field goal percentage at 61.7% and over one block and steal per game.
These stats demonstrate the importance of Antetokounmpo as he offers both defensive and offensive quality on the court.
Giannis was born in Athens, Greece to Nigerian parents Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo who immigrated to South Eastern Europe.
The power forward played for the youth teams of Filathlitikos and quickly proved to be an incredible talent who caught the eye of NBA scouts.
He grew to an astonishing height of six-foot-eleven and built more muscle after being drafted which made him one of the most physically dominant players in the league.
This and his incredible seven-foot-three wingspan gave him the nickname of the “Greek freak” which Giannis has commented on.
He is not a big fan of the nickname as he is also proud of his Nigerian heritage however, Antetokounmpo has learned to live with it and embrace one of the most popular nicknames in sport.
Damian “Dame time” Lillard
Since Lillard's arrival to the league in 2012, he has proven to be an incredible talent who is still one of the best players in the NBA.
This was demonstrated most recently in the 2024 NBA All-Star game where he won the Kobe Bryant MVP Award after an incredible performance. Damian scored 39 points and made eleven shots from beyond the arc including two which were from halfcourt.
Lillard's statistically best season came in the 2019-20 season where he averaged thirty points, 4.3 rebounds and eight assists. He also had his highest three-point percentage at 40.1% and 1.1 steals per game.
This year, the 33-year-old has scored 24.6 points, made 4.2 rebounds and assisted 6.8 times per game in a Milwaukee Bucks side that are currently third in the Eastern Conference and pushing for a deep run in the playoffs.
Damian picked up the nickname “Dame Time” due to his ability to make tough shots in clutch moments to help his team win.
Possibly Lillard’s best clutch performance came against OKC in the first round of the 2019 NBA playoffs which knocked out a strong team that had Russell Westbrook and Paul George who were both at the top of their game.
Damian scored an incredible 50 points and with only seconds left on the clock, made the game-winning shot highly contested from deep to move the Trailblazers into the next round of the competition.
Lillard has truly lived up to his nickname with other outstanding performances late in games which he will continue to apply in Milwaukee for the playoffs.
Nikola “Joker” Jokic
At the age of 29, Jokic has cemented himself as the current best player in the league after winning the last two MVP awards and helping the Denver Nuggets win their first NBA Championship against the underdogs Miami Heat.
The centre was drafted to the Nuggets in 2015 as a relatively unknown player who was chosen late as the 41st overall pick. This is widely regarded as one of the greatest draft steals in NBA history due to his outstanding performances on the court each year.
Jokic is a tall and physical player standing at six-foot-eleven and weighing 284 pounds which allows him to dominate his opponents on the court. Despite his physical attributes, his awareness whilst attacking allows him to find teammates and make a high number of assists per game.
This season, Jokic has averaged 26 points, 12.2 rebounds and 9.1 assists on an impressive 58.4 field goal percentage. The Nuggets are currently fourth in the Western Conference which is tightly packed at the top with only a few games separating each team.
Unlike the other two players mentioned, Jokic’s nickname has come from neither his ability on the court nor his physical attributes. Former teammate Mike Miller struggled to pronounce the 29-year-old's name which led to the “Joker” nickname.
This was then adopted by other teammates and eventually the entire NBA fanbase. However, Jeff Green also commented on the topic and said that Jokic is a funny character on the team which also adds to the nickname.