There are a lot of iconic nicknames in basketball such as Kobe Bryant’s ‘Black Mamba’, LeBron James’ ‘The King’ and many more. However, Sixers forward Paul George declares one nickname greater than everyone else. Although it’s Michael Jordan’s lesser-known nickname, George states, ‘Black Jesus’ is the greatest nickname in NBA history.
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George took to Podcast P to discuss the best nicknames in the league’s illustrious 77-year existence. without hesitation, he shouted out Jordan with a name aside from ‘Air Jordan’. He said,
“Black Jesus. Black Jesus got to go down as the greatest. That’s the GOAT, it don’t get no better than that. You can’t do no wrong with Black Jesus nickname.”
The most popular nickname for the Bulls legend is ‘Air Jordan’ which stems from the five-time champion’s high-flying antics. Shortly after, that name became synonymous with his Jordan shoe brand, which the majority recognize. However, George believes ‘Black Jesus’ perfectly represents Jordan as the greatest of all-time.
The origin of the name relates to Jesus Christ, who Christians deem as the savior of the people. Many view Jordan as the savior of basketball and the NBA. His outstanding play evoked fear and awe in his opponents. However, there was one player who consistently refused to acknowledge Jordan by this nickname.
Kobe Bryant refused to call Michael Jordan ‘Black Jesus’
Although many people feared Jordan on the court, Kobe Bryant didn’t share those feelings. Despite entering the league at 18 years old, the young Lakers star embraced the challenge of going head-to-head with Jordan. That process included the refusal to address Jordan with enormous praise through the nickname ‘Black Jesus’.
“When I was in high school, I used to work out with the 76ers,” Bryant said. “I used to ask them what it’s like to guard Mike. They’d be like, ‘Mike? You mean Black Jesus?’ I’m like what the f**k. The level of fear he inspired in others was insane.”
Bryant learned before he entered the NBA about the fear players had toward Jordan. However, he didn’t share the same sentiment and as a result, earned the respect of the NBA legend. Bryant averaged 22.8 points and 4.4 rebounds against Jordan in their head-to-head matchups. One of those performances was a 55-point game in their final duel in 2003.
Although Bryant didn’t address Jordan by that nickname, his method of doing so sparked fear in his opponents. He carried Jordan’s legacy in his own unique way.
