1. Atlanta Hawks
In 1948, Moline, Rock Island, Illinois and Iowa, then known as the "Three Cities" The City of Davenport has been approved by the National Basketball League (NBL) to field a team. The team's name "Black Hawk" sounds like the name of the Chicago hockey team, but it is actually taken from the chief "Black Hawk" of the Sauk tribe of Indians.
In 1951, the team moved to Milwaukee, and the "Black" was dropped from the team name, leaving only "Eagles". The team later moved to St. Louis and finally settled in Atlanta in 1968, but the team's name "Hawks" remained unchanged.
2. Boston Celtics
In 1946, Walter Brown, the owner of a team in the Boston area, personally organized a basketball team for his team that was affiliated with the National Basketball Association. (BAA) team chose "Celtics" as the team name. Other alternative names at the time were Whirlwinds, Olympians and Unicorns - you read that right, "unicorns". Although the team's marketing staff reminded him that "no team in Boston with an Irish-style name has won his X championship", Brown himself likes this name with a winning tradition - in the previous twenty years In the 1990s, the New York Celtics were once a successful professional team.
3. Charlotte Bobcats
In 2004, this new NBA team in Charlotte conducted a naming contest, and the three final names were shortlisted. It's Bobcats, Dragons and Flight. The team's owner at the time, Bob Johnson, admitted that he liked the name of the winning team, "Bobcats" - if his own name was "Dragon," then he might not be so happy. But some players around the league frowned upon the name. Steve Kerr said: "I think the name sounds like a women's softball team. I think maybe because there were no good names to choose from, I just chose this team name. "I think the feline's athleticism fits the NBA's philosophy," Bobcats CEO Ed Tapscott argued. "The Bobcat is a species native to western North Carolina and its name has not been used in professional sports." "In addition, I think this name can also become a topic of conversation among people." Charlotte also considered using "Cougars" as a team name-in the 1970s, North Carolina was affiliated with the United States. Basketball Association (ABA) teams once used this name.
(Annotation: The current big owner of the Bobcats is Jordan. Steve Kerr was the three-point shooter for the Bulls during their second three consecutive championships. He went to the Spurs later in his career and served as the Suns' head coach after retiring. The general manager of the team. He is currently an NBA commentator on TNT and is very popular - it is conceivable that he has only the experience of a head coach. In addition, some NBA teams will ask him to be a head coach. He is of Jewish descent.)
4. Chicago Bulls
According to the Chicago Bulls Encyclopedia, team owner Richard Klein A brainstorming session was convened in 1966 to discuss a name for the new army. He hopes to pick a team name that portrays the fact that Chicago is the meat-eating capital of the world. Klein was considering names like Matadors and Toreadors, when suddenly his young son yelled, "Dad, that's a bunch of bulls!" Here's the rest of the naming story It's a bit suspicious...
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
In 1970, in a 1970 interview hosted by the Cleveland Plain-Dealer In the survey, fans voted to choose "Cavaliers" as the team name. Also on the shortlist were Jays, Foresters, Towers and Presidents. The team name "Presidents" is probably a reminder that seven former U.S. presidents were born in Ohio - second only to Virginia. Jerry Tomko, who suggested "Knights" as the team name during the naming competition, wrote: "The Knights represent a group of brave and fearless people who adhere to the creed of 'no matter what happens, never surrender.'" By the way, Jerry Tomko's son Brett has been a major league pitcher since 1997.
6. Dallas Mavericks
A Dallas radio station held a contest to name the team and recommended the finalists to team owner Donald Carter . Donald Carter finally chose the Mavericks among the Cowboys, Express and Mavericks. In this way, each of the 41 fans who proposed "Mavericks" as the team name received two tickets for the first game of the season. One of the fans, Carla Springer, also won season tickets for that season. Springer, a freelance writer, said the name "Mavericks" represents "the independent, confident style of Dallas people." For the team's current owner, Mark Cuban, this style is a natural fit. Couldn't be more appropriate.
(Annotation: Mark Cuban made his fortune in the Internet technology wave at the beginning of this century. He is very characterful, and he is always confident no matter what the team's situation is. The most famous figure of the Mavericks is hardly Novi But he is Ski. I think he is a more typical American. To a certain extent, he is a representative figure of the modern American western dream. In addition, although Dallas is not as good as Boston, it is also one of the major technological centers in the United States. 1.)
7. Denver Nuggets
Denver has a team that belongs to the American Basketball Association (ABA), originally named "Rockets" . When the team was preparing to move to the NBA in 1974, they needed a new team name, but the NBA team in Houston already used "Rockets" as their team name. Therefore, "Nuggets," a name that symbolizes the city's mining heritage and the Colorado Gold Rush of the late 1850s, stood out through a naming contest and became the team's new name.
8. Detroit Pistons
The history of the Pistons can be traced back to Fort Wayne, Indiana, when its name was still "Zollner" Pistons" (Zollner Pistons) team. What is a Zollner piston? This was a piston produced by then-team owner Fred Zollner. Fred Zollner named the team after his business. In 1957, the team moved to Detroit, and Fred Zollner removed his name from the team's name, but still retained the word "Pistons." Considering that Detroit, where the team is located, is nicknamed "Motor City", the team name "Pistons" is really appropriate.
9. Golden State Warriors
The Basketball Association of America (BAA) conducted its first season in history from 1946 to 47. Just this season, the Philadelphia Warriors won the championship. During the 1961-62 season, the Warriors moved from Philadelphia to San Francisco, but the team name remained unchanged.
In 1971, the Warriors moved to Oakland, on the other side of the Bay Area, and the team name became the "Golden State Warriors."
10. Houston Rockets
The hometown of the Houston Rockets was originally in San Diego, California. Their team name "Rockets" came from a naming competition-this team The name also reflects San Diego's urban theme "A City In Motion". Moreover, the liquid-fueled Atlas rocket was indeed manufactured in San Diego. In 1971, the team moved to Houston, and the team name "Rockets" was retained because it was more worthy of its name-Houston is the location of a space center affiliated with NASA.
(Annotation: Atlas rocket is the Hercules series of rockets in the United States. The space center set up by NASA in Houston is the Johnson Space Center—the Johnson Space Center, referred to as JSC.)
11. Indiana Pacers
According to Michael Leo Donovan's book about the team's name, "Yankees to Fighting Irish: What's Behind Your Favorite Team's Name", the "Pacers" The team's name was decided in 1967 by the team's original investors, including attorney Richard Tinkham. The name also reflects Indiana's colorful history of harness racing and stock car racing. "Pacing" describes a primary gait in harness racing, while pace cars are used in racing events such as the Indianapolis 500.
(Annotation: For a detailed explanation of harness racing, you can search the content on Wiki or Answers.)
12. Los Angeles Clippers (L.A. Clippers)
In 1978, the NBA-affiliated Buffalo Braves moved to San Diego, and the team owner wanted to give the team a new name. They decided to name the team "Clippers" - a type of boat popular in the 19th century. In the 1970s, San Diego was the home of the Conquistadors and Sails of the American Basketball Association (ABA). During the 1981-82 season, Donald Sterling purchased the team and moved it to Los Angeles in 1984. Donald Sterling was completely disgraced in San Diego - only the team name "Clippers" was retained.
13. Los Angeles Lakers (L.A. Lakers)
How many natural lakes are there in Los Angeles? The answer is short: no more than 10,000. Before the 1947 season, two investors moved the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League (NBL) to Minneapolis. They wanted to give the team a new name to suit its new home location. Considering that Minnesota is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," they decided to use "Lakers" as their team name. Prior to the 1960 season, the team moved to Los Angeles, but the team name remained - in part to maintain the tradition the team had established in Minnesota.
14. Memphis Grizzlies (Memphis Grizzlies)
In 1994, Vancouver was allowed to establish a team and participate in this season's competition. The team owner had intended to name the team "Mounties", but the Royal Mounted Canadian Police (The Royal Mounted Canadian Police) and the fans were opposed to the name. As a result, the team management had to continue looking for a team name. A local Vancouver newspaper sponsored a naming contest, and club officials supervised it. In the end, the local species "Grizzlies" was chosen as the team's name, between the names Grizzlies and Ravens.
Before the 2002-03 season, the team moved to Memphis. FedEx originally planned to rename the team the Express at an annual sponsorship price of US$120 million, but the NBA rejected it.
15. Miami Heat
In October 1986, the owners of the new Miami team selected Stephanie Freed from more than 20,000 names participating in the naming contest. Submitted "Heat" as the team name. Other shortlisted names include Sharks, Tornadoes, Beaches and Barracudas.
16. Milwaukee Bucks
Given Wisconsin’s hunting tradition, “Bucks” stood out in the 1968 team naming contest. Not surprising. When it comes to naming a team after an animal, fans could have a worse choice - Skunks is also on the cards.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves
In 1986, the parent company of the Minnesota New Army chose "Timberwolves" as the team name through a naming contest. Of Minnesota's 842 city councils, 333 participated in the final vote. As a result, the name "Timberwolves" defeated the Polars 2-1. Fan Tim Pope was the first person to nominate "Timberwolves" as a team name. He earned a trip to the NBA All-Star Game. In fact, President Pope submitted 10 team names - including the Gun Flints. "I think the two-word name is going to win," he told reporters. The most popular name in the naming contest was actually Blizzard, but the team hopes the name will reflect something more unique about Minnesota. A team official said: "Minnesota is the only state among the lower 48 states in the United States where timber wolves roam freely in packs."
(Translation: The lower 48 states refer to the states in the United States except Alaska. and the remaining states except Hawaii, the so-called "lower 48")
18. New Jersey Nets
In 1967, the New Jersey Americans (. New Jersey Americans) joined the American Basketball Association (ABA). The next season, 1968, the team moved to New York and was renamed the New York Nets, a name that rhymes with the Jets and Mets, the other two professional teams in New York. team name. Before the 1977-78 season, the team moved back to New Jersey, but the team name remained unchanged. It is said that in 1994, the Nets considered changing the team name to Swamp Dragons or Fire Dragons in order to stimulate the market.
(Translation: The New Jersey Nets are now the Brooklyn Nets.)
19. New Orleans Hornets
Most NBA fans know that the New Orleans Hornets were originally in Charlotte and also spent time in Oklahoma City. But few people know that the team was almost named the "Spirit" team. In 1987, George Shinn and his group announced that "Soul" would be the name of the new Charlotte team. As a result, fans were unhappy. Because some fans associate this name with the PTL club. PTL Club is an evangelical Christian television program based in Charlotte. The show was the subject of an investigative report by the Charlotte Observer for its deceptive fundraising efforts. Shinn decided to sponsor another naming contest, allowing fans to vote on six names to choose from.
With more than 9,000 votes cast, "Hornets" overwhelmingly defeated the remaining five: Knights, Cougars, Spirit, and Crowns. and stars. Later, Shinn noticed that the name "Wasp" had some historical significance: It is said that during the American Revolutionary War, a British commander once compared Charlotte and the surrounding area to a wasp's nest.
(Annotation: The New Orleans Hornets have changed to the New Orleans Pelicans this year.)
20. New York Knicks
The term "Knickerbockers" refers to a type of trousers worn by Dutch colonists in the New World during the 17th century that were rolled up just below the knees. Many of these colonists raised families and established businesses in and around New York. Along with this, a cartoon pattern featuring Father Knickerbockers became a famous symbol of New York City. In 1845, the first team in baseball was organized, named "the Knickerbocker Nine". In 1946, when New York was approved to establish a team affiliated with the National Basketball Association (BAA), people thought of the name again. According to reports, it was team founder Ned Irish who decided to name the team "Knickerbockers."
21. Oklahoma City Thunder
After the 2007-08 season, the Seattle SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City. Fans voted for the finalists from 64 possible team names. In the end, Thunder beat out Renegades, Twisters, and Barons for a near-unanimous win. After the team name was announced, the Thunder set a record for ticket sales on the first day. Team president Clay Bennett told reporters: "(Fans have designed) all kinds of good thunder patterns and slogans that symbolize the Thunder, and they have used the Thunder in basketball games." The original The team name "SuperSonics" has been used for one aircraft, known as the "SuperSonic Transport". The plane was built by Boeing - which has a very large factory in the Seattle area.
(Annotation: Seattle, the home of Boeing, Microsoft and Starbucks, should be a very wealthy city. In recent years, investors have strived to rebuild an NBA team in Seattle.)
22. Orlando Magic
With the prospect of a professional team in the Oakland area, the Orlando Sentinel sponsored a naming contest. As a result, the name Challengers was the most popular - the name also symbolized the space shuttle Challenger that exploded in 1986. Other names include Floridians, Juice, Orbits, Astronauts, Aquamen and Sentinel. But the naming competition committee (which included the Orlando team's management) re-discussed these team names and finally decided to use "Magic" as the team name. The name is an obvious nod to Disneyland, a major attraction in the tourist-rich city of Orlando.
23. Philadelphia 76ers
In 1963, the Syracuse Nationals moved to Brotherly Love, and the team was renamed " 76ers" to symbolize the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in 1776.
24. Phoenix Suns (Phoenix Suns)
In 1968, the team manager Jerry Colangelo, who was only 28 years old at the time, decided to create a team for his team through a naming contest. name.
Among the 28,000 names that entered the competition, Colangelo first selected Scorpions, Rattlers, Suns and Thunderbirds as finalists, and finally selected "Suns." One lucky fan who entered won $1,000 and season tickets. The contest also included some puzzling names like White Wing Doves, Sun Lovers, Poobahs, Dudes and Cactus. Giants).
(Translation annotation: Jerry Colangelo is the famous Jerry Colangelo. Now he is the general manager of the US national team. The translated name of this team at that time was still the Phoenix Suns - not a transliteration Phoenix. Due to time constraints, I will not explain those "puzzling" names)
25. Portland Trail Blazers
In 1970, the NBA approved the establishment of a team in Portland. The team's management then announced a naming contest. Of the more than 10,000 names entered into the competition, "Pioneers" was the most popular name, but it was ruled out because nearby Lewis & Clark College already used the name. . Another popular name is "Trail Blazers". Its pattern is considered to symbolize five players of the same team playing against five players of another team. Contest.
26. Sacramento Kings
The Kings’ “dragon vein” can be traced back to the establishment of the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1945. In 1957, the team moved to Cincinnati and still retained the name "Royals". In 1972, through a naming contest, the team became the Kansas City-Omaha Kings. In 1985, the team moved again to Sacramento, California, but the team name stayed.
27. San Antonio Spurs
In 1973, a group of San Antonio investors purchased the Dallas Chaparrals from the American Basketball Association (ABA). They wanted to immediately change the team's name to the San Antonio Gunslingers. However, before the Gunners played their first game at their new home in San Antonio, the team's owner renamed the team "Spurs". Some reports indicate that the name was obtained through a naming contest. It could just be a coincidence: Red McCombs, one of the team's major investors, was born in the San Antonio Spurs area (Spur, Texas).
28. Toronto Raptors
The parent company of this Toronto team conducted intensive marketing across Canada in 1994 before preparing to establish the team. research, and also held a national voting campaign to give team management a number of team names to choose from. Due to the influence of the movie "Jurassic Park", the popular Raptors eventually became the name of the team, overtaking the Bobcats and Dragons.
29. Utah Jazz
Don’t get me wrong, Utah is not famous for jazz. The Jazz were founded in New Orleans in 1974. In 1979, it moved to Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah, and the team management decided to continue using the original team name. The name "Jazz" originally came from the team's naming competition.
There were other names on the shortlist: Dukes, Crescents, Pilots, Cajuns, Blues, Deltas, Knights. While the Cajuns name may be worse than the Jazz, there's a good chance that the Deltas name would become the name of the team after the team relocated to Salt Lake City. The American Delta Airlines of the same name has a regional hub in Salt Lake City).
(Annotation: The original home stadium of the Jazz was the "Delta Center Arena" sponsored by the American airline Delta - now called Delta Airlines. After the sponsorship expired, it is now The arena was renamed "Energy Solutions")
30. Washington Wizards
Washington Bullets in the early 1990s. Owner Abe Pollin is troubled by the association between the team's name and gun violence. When his friend and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated, Pollin decided to do something. He announced that he would rename the team. (Dan Steinberg of D.C. Sports Bog magazine has written a very detailed history of the team's name change and questioned the alleged impact of Rabin's death on the team's name change)
In the next naming competition, fans began to vote on the final names. These names include Wizards, Dragons, Express, Stallions and Sea Dogs. Before the 1997-98 season, "Wizards" became the final team name. But it didn’t take long before the president of the Washington branch of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) expressed his opinion that the team name “Wizards” would be reminiscent of the notorious Ku Klux Klan. The team's previous team names include Packers and Zephyrs.
(Annotation: The English word "Wizards" corresponding to "Wizards" also means wizards. Perhaps the image of wizards wearing white is close to that of the Ku Klux Klan.)