The summer is in the rear-view and October has officially marked the return of NBA basketball. Players and coaches are back in the team facilities, shoes are squeaking on the hardwood and basketballs are flying around 15,000-seat arenas as I type this.
More importantly, mascots are back!
As the season kicks off next week, will be back to try to make each of the 82-plus games even more entertaining for fans. But today, none of that matters. We’re about to get real superficial as we take a look at each mascot and rank their appearance from worst to first.
Enjoy!
26
Lucky the Leprechaun - Boston Celtics
What is this?
25
Rumble the Bison - Oklahoma City Thunder
Many fans adore this mascot, but I just can’t get into it. At all.
24
Burnie - Miami Heat
The word to describe Burnie is ‘random.’
23
Hooper - Detroit Pistons
Nothing to get excited about. Yawn.
22
Slamson the Lion - Sacramento Kings
I get the whole ‘Lion King” concept. Still, very mediocre.
21
Crunch the Wolf - Minnesota Timberwolves
Basic. Good vibes around Minnesota for the T’Wolves, though.
20
Blaze the Trail Cat - Portland Trail Blazers
In a league full of cool mascots, this one doesn’t stand out at all.
19
Grizz - Memphis Grizzlies
Scary as heck, in true grizzly bear form.
18
Bango the Buck - Milwaukee Backs
The name is better than the costume. C-level mascot.
17
Stuff the Magic Dragon - Orlando Magic
I’m really not sure if I like this or hate it.
16
Boomer - Indiana Pacers
It’s…fine.
15
Pierre the Pelican - New Orleans Pelicans
Hey, a unique one! Bonus points for being one of a kind.
14
Sir CC - Cleveland Cavaliers
Much better than Moon Dog. I actually kind of dig this mascot.
13
Jazz Bear - Utah Jazz
Not the greatest execution, but iconic nonetheless.
12
Franklin - Philadelphia 76ers
Franklin just fits the vibe of the arena. At least, from my seat he does.
11
Clutch the Bear - Houston Rockets
Clutch City likes the bear and so do I.
10
Harry the Hawk - Atlanta Hawks
Now, we’re getting to the good stuff. A good-looking costume that actually matches the team name.
9
Hugo the Hornet - Charlotte Hornets
You throw some Jordans on the feet and you automatically get a little boost. Otherwise, a decent design but nothing special.
8
Champ - Dallas Mavericks
Yeah, this is pretty sweet. From the colors to the head, Champ deserves some flowers.
7
Go the Gorilla - Phoenix Suns
When I see Go, I always feel like I’m watching a Geico commercial from back in the day with one of those cavemen. This really shouldn’t be the Suns’ mascot, but at the same time, it has to be.
6
Chuck the Condor - LA Clippers
Somehow, this condor has become one of the more recognizable in the NBA, even though it has nothing to do with a clipper or the city of Los Angeles.
5
G-Wiz - Washington Wizards
I can’t lie, this goofy thing is actually pretty cool.
4
Rocky the Mountain Lion - Denver Nuggets
Rocky is elite and is compensated as such.
3
The Raptor - Toronto Raptors
The dinosaur mascot has evolved over time but remains iconic in every way.
2
The Coyote - San Antonio Spurs
The Coyote doesn’t get the credit it deserves! I’m here to show respect for one of the best mascots we have ever seen.
1
Benny the Bull - Chicago Bulls
The cream of the crop. Benny the Bull is the standard for NBA mascots. He goes way back and his reign as the NBA mascot champ shouldn’t change going forward.
