The Legends Behind the Names: Top 5 Athlete Nicknames in Sports Today
- Scott Graison
- Oct 8, 2025
- 4 min read
As long as there have been sports, fans have come up with nicknames for athletes. Some work well, while others don’t always hit the mark. Regardless, people love to come up with them. Back in 2004, I was working as a producer at FOX Sports Net Arizona, and I actually gave the entire Phoenix Suns basketball team the moniker of Solar Express. They were a fast-paced, offensive juggernaut that thrived on the fast break and putting big numbers up on the scoreboard. That nickname is still used today by Phoenix broadcasters.
Anyway, not to do any more self-glossing here…nicknames have been around since the first pitch, touchdown, bucket, and goal. There are legendary ones like Magic Johnson, Charlie Hustle, and Prime Time. Some are less well known, but still come strong…names like Honeybadger, Iceman, and Half Man Half Amazing are among them.
Since there are so many monikers for athletes, and this article isn’t going to be a thesis-length paper, I’ll stick with current athletes, and the five best nicknames going. Granted, this is all subjective– just my thoughts.
#5- The Flying Squirrel
The US gymnast is the 11th most decorated female gymnast in the history of the Olympics. Among her accolades are the fact that she’s the 2012 Olympic all-around champion, and she’s the first champion to win gold in the all-around competition individually and as part of a team. Gabby Douglas got the nickname from national team coordinator Marta Karolyi because of her incredible grace and the height she achieved when going airborne during her routines. Douglas explains the origin of her nickname in this video, and she does so with pure joy:
Douglas is set to prove the sobriquet is apropos when she shoots for Olympic glory yet again in 2028.
#4- Sho-Time
Not since Babe Ruth has baseball known a player who both pitches and hits, both at an extremely high level. Like the old Showtime Lakers, Ohtani most definitely puts on a show. A prominent baseball scout said this of Ohtani, “I have observed thousands of baseball players over 40 years, and I can truthfully say that Shohei Ohtani is the absolute best player I have ever seen play the game. You can’t make up the things he does on a baseball field, it’s almost fictionary.”
He’s already won three MVP awards, and landed 4th in Cy Young voting in 2022. He’s currently 3rd in home runs with 48, and began to pitch again in June, following elbow surgery nine months earlier. He hit a career-high 101.7 miles per hour on a pitch earlier this year, making it clear he’s definitely worthy of being called Sho-Time.
#3- Pharaoh
Soccer is not nearly as popular in the US as it is around the globe, so this guy’s name may not be familiar. But, Mohamed Salah, aka Pharaoh, is about as good as it gets in the game. The Egyptian soccer star is regarded as one of the most elite players of his generation. The right winger is known for textbook dribbling, playmaking, and finishing skills. Salah is #1 when it comes to foreign goalscorers in the Premier League. He’s aptly been dubbed Pharaoh because his game is more godlike than humanesque.
#2- Cheetah
To say Tyreek Hill is fast is like saying Elon Musk is wealthy. The Miami Dolphins lured Hill away from the Kansas City Chiefs a few years back, and he has continued to shine. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a defensive back who can keep up with his speed, ergo the Cheetah moniker. Consider this– the world record in the 100-meter dash is held by Usain Bolt, who clocked in at 9.58 seconds. We’re talking about a football player here (in Hill) who runs the 100 about only a half a second slower than Bolt. This Tik Tok video gives you an idea just how fast he is, from burst off the line, to cutting, to finishing.
The Cheetah is five MPH faster than the average man, and his 40-yard dash time is just .08 seconds behind the quickest ever recorded at an NFL combine by fellow wideout Xavier Worthy. For six straight years, Cheetah was given the top mark of 99 for speed on Madden NFL. Last year, the mark dipped to 98, Hill felt snubbed, and DBs should be worried Cheetah will take it out on them like they’re prey of his on the Serengeti.
#1- Slim Reaper
He’s 37 years old this September. His best years are behind him, but he’s still a premier player in the NBA. Last season, Kevin Durant averaged 26.6 PPG, and was in the top-10 in MVP voting for the 11th time in his career. He has the 8th most career points in league history. If he plays just two more years, he’ll likely pass a guy named Jordan on that points list. The point is, Durant gets it done, and has since he won Rookie of the Year. Kobe Bryant is quoted as saying, “He’s the one. He’s the hardest guy to defend.” He didn’t mention LeBron, Tracy McGrady, or any other player. In essence, Durant is a stone cold killer, and that’s where the Slim Reaper nickname came in.
On this Brooklyn Nets site, Durant reveals, among other things, why he has the Slim Reaper nickname.
His accolades are no joke, he’s a surefire Hall of Famer, and the Slim Reaper epithet is highly warranted.
So, there you have it…the top 5 nicknames in professional sports today. We’d love your comments and other nicknames you think are deserving of this list.