Top 10 current NBA nicknames

August 15, 5:44 PMNBA ExaminerRyan Harings

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The NBA is home to the best, most creative and most diverse collection of nicknames in the coalition of North American sports. Don't believe me?  Quickly try and pick some football players who have nicknames that can hold a candle to The Worm, Mount Mutombo, the Twin Towers or the Round Mound of Rebound. These are what nicknames are supposed to be -- monikers designed to sum up a player with a few well-chosen syllables.

Here are my top 10 basketball nicknames.  In order to make the list the nickname must be creative, original and aptly describe the player.

Honorable mention

• Allen Iverson - The Answer
• Leandro Barbosa - Brazilian Blur
• Joel Pryzabilla - Vanilla Gorilla
• Vince Carter - Vinsanity

10.  Shawn Marion - The Matrix

When Marion broke into the league he was a high-flying athletic dynamo that filled up a box score like a buffet plate. Very few nicknames better describe a player than this one.

9. Tim Duncan - The Big Fundamental

Tim Duncan is one of the premier winners in basketball, he's a consummate pro that plays an old-school type of basketball. To be fair, he's more athletic than he gets credit for, but this nickname fits both his personality off the court and his game on it.

8. Lebron James - King James

Nicknames that involve royalty don't have to be creative or original.  The best player in the game deserves to be the King.

7. Gilbert Arenas - Agent Zero

Big points for creativity -- Agent Zero is one of the most original nicknames in basketball. In the diverse and interconnected world of Marvel, Agent Zero was a mutant and friend of Wolverine.

6. Robert Horry - Big Shot Rob, Big Shot Bob

This is the type of nickname that has to be earned, and without a doubt it was. Horry has hit big playoff shots throughout his career.

5. Kobe Bryant - The Black Mamba

Search Wikipedia for information on the deadly Black Mamba snake and you'll find this little snippet, "It is known for being very aggressive when disturbed or confronted and will not hesitate to strike with deadly precision." This nickname is original, fun and deadly accurate.

4. Dikembe Mutombo - Mount Mutombo

Technically Mutombo shouldn't be on this list, as an injury last season prompted his retirement from the sport. But how can I really exclude Mount Mutombo? Can't do it; won't do it.

3. Chris Kaman - The Caveman, Crazy Clown, Zombie

Chris Kaman is, as some girls would say, a homely fellow. Kaman's mug and shaggy hair is the inspiration to one of the most entertaining sets of nicknames in basketball.

2. Andrei Kirilenko - AK47

This nickname combines it all: playing style, place of origin, name and jersey number were combined to form a simple -- yet brilliant -- moniker.

1. Shaquille O'Neal - The Big Aristotle, Shaqtus, Superman, The Big Diesel, Shaq-Fu, Wilt Chamberneezy

No list of nicknames would be complete or adequate without the inclusion of Shaq. With well over a half dozen nicknames, Shaq is numerically on a different plane than the other guys on this list, but it isn't just quantity.  The creativity is always top notch as well.