College basketball is only 13 days away. Crazy right? The upcoming season is poised to be one of the more memorable in recent years with an abundance of talent all around the NCAA. However, for the more casual fan, the talent might not be enough to attract you to watch games. Thankfully, there are plenty of players with interesting names you may want to keep an eye on. Without further ado, I present to you the 2017-2018 NCAA Basketball All-Name Team.
LiAngelo Ball, UCLA:
You’ve heard of his brother, Lonzo. He was a stud at UCLA and this year’s number two draft pick. You’ve also probably heard of his little brother, LaMelo, who scored 92 points in a high school basketball game. And, you’ve definitely heard of his father LaVar (no explanation needed). LiAngelo, who will also be attending UCLA, is not the most talented basketball player in the Ball family but his name is just as flamboyant. Not only is his first name interesting and unprecedented, it fits in with the family custom of all L first names. To add to that, his last name all but assured he was going to grow up to be a basketball player. LiAngelo might not acquire the college stats his older brother had or the flashy YouTube mixtapes that spotlight his younger brother, but his name alone should make him a memorable player this season.
Makai Mason, Yale:
The 2016 NCAA Tournament fan favorite captured fans’ hearts after he lead the Yale Bulldogs and scored 31 points to knock off Baylor in the first round of the 2016 tournament. Mason lost all of last season to a foot injury and announced this offseason that he will transfer to Baylor in the spring of 2018 after he finishes school at Yale. Yup, you heard right. The school Mason is transferring to is the school he almost single-handedly knocked out of the tournament. Seems like we have a double agent on our hands.
Put aside the transfer nonsense and Mason has an absolute gem of a name. He has the perfect combination of a first and last name that allows it to perfectly roll off the tongue. The alliteration is brilliant. Even better is the fact that Mason’s first name has a meaning. Mason’s mother had three children and all of them were given native Hawaiian names. Makai, in Hawaiian, translates to “towards the sea”. Not really anything notable for a basketball player but it’s still pretty cool just to think about.
Tacko Fall, UCF:
Tacko is by far one of the most interesting players in college basketball. You can’t go to one of his games without seeing him. Literally, the guy is 7 foot 6 inches tall! So not only is he the tallest active player in the NCAA but he also has one of the greatest names in sports. Completely unintentionally, Fall’s first name is one of the best foods known to man. Tacko is a name you’d give your Chihuahua, not a 7 foot basketball player. With a plethora of emphatic blocks and standing dunks, it’s tough to decide whether his name in the score sheet or his game on the court is more fun to see.
Unique Mclean, UMass:
Mclean isn’t a player who has had impact on the court so far; he redshirted his freshman season. However, his name is in every way, very unique. When asked about how he got his name, Mclean said his mom just liked it. Simple, straightforward, and unique. Nothing more to it.
Seventh Woods, North Carolina:
Coming out of high school, Seventh Woods was a star. A simple YouTube search resulted in video after video of Woods putting high school defenders on posters with thunderous dunks and silky smooth ball handling. His freshman season at North Carolina was disappointing to say the least. He was plagued with injuries and he only averaged about eight minutes of playing time per game. Still, Woods has elite talent and a name that seems to have been made for television. Maybe if his basketball career doesn’t pan out he can go into acting or something.
Honorable Mention:
Alpha Diallo, Providence
Shake Milton, SMU
Tookie Brown, Georgia Southern
Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr., Michigan State (Only excluded because he’s been on every all-name team since he joined the Spartans)
