The Truth, The Answer, NBA Nicknames Quiz

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke into the NBA as Lew Alcindor; he changed his name in 1971 on converting to Islam. When Kareem retired in 1989, he had played 1,560 games. He was nicknamed "The Captain" as he was always the team leader whether it was with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1970s or the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s.

Yao Ming was one of the first great international players in the National Basketball League. Nicknamed "The Great Wall of China" for Yao's incredible height and defensive ability, Yao was an all-star with the Houston Rockets. He measured seven feet six inches tall!

Dwyane Wade was a lightning quick shooting guard who played college basketball at Marquette. Nicknamed "Flash" for his speed on the court, Wade won three NBA championships while playing for the Miami Heat. He retired in 2018.

Kobe Bryant had a tenacity and will to win on the court that was unmatched. Nicknamed "Black Mamba", Kobe chose the name himself after a character in the Quentin Tarantino film "Kill Bill". The sub-Saharan snake is known as an assassin and an aggressive alpha in the jungle. Kobe Bryant played his whole career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Wilt Chamberlain was the first player to average 50 points per game in a season and retired with multiple NBA records. Wilt had a couple famous nicknames, "The Big Dipper" and "Wilt The Stilt". Both nicknames were a play on his seven foot body and yet his incredible agility on the court. Wilt played with the San Francisco/Philadelphia Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers during his illustrious career.

Darryl Dawkins was known for his wild persona, multiple nicknames, and destroying backboards in arenas after monstrous dunks. The nickname most used by Darryl was "Chocolate Thunder" referencing the powerful dunks he displayed every game. His nickname was given to him by Stevie Wonder and Dawkins caused the NBA to create breakaway rims to avoid injury.

Nikola Jokic won back to back MVP awards for the Denver Nuggets and three total in the seasons 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2023-24. He was nicknamed "The Joker" as a play on his Serbian last name and his incredible basketball IQ on the court. Nikola was the rare big man to be able to score a triple double on a regular basis, over ten points, rebounds, and assists in a game.

Mount Mutombo is the nickname for the center, Dikembe Mutombo, who moved to the US from the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the age of 21. He was a regular first team All-Defensive team selection and a perennial leader in blocked shots in the National Basketball League during his eighteen-year career. Famous for his wagging finger after a blocked shot, Dikembe used his signature move in television commercial campaigns.

Not many NBA players stand 7'2" and have a wingspan of seven feet and six inches. Kristaps Porzingis is nicknamed "The Unicorn" for his unique size and abilities on the court. His ability to not only play the physical center position but also step outside the three point line and make baskets from there on a consistent basis are as unique as the unicorn.

Wardell Stephen Curry is nicknamed "Chef" for his ability to create magic on the court and dictate the pace of the game. The name was created in a song by rapper Drake and Steph's wife Ayesha, a chef herself. The song was called "Chef Curry With The Pot" in 2014. Steph Curry won four championships with the Golden State Warriors during the span from 2015 to 2022. Along with holding MVP trophies, Steph is widely regarded as the greatest three point shooter in NBA history.