Have you ever noticed how many players in the NBA have two first names? You probably haven't. Don't feel stupid though, it's not something that many people have noticed.
Now maybe this is just a coincidence. Maybe I'm just being a sports nerd. Or maybe it's a sign from the basketball gods. Whatever you want to make of it, it's just plain creepy.
Look at all of these examples of NBA players with two first names:
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Dwyane Wade
Carmelo Anthony
Dwight Howard
Paul Pierce
Ray Allen
Richard Hamilton
David Lee
Brandon Roy
Baron Davis
Vince Carter
Tim Duncan
Steve Nash (As in Nash Bridges; Nash can be a first name!)
Zach Randolph
Rashard Lewis
Kevin Martin
Jameer Nelson
Tony Parker
The commonality with all of these NBA players? They have all been selected to play in at least one NBA all star game and most have been selected numerous times! Twelve of the players listed above even played in this years 2010 NBA All Star Game in Dallas! Shocking I know!
Now I'm not saying that in order to be an NBA All Star, you must have two first names, because there are obviously exceptions (Derrick Rose, Chauncey Billups, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki etc). However, I do believe that if you are blessed enough to be born with two first names, you are automatically good at basketball. This theory of mine may be the explanation of why I am not exactly an outstanding basketball player, because no one in the right mind would ever name their kid "Mentz". Ever. "Mentz" just simply isn't a first name. However, if my last name was "Anthony", I would be re-writing the New York State high school basketball record book.
Do me a favor. Think of all of your friends. Which of your friends excel at the sport of basketball? Do they have two first names? Exactly. If you answered no to that question, you're just being ignorant.
To further prove my point, here are some more NBA players with two first names:
Tony Allen
Nate Robinson (as in Robinson Crusoe)
Stephen Jackson
Ben & Eric Gordon
Devean George
Blake & Taylor Griffin
Gerald Henderson
Josh & Juwan Howard
Jarrett Jack
DeAndre Jordan
Koby Carl
Courtney Lee
Roger Mason
Kevin & Cartier Martin
Randolph Morris
Joakim Noah
Anthony Parker
Chris Quinn
Anthony & Shavlik Randolph
Quinton Ross
Chris Richard
Jermaine Taylor
Jason Terry
Hakim Warrick
Hell, you could even include Tayshaun Prince if you wanted to. (The musician known as "Prince" was actually born as Prince Roger Nelson, meaning he has three first names!)
Now again, I'll make my point clear. You are not required to have two first names in order to succeed at basketball, but if you do have two first names, you are automatically good at basketball. The evidence is indisputable. Like it or not, and as creepy as it may be, if you have two first names, you have a gift when it comes to the beautiful sport of basketball. Case. Closed.
And the greatest two-first-name player of all time: Michael Jordan
ReplyDeleteNice blog! I'm glad to see you started your list with MY favorite two-first-name NBA player. Just to add to your theory, a lot of the players in your lists have been to the NBA Playoffs (some even have rings like the aforementioned list-topper). :-)
ReplyDeleteDerrick Rose Two first names! Ask Rose Kennedy, lol. Great article, whimsical while piling up the facts to support your theory. Therefore, you can add Jalen Rose as well. Take out the O and you get Shaq Neil. The fact that any of these guys made the NBA defies all odds, now we know, having two first names shortens the odds. Thank you Zach! Zach the New York Basketball record maker just wasn't Mentz to be, but writer extraordinaire -- You bet!
ReplyDeletevery old article but the fact that there is no Chris PAUL on here...all those forgettable names on the second list but no Chris PAUL, i call blasphemy
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the same thing. Side note, I really did notice there is a lot of nba players with 2 first names. Bryant, as in kobe, has 2 first names and I'm trying to convince my friend.
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