Some nicknames become more famous than a person’s actual name. Hello, Magic Johnson. Some nicknames never catch on despite their originators’ best efforts. Sorry, Kobe “Black Mamba” Bryant.
Then other nicknames simply take on a life of their own. Somewhere along the line, Nyjer Morgan‘s nickname, “Tony Plush,” became a full-fledged alternate identity, complete with its own Twitter account. It’s weird, but it’s fun, so nobody really complains too much.
Sixers guard Nick Young wants to be more like Morgan, so he takes his “Swaggy P” monicker extremely seriously. He even wore a shirt decorated with a “Swaggy P” wordmark and logo, and referred to himself by that name in the third person (or should that be the fourth person?) when talking with reporters after Philadelphia’s win over the Raptors on Tuesday.
Never shy as a shooter, Young has attempted shots at an All-Star level since he stepped foot on an NBA court. Per 36 minutes, he averages more shot attempts than Paul George, Chandler Parsons, George Hill, Luol Deng and many other players who play far more minutes than Mr. P. That lack of shyness apparently transfers off the court, too, where he is not above shamelessly promoting his own obnoxious nickname.
Make fun of Young all you want, but his nickname is catching on. Sixers coach Doug Collins openly refers to Young as “Swaggy.”
Check out the shirt in the photo below.
Photo via the700level
