With the rise of Australian sensation Dyson Daniels, a new nickname has emerged for the Bendigo native. "The Great Barrier Thief" he has been named in accordance with his knack for swiping the ball from unsuspecting ball handlers.
Let's take a look at some of the other great nicknames throughout NBA history and how they got that name.
Slim Reaperย
Kevin Durant was given this nickname in accordance with his slim figure. In addition, Durant said the nickname was given to him because "I'm skinny, and I do my work at night."
Black Mambaย
Kobe Bryant gave himself this nickname as a way of creating an alternate persona for himself on the court, distinguishing himself from Kobe Bryant off the court and a lethal killer on the court. The name itself comes from Quentin Tarantino's 2003 film "Kill Bill", in which an assassin also possesses the name.
The Answer
The origin of Allen Iverson's nickname is unclear, but in 2003, Iverson was sued by Jamil Blackmon, a family friend from Virginia, for the use of the name. Blackmon claimed that he had given Iverson the nickname himself and, in the end, reached an agreement for a payout for any money Iverson earned off the name.
But simply enough, the nickname may refer to Iverson being the answer to all of the 76er's problems.
The Glove
Gary Payton was called The Glove simply because of his elite defensive ability, where he would wear his opponents as tight as a glove.
King Jamesย
The "James" aspect of LeBron James' nickname King James needs no explanation, but the "King" aspect comes from his 2000 Ohio State Championship win. LeBron carried his high school team to victory, resulting in the nickname coming about.
Mailman
Karl Malone was called the Mailman simply because he always delivered.
The Hick from French Lick
Larry Bird grew up in a town called French Lick in Louisiana, and the term "hick" refers to somebody who grows up in a country town.
Linsanityย
The Knicks had lost 11 of their last 13 matches, and Jeremy Lin had played 55 minutes for the entire season up until this point. After a few injuries to the struggling team, Lin was inserted into the line-up and, over a 12-game stretch, dominated the league beyond comprehension. This dubbed him and this period "Linsanity."
The Admiralย
David Robinson was called The Admiral purely because he served in the U.S. Navy before being drafted into the NBA.
Big Ticketย
Kevin Garnett was the first true superstar to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves and put butts in seats. He was truly the Big Ticket.
The Clawย
Kawhi Leonard has exceptionally large hands measuring 24 centimetres wide and 28 centimetres long. This comes in at the ninth biggest hands in NBA history and is the reason he is referred to as The Claw.
Jesus Shuttlesworthย
Ray Allen appeared in Spike Lee's 1998 film "He Got Game", playing a character called Jesus Shuttlesworth and the name stuck in real life too.
The Process
Joel Embiid urged Philadelphia 76ers fans to have patience and trust the team's rebuilding phase, using the term "trust the process", which earned him the nickname The Process.
Air Jordanย
Spawning from Jordan's shoe deal with Nike, the name Air Jordan came about after Nike had released a shoe called the "Air Soles", and his manager decided to pair that with the fact that Jordan played his basketball in the air and dub him Air Jordan.
White Chocolateย
Jason Williams played with style and pzazz; he was smooth and milky in the way he operated, and he was given the nickname White Chocolate to go with it.
