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Inzamam Ul-Haq ‘Aloo’

One of the best cricket batsman that Pakistan has produced, former captain Inzamam Ul-Haq had a great career and was known for his ability as a player of fast bowling, particularly off the back foot.

Inzamam did receive criticism for his weight, and in 1997 during a Shara Cup match between Pakistan and India, one spectator Shiv Kumar Thind yelled offensive names with a megaphone, calling him different kinds of potatoes. Inzaman went after Thind with a bat but thankfully was restrained by security.

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Joe Johnson ‘ISO Joe’

7x All-Star Joe Johnson is one of the most clutch players in NBA history, he is also one of the few players to have amassed 20,000+ points, 5,000+ assists and 5,000+ rebounds.

Johnson is nicknamed ‘ISO Joe’ for his reputation as being a great scorer in one-on-one plays (isolations).

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Will ‘The Thrill’ Barton

Will Barton has been known as ‘The Thrill’ since his coach gave him the nickname at the age of 6.

Barton has mostly been utilized as a 6th man during his NBA career, and as a versatile player is often an important role player coming off the bench for his team.

 

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Fabrice Santoro ‘The Magician’

Fabrice Santoro was dubbed ‘The Magician’ by Pete Sampras after losing in three sets in the third round of Indian Wells in 2002.

Santoro played with a two-handed backhand and forehand, and was known for his ability to hit an array of angles, spins, and off-pace shots.

In 2009, Santoro released an autobiography book titled “A Deux Mains”, which translates to “With Two Hands”.

 

 

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Kevin Durant ‘Durantula’

NBA Superstar Kevin Durant got his nickname ‘Durantula’ from Thunder fans while he was playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He is lanky with long limbs, hence the insect inspired nickname.

Durant’s height is officially listed as 6’9″, which has never seemed accurate when compared to other NBA players. Durant has admitted that his actual height is 6’10 3/4″  without shoes and a full 7′ with shoes. The NBA’s height listings are generally listed with shoes, therefore Durant should be a 7 footer in NBA standards.

When Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016 to join the Golden State Warriors, there were many social media comments referring to him as a snake.

 

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Kenneth Faried ‘Manimal’

Kenneth Faried is nicknamed ‘Manimal’ because of his energy and relentless enthusiasm on the basketball court. His long dreads also make the nickname seem to fit him perfectly.

 

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Benny Leonard ‘The Ghetto Wizard’

Benny Leonard learned to fight on the streets of New York, hence his nickname ‘The Ghetto Wizard’.

One of the greatest lightweight boxers ever, Leonard was famed for his speed, technique and potent punching power.

 

 

 

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Maria Sharapova ‘The Siberian Siren’

Maria Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987 in the western Siberian town of Nyagan. Sharapova got the nickname ‘The Siberian Siren’ for the loud grunting sounds which accompanies her strokes. Her loudest grunts get as loud as 105 decibels.

  • Maria signed her first deal with Nike in 1997 when she was only 11.
  • London is one of her favorite cities, and she finds British accents sexy.
  • Yellow and pink are her favorite colors.
  • She likes Russian and Thai cuisine.
  • She was the most searched athlete on Yahoo in 2005 and 2008.
  • Is a UN Goodwill Ambassador.

 

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John McEnroe ‘Superbrat’

John McEnroe was nicknamed ‘Superbrat’ by the British tabloids in 1979, it was a name that was used in the headlines of the sports pages to sell newspapers.

McEnroe was known for his tantrums and arguing with tennis umpires, however being called ‘Superbrat’ was undeserving and often undermined how great of a tennis player he was.