Names are an important piece to NBA culture. For players like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, a unique first name will take precedence over the last name like most players. Fans rep players by wearing their last names across their respective jerseys and for many, a mere mention of a name can spark all sorts of emotions within basketball circles.
Many NBA players have long names. Today, we'll be looking at the longest the league has to offer throughout its history. This list will go off whatever the player is listed as NBA.com (sorry, Dikembe Mutumbo) and will factor in both first and last names of players excluding spaces and hyphens.
Martynas Andriuškevičius – 23 letters
The 7-foot-2 Lithuanian big man had a forgettable NBA career. The 2005 second-round pick only appeared in one NBA season playing nine games for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2005-06 playing just 1.5 minutes per game.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – 22 letters
There's a reason most fans call him KCP. The 26-year-old guard is tied for the longest name in the NBA today and has provided a solid impact for the Los Angeles Lakers this season.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker – 22 letters
The newest addition to this list, Alexander-Walker ties KCP for the longest name in the NBA today. A first-round pick in this past NBA draft, the 6-foot-5 guard is playing 12.6 minutes per contest for the New Orleans Pelicans.
Michael Carter-Williams – 21 letters
Since winning the Rookie of the Year in 2014, MCW has struggled to find much of a role in the NBA. Still, the 28-year-old has managed to appear in 19 of the Orlando Magic's 36 games so far this season.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson – 21 letters
Hollis-Jefferson has had a solid five-year career since being drafted with the No. 23 pick of the 2015 NBA Draft. The former Arizona Wildcat is averaging 8.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a member of the Toronto Raptors.
Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot – 21 letters
As you probably have already noticed, hyphened names will dominate this list. Currently on a two-way contract with the Brooklyn Nets, the native Frenchman has averaged 5.7 points per game in his first five seasons in the league.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 21 letters
Not only is the Oklahoma City Thunder guard a rising star in the league, the second-year pro is the actual cousin of the aforementioned Alexander-Walker. Unfortunately, his cousin has him beat by one letter.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo – 21 letters
He's not nearly the player his younger brother Giannis is but he does have one more letter in his name. Thanasis has appeared in just 10 games for the Milwaukee Bucks this season playing just 4.5 minutes per game.
Micheal Ray Richardson – 20 letters
One of the NBA's most underrated players of the early-80s, Richardson famously struggled with drug abuse throughout his career. The four-time All-Star was one of the best passers and defenders of his era.
Aleksandar Djordjevic -20 letters
One of the greatest EuroLeague players of all time, Djordjevic played just one season in the NBA. The native Serbian played in just eight games for the Portland Trailblazers in 1996-97 where he only played 7.6 minutes per game.
Clarence Weatherspoon – 2o letters
The only American with a non-hyphenated name on this list, Weatherspoon enjoyed a 13-year career in the NBA. A top 10 pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, Weatherspoon's best season came in just his second year in the league. At 23 years old, 6-foot-6 forward averaged 18.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game for the Philadelphia 76ers.
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