Rudy Fernández ya tiene apodo en la NBA: ‘The majorcan rocket’

Cuando un jugador desembarca en la NBA tiene que pasar una serie de éxamenes. El primero es no dejarse intimidar por los veteranos, a los cuales tienes que respetar pero en ningún momento dejar que te avasallen; el segundo, ganarte el cariño de los aficionados; y el tercero, que los críticos especializados en la materia te pongan un apodo. El jugador que tiene un apodo alcanza una nueva categoría. Es como si subiera su caché. A Rudy ya le han querido poner algunos apelativos; el que más emplean para referirse tanto a él como a Sergio, sobre todo cuando hacen un ally oop es el de ’spanish connection’, pero a nivel individual yo me quedo para Rudy con el de ‘The majorcan rocket’, o lo que es lo mismo, el cohete mallorquín, por eso de los saltos prodigiosos que realiza, con una fuerte propulsión hacia el cielo. En una retransmisión pude ver incluso cómo sobreimpresionaban unas llamas en los pies de Rudy, como si fuera a despegar por su potencia de salto y su rapidez. Los demás jugadores españoles también tienen su nombre característico. Pau Gasol es The Meal Ticket, Picasso o PG; su hermano Marc, The Tank (el tanque); y Sergio Rodríguez, Spanish Chocolate, por su parecido con Jason Williams, al que le apodaron White Chocolate. A Calderón todavía le buscan uno -podria ser The Ocho u Ocho special, pero propongo asimilar el de Mr Catering que le puso Andrés Montes-. Aquí os deja la lista de algunos apodos que tienen las actuales estrellas en la NBA y las del pasado. También tienes una lista muy completa por orden alfabético.

Kobe Bryant. The Black Mamba (Serpiente letal que te mata).

Michael Jordan. Air Jordan.

LeBron James. The Chosen (El Elegido).

Dwyane Wade. Flash. (El Destello).

Kevin Garnett. The Mask (La Máscara) o The Big Ticket.

Hakeem Olajuwon. The Dream (El Sueño).

Allen Iverson. The Answer (La Respuesta).

Larry Bird. Legend (Leyenda).

Earvin Johnson. Magic (Mágico).

A
Sharef Abdur-Rahim – Reef
Aaron Afflalo – Afflalo Creed
LaMarcus Aldridge – L-Train, LMA
Ray Allen – Jesus, RayRay, Sugar
Rafer Alston – Skip to My Lou
Chris Anderson – The Birdman
Carmelo Anthony – Melo
Gilbert Arenas – Agent Zero, Hibachi, Gil, Nacho, Agent Arenas, The Black President
Hilton Armstrong – Hungry Hungry Hilton
Carlos Arroyo – Carlitos
Ron Artest – RonRon, TruWarrior, The Straitjacket
Kelenna Azubuike – Buike (Booky)

B
Leandro Barbosa – Leandrinho, The Brazilian Bomber, LB
Jose Juan Barea – JJ
Andrea Bargnani – Il Mago
Brent Barry – Bones
Brandon Bass – B Bass, The Animal
Maceo Baston – Wide Mouth
Tony Battie – Batman
Shane Battier – Alien Nation
Marco Belinelli – Beli
Mike Bibby – Bib
Andris Biedrins – Dre
Chauncey Billups – Mr. Big Shot
Steve Blake – Los
Andray Blatche – Bulletproof, Cabbage Blatche, Ziploc
Mark Blount – Big Basic
Matt Bonner – The Red Rocket
Andrew Bogut – Bogey, Bogues, The Bogey Man
Carlos Boozer – Booze
Chris Bosh – CB4
Elton Brand - EB, E-Beasie
Corey Brewer – The Drunken Dribbler, C-B, C-Brew
Ronnie Brewer – Brewdog
Aaron Brooks – AB
Kobe Bryant – The Black Mamba, KB-24, Kob-Me
Caron Butler – Tough Juice, Caronimo, CB3
Rasual Butler – Sual Bop
Andrew Bynum – Socks, The A-Train

C
Jose Calderon – The Ocho, Ocho Special
Marcus Camby – The Cambyman
Brian Cardinal – The Janitor, The Custodian
Matt Carroll – The Hammer
Sam Cassell – Sam I Am
Vince Carter – Vinsanity, Half-man Half-amazing, VC, Air Canada
Josh Childress – J-Chill
Nick Collison – Border Collie
Mike Conley – Money Mike
Daequan Cook – The Chef
Austin Croshere – Cro

D
Samuel Dalembert – The Haitian Sensation, D-Bert
Erick Dampier – Damp
Marquis Daniels – Quis
Baron Davis - B-Diddy, Boom Dizzle, B-Dazzled, Too Easy, The Baron
Glen Davis – Big Baby
Ricky Davis – Get Buckets, Grits N Gravy, Slick Rick, Ricky Buckets
Luol Deng – The Man from Sudan
Boris Diaw – 3D
Yakhouba Diawara – Kooba
Desagana Diop – Gana
Juan Dixon – Da Juan
Keyon Dooling – KD
Jared Dudley – Studley, Junkyard Dog
Chris Duhon – Du
Tim Duncan – The Big Fundamental, Timmay, Groundhog Day
Mike Dunleavy – The Natural
Kevin Durant – KD, K-Dog, K-Smoove, The Second Coming, The Durantula

E
Monta Ellis – The Mississippi Bullet
Francisco Elson – Geico
Reggie Evans – The Collector, The Joker

F
Jordan Farmar – J-Farm
Raymond Felton – Felts
Michael Finley - Fin
Derek Fisher – Fish, D-Fish
TJ Ford – The Little Engine, Texas Tornado
Adonal Foyle – The Cobra
Steve Francis – Stevie Franchise
Channing Frye – Buffet of Goodness

G
Dan Gadzuric – The Flying Dutchman, Big Dan
Francisco Garcia – Latin Assassin, Frank
Jorge Garbajosa – Garbo
Kevin Garnett – The Big Ticket, The Kid, KG
Pau Gasol – The Meal Ticket, Picasso, PG, Spanish Fly
Daniel Gibson – Boobie
Manu Ginobili – Gino, El Contusion, Balki Bartokomous, Obi-Wan Ginobili
Drew Gooden – The Truth (*he claims this was his before Pierce), The Big Drizzle
Ben Gordon – Gentle Ben, Madison Square Gordon, Air Gordon
Gerald Green – G-Money, Ice, High-5
Jeff Green – Green Monster, The Predator
Adrian Griffin – The Hawk
Danny Granger – Danny G

H
Richard Hamilton – Rip
Matt Harpring – The Bulldog
OThella Harrington – The Big O
Jason Hart – J-Hart
Udonis Haslem – U-D, Udominator
Spencer Hawes – Hee
Brendan Haywood – Baby Huey
Walter Herrmann – Fabio
Grant Hill – G-Money
Kirk Hinrich – Captain Kirk
Al Horford – The Dominican Stallion, Horf
Robert Horry – Big Shot Bob, Big Shot Rob
Eddie House – E-House, E-Money
Dwight Howard – D12, Thunder, Man Child, Thundercat, D-Bo
Josh Howard – J-Ho, Jo-How
Troy Hudson – T-Hud
Larry Hughes – Smooth
Kris Humpries – K-Hump, Humpty-Hump, Hump
Lindsey Hunter – The Hunter
Steven Hunter – The Postman

I
Andre Iguodala – AI 2.0, Iggy
Zydrunas Ilgauskus – Big Z, The Riddler, The Wall
Allen Iverson – AI, The Answer, Jewelz, Me Myself and Iverson, The Third Degree, Bubba Chuck
Royal Ivey – Cheese

J
Jarett Jack – JJ
Luke Jackson – Cool Hand Luke
Steven Jackson – Action, Captain Jack
Jerome James – Big Snacks
Lebron James – King James, Bron Bron, LBJ, The Chosen One
Mike James – Pit Bull
Sarunas Jasikevicius - Jazzy Cabbages
Al Jefferson – Big Al
Richard Jefferson – RJ
Yi Jianlian – The Chairman
Joe Johnson – Joe Cool, JJ
Damon Jones – The Specialist, DJ
Eddie Jones – EJ
Fred Jones – Indiana Jones

K
Chris Kaman – The Caveman, Shaggy, The Zombie, Crazy Clown
Jason Kapono – Jay-K
Jason Kidd – J-Kidd, Mr. Triple Double, Ason Kidd
Andrei Kirilenko – AK-47
Linas Kleiza – The Menace, TV-L
Kyle Korver – K2, K-Squared
Nenad Krstic – Curly, Ballistic Krstic

L
Acie Law – Captain Clutch
David Lee – Da White Howard
Rashard Lewis – Young Fella, Sweet Lew

M
Mark Madsen – The Mad Dog
Jamal Magloire – The Big Cat
Stephon Marbury – Starbury
Shawn Marion – The Matrix
Kenyon Martin – K-Mart, Bad Ass Yellow Boy, Sir Dunks-A-Lot
Kevin Martin – Kid N Play, K-Mart, K-Money
Donyell Marshall – D-Marsh, Yell
Desmond Mason- The Cowboy, D-Mase
Jason Maxiell – J-Max, Mad Max
Antonio McDyess – Dice
Tracy McGrady – T-Mac
Jeff McInnis – McNasty, J-Mac, The Maestro
Darius Miles – D-Miles, The Punisher
Darko Milicic – Donny Darko, The Human Victory Cigar
Andre Miller – The Penguin
Yao Ming – The Dynasty, The Wall, The Great Wall, Shaqie Chan
Cuttino Mobley – Cat
Nazr Mohammed – The Prophet
Jamario Moon - The Screwdriver, Super Jamario, Apollo 33
Adam Morrison – Stache, Pornstache, Mo, Ammo
Alonzo Mourning – Zo
Ronald Murray – Flip
Dikembe Mutombo – Mt Mutombo

N
Bostjan Nachbar – Boki
Eduardo Najera – The Flying Mexican
Steve Nash – Nashty, Hair Canada, Captain Canada
Juan Carlos Navarro – La Bomba
Jameer Nelson – Lightning
Rasho Nesterovic – ShoSho
Joakim Noah – Dr. No, The Noble One
Andres Nocioni – Chapu, Noch, The Glue Factory
Dirk Nowitzki – Diggler, Batman

O
Fabricio Oberto – Fabio
Lamar Odom – The Goods, Odominator
Emeka Okafor – EO-50, Blackula
Mehmet Okur – Memo, Money Man
Jermaine O’Neal – JO
Shaquille O’Neal – Shaq, The Diesel, Shaq-Fu, Big Aristotle, Wilt Chamberneezy, Officer Shaq, Big Daddy, The Big Baryshnikov, Dr. Shaq, The Big Cactus
Travis Outlaw – Trout

P
Anthony Parker – AP
Tony Parker – TP, Mr. Longoria
Ruben Patterson - The Kobe Stopper, The Nanny Stopper
Chris Paul – CP3
Oleksiy Pecherov – The White Hole
Kendrick Perkins – Perk, Swamp Thang
Morris Peterson – Mo-Pete, MP3
Paul Pierce – The Truth, P-Sqaured
Mickael Pietrus – MP2, Air France
Eric Piatkowski – The Polish Rifle
James Posey – The X-Factor
Tayshaun Prince – Prince of The Palace, Tay
Joel Pryzbilla – The Vanilla Gorilla, Ghostface

R
Vladimir Radmanovic – Radman
Zach Randolph – Z-Bo
Michael Redd – Redd Hot, Silky
JJ Reddick – The Poet
Luke Ridnour – Frodo, The Mop, Cool Hand Luke, Lucky Luke
Jason Richardson – J-Rich
Quentin Richardson – Q-Rich
Nate Robinson – Nate The Great
Sergio Rodriguez – Spanish Chocolate
Malik Rose – Shaq of The NAC
Quinton Ross – Q-Ross
Brandon Roy – The Natural, The Golden Boy, B-Roy, The Blade
Kareem Rush – K-Rush

S
John Salmons – Buck
Brian Scalabrine – Veal, Scal, The Ginger Ninja
Mouhamed Sene – Flavor Flav
Bobby Simmons – Chinese Food
Craig Smith – Cookie, Cookie Monster, Jax, The Rhino
Josh Smith – J-Smoove
J.R. Smith – The Prodigy
Eric Snow – E-Snow, The Snowman
Darius Songalia - Gypsy Number 9
Jerry Stackhouse – Stack
DeShawn Stevenson - The Lock Smith, Poppa Smurf
Amare Stoudamire – Stat
Rodney Stuckey – RS3, Hot Rod
Robert Swift – Big Redhead
Stromile Swift – Stro
Wally Szczerbiak – Wally World

T
Sebastian Telfair – Bassy, Seabass, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Seba
Jason Terry – JT, The Jet
Eton Thomas – Uncle Eton
Kenny Thomas - K9
Kurt Thomas – Dirty
Tim Thomas – T-Tom
Tyrus Thomas – Free Money, TNT, T-Time
Alando Tucker – Doe
Hedo Turkoglu – Glu, Turk, Turkey Glue

V
Anderson Varejao – Wild Thing, Sideshow Bob
Charlie Villanueva – Skillanueva, CV, CV3, C-Elite, Big Smooth

W
Dwyane Wade – D-Wade, Flash
Antoine Walker – ‘Toine, Employee #8, A & W
Ben Wallace – Big Ben, Beast from The East, The Body
Gerald Wallace – G-Force, Crash
Rasheed Wallace – Sheed, Roscoe
Luke Walton – Little Wheats
Hakim Warrick – Hak, Helicopter
Martell Webster – The Definition
Bonzi Wells – The Bonz
David West – D-West, The X-Factor, DX
Aaron Williams – A-Train
Deron Williams – D-Will, Kingpin, Slick, D-Nasty
Jason Williams – J-Dub, J-Will, White Chocolate
Julian Wright – Ju-Ju, Raptor