Cavaliers All-Star Donovan Mitchell shares his favorite sports nicknames. What are yours?
When the Beacon Journal asked Donovan Mitchell for his favorite sports nicknames, the Cavaliers All-Star guard drifted from the realm of basketball and into another wheelhouse.
Mitchell was a star baseball player growing up, and his father, Donovan Mitchell Sr., is the senior director of diversity, equity and inclusion and player relations for the New York Mets.
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In other words, Mitchell was actually on brand when he mentioned Ken Griffey Jr.'s alias “The Kid” before any other nicknames of professional athletes. His other two picks came from the NBA — “Melo” for Carmelo Anthony and “Flash” for Dwyane Wade.
The topic arose because Mitchell's nickname is “Spida,” and he earned the label as an AAU basketball phenom from New York.
In a fitting development, the Cavs will face Mitchell's hometown New York Knicks in the first round of the NBA playoffs with tipoff for Game 1 set for 6 p.m. Saturday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
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The father of one of Mitchell's former AAU teammates, Al Taylor created the “Spida” nickname. Taylor's favorite sports monikers are all from the NBA world: Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Gary “The Glove” Payton.
Members of the Beacon Journal sports staff joined Mitchell and Taylor in the fun by listing their three favorite sports nicknames.
Sports editor Chris Beaven:
"Pistol" Pete Maravich
"Dr. Dunkenstein" Darrell Griffith
Clyde "The Glide" Drexler
Sports editor Richard Stallsmith:
Joe "Turkey" Jones
Travis "Pronk" Hafner
Bobby "Bingo" Smith
Sports writer Ryan Lewis:
Frank Thomas, also known as "The Big Hurt"
Mark McGwire, aka “Big Mac”
Dale Earnhardt, aka "The Intimidator"
Sports writer George Thomas:
Darryl Dawkins, aka “Chocolate Thunder”
George “The Iceman” Gervin
Jamaal Wilkes, aka “Silk”
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Sports writer Michael Leonard:
Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield
Diego “The Nightmare” Sanchez
“The American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar
Sports writer Brad Bournival:
“The Galloping Ghost” Red Grange
Fred “The Crime Dog” McGriff
Jeanette "The Black Widow" Lee
Sports writer Chris Easterling:
Christian “The Nigerian Nightmare” Okoye
Earl “The Squirrel” Boykins
“Dinner Bell Mel” Turpin
Sports writer Michael Beaven:
Anthony "Spud" Webb
George "Babe" Ruth
Michael "Air Jordan"
Sports writer Nate Ulrich:
Robert “Tractor” Traylor
Reggie White, aka “The Minister of Defense”
Dominik “The Dominator” Hasek
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs' Donovan Mitchell shares his favorite sports nicknames
