MIAMI -- So long, James, Bryant, Allen, Pierce and Garnett.
King James, Black Mamba, Jesus Shuttlesworth, The Truth and KG might be headed to the backs of NBA jerseys.
Some members of the
Miami Heat have been told the NBA is considering having them and the
Brooklyn Nets wear "nickname jerseys" in at least one of their four matchups this season. The NBA has not announced the plan, but teams apparently have been aware of the likelihood of it happening for at least several weeks.
For now, only the Heat and the Nets would be taking part. It's unclear how many times those teams would wear the nickname jerseys or whether they would ever wear them against other opponents.
"It shows growth in our league and it shows we do adapt to what's going on around us," said
Ray Allen, the Heat guard who plans to wear "Shuttlesworth" on his jersey, a nod to his character from the film "He Got Game." "And we're still kids, playing a kids' game. Even though we're now men playing a kids' game, we still remember where we come from. Everybody had a nickname, and it's a way to let the fans in a little bit more."
Players were asked to submit what names they would want on the jerseys.
"I think it gives players a great opportunity to frame their brand by picking a name that tells their story or further communicates what they represent,"
Kobe Bryant told ESPN.com's Darren Rovell.
Four-time NBA MVP
LeBron James is expected to wear "King James." Heat guard
Dwyane Wade would have any number of nicknames to choose from, with "Three" -- both his jersey number and championship-ring total -- being his current favorite. He also could go with his more commonly known name, "D-Wade."
Brooklyn forward
Paul Pierce has been called "The Truth" for many years, and fellow new Nets forward
Kevin Garnett has long been known by his initials or "The Big Ticket."
The Heat and Nets are among the preseason favorites in the Eastern Conference, which Miami has won in each of the past three seasons.
Miami forward
Shane Battier -- who wasn't exactly thrilled about the nickname idea -- said he wanted to wear "Batman" on his jersey, although he was told that Warner Bros. holds the rights to that name. Other players also have had to deal with copyright-related issues with their suggested monikers. Battier said he'll go with "Shaneo" instead.
"Fans will like it, and so will a lot of the players," Allen said. "Guys will get a good kick out of it."
