5 of the Coolest Nicknames in Cavs History

There have been some incredible nicknames over the course of Cavs history. Whether they had the name before they arrived or got it during their time in Cleveland, they donned them with pride. There isn’t so much a Mount Rushmore of the best ones, but there should be mention of five of the fantastic ones.

Hard as it is to take hundreds of player nicknames and rank them at the top, that’s going to be the goal here. Let’s talk.

John “Hot Rod” Williams

Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 45th pick in 1986, it took a year for John Williams to join the Cavs. Once he did though, he spent nine years with the organization. He was a big time playmaker and rebounder. He helped them to the 1992 ECF.

The “Hot Rod” nickname was actually given to him as a toddler. As a baby, he apparently used to make engine-like car noises when scooting across the ground.

Of all the ways for a legend to earn a nickname, this is certainly one of them. Hot Rod is a beloved fixture in the city and was eventually traded to Phoenix. RIP to an iconic member of the organization.

Anderson “Wild Thing” Varejao

Originally drafted by the Orlando Magic in 2004, Anderson Varejao was traded right to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He would spend 13 years with the franchise, becoming a fan favorite and fixture on the floor. He spent 12.5 years before a deadline deal, and then returned as veteran free agent four years later.

The nickname origin is pretty simple. “Wild Thing” because of the big frizzy hair Varejao had, along with his relentless energy that was on display whenever he played.

Varejao is still with the organization and calls Cleveland home. Shoutout to #17. Perhaps it'll go into the rafters someday.

Austin “Mr. Cavalier” Carr

The first overall pick in the 1971 NBA Draft, Austin Carr spent nine years as a player with the Cavs. He has spent most of his life since as both an analyst and broadcaster with the organization. That #34 is in the rafters and for good reason.

Now 78 years of age and still in Cleveland, the nickname speaks for itself. A true embodiment of all things Cavaliers, he joined in year two, and he’s still around in year 57. Isn’t that something?

AC!

LeBron “King” James

There can be a whole list dedicated to just having LeBron James nicknames. The Kid From Akron. The Akron Hammer. Captain LeMerica. King. The list goes on. He’s been a legend for almost 3 decades in the spotlight. From St. Vincent-St. Mary all the way to the Sixers now, he’s been on top.

The King nickname was given to him during his first season at SVSM, and James has been crushing it for such a long time. Was there ever a chance he wouldn’t make it to this list? Of course not.

There is no Cleveland top five anything without James.

Donovan “Spida” Mitchell

The perfect finisher to the list has to be Donovan Mitchell. He is the only of the five players mentioned that did not open their careers in Cleveland. But after four seasons, a 71-point night, an ECF berth, and so many other accolades, it’s hard to exclude #45.

The Spida nickname arrived when Mitchell was just nine years old and playing AAU ball. Here is the exact quote he gave to Arjun Julka in a piece for Yahoo Sports:

"His name is AL. This is back when I was 9, he's from Jersey, I was playing AAU, and he gave everybody a nickname on the team, and he was like, 'Your name is Spider cuz you spin a web.' Basically, what I was saying, I move in such a crazy way. And then to say, it stuck."

And here we are. All-time nickname for an all-time player.

Honorable Mentions

Daniel “Booby” Gibson

Zydrunas “Big Z” Ilgauskas

Bobby “Bingo” Smith

JR “Swish” Smith

Kyle “Threezus” Korver

Plenty of others too.

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