Rankings the best NBA nicknames of all time

28. Tiny

Against the likes of, say, Calvin Murphy and Isaiah Thomas, Nate Archibald is downright gargantuan. Even in his time, however, Archibald was worthy of the nickname which would accompany him throughout his NBA career and beyond. From his native South Bronx to Brooklyn, to his college stints at Arizona Western and UTEP, he was Tiny Archibald, a point guard extraordinaire.

The DeWitt Clinton High product was a maestro from the very beginning, averaging 16 points and 5.5 assists in his rookie year with the Cincinnati Royals. It is his third season, however, that still leaves the likes of Westbrook, Harden, Robertson and LeBron in the dust: in 1972-’73, Tiny became the only player ever to lead the NBA in both points and assists in the same season. His 34 points per game that year set a standard for scoring guard play which only the likes of Rick Barry, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan have yet surpassed.

He was a six-time All-Star who eventually landed in a supporting role with the Boston Celtics, with whom he won the 1981 NBA Championship. Archibald honed his skills on the streets of the Bronx, and by the time his career ended in 1984, “Tiny” became synonymous with “crafty,” signifying an ability to duck under and around defenders with a deft touch and notable presentation.

Maybe “the Chef” arrived too late in Steph Curry; perhaps Archibald would have been a worthy candidate four decades prior to Curry’s ascent. As it is, we are left with Tiny, a player whose significance and symbolism loom much larger than the adjective with which he was left.