NBA
Spud Webb's Famous Nickname Has a Much Stranger Origin Than You Might Think
Joe Kozlowski began his career as a sports journalist in 2013 and joined Sports7 in 2019. He covers the NBA and soccer for Sports7, with specialties in legacy NBA players such as Michael Jordan and Premier League club Arsenal. Off the clock, he's a Kansas City Chiefs fan and a hockey goalie. Growing up loving Shaquille O'Neal and reading everything he could about the great big men throughout NBA history — likely because he was still tall enough, at least relative to his peers, to play center — he's continued to love learning about and exploring the historical and story-based sides of the basketball archives. As for Arsenal, Joe spent a year living in London and latched onto the local support of the club. He's barely missed a match since, loving Arsene Wenger, enduring the Banter Era, and following along through rebuilds. The Premier League interest developed into a passionate following of the Champions League, Europe's big five league, and international soccer as a whole when played at the highest level. Regardless of the sport, Joe is captivated by the stories of athletes beyond the box scores and how they push the envelope — both in terms of what we think a human is capable of accomplishing and how they find new competitive tactics to win.
Get to know Joe Kozlowski betterUpdated13 May 2020
When you think of professional basketball players, one adjective probably comes to mind: tall. While plenty of stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Wilt Chamberlain used their height to their advantage, massive size isn't a prerequisite for professional success. Just ask Spud Webb about that.
While every basketball fan can tell you about the guard and his impressive hops, the origins of his nickname are a little less well known. Spud Webb had to be named after a potato, right? Think again.
Spud Webb's one-of-a-kind road to the NBA
Today, Spud Webb is remembered for winning the 1986 Slam Dunk Contest despite standing 5 feet, 7 inches tall. His height, however, was a problem long before the guard ever made it to the pros.
In junior high school, Webb was initially deemed too small to play basketball; the same thing happened when he tried out for the team in high school. While he eventually made the varsity squad and posted impressive numbers, no colleges were interested in the diminutive guard. Webb, however, wouldn't quit and headed to Midland Junior College.
Once again, Spud's talent shone through. He promptly led his team to the 1982 junior college national championship; he also did enough with the Chaparrals to catch the eye of North Carolina State's coaching staff. Webb would transfer and went on to play two seasons with the Wolfpack, averaging 10.4 points and 5.9 assists per outing.
The Detroit Pistons selected Webb in the fourth round of the 1985 NBA draft but cut the guard before the season began. He found a job with the Atlanta Hawks, however, and began his NBA career.
Making NBA history in the Slam Dunk Contest
After joining the Atlanta Hawks, Spud Webb put together a solid, if unremarkable NBA career. While he spent 12 seasons in the association, averaging 9.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, he's most remembered for one performance in 1986.
Despite his diminutive stature, Webb took part in the 1986 Slam Dunk Contest. While pitting a 5-7 guard against Dominique Wilkins seemed like a mismatch, Webb brought his A-game; he wasn't going to lose an event held in his hometown.
As he had done throughout his career, Webb proved the doubters wrong. He cruised through the opening round; in the finals, he posted two perfect 50s to claim the crown. At that moment, Spud Webb earned a place in basketball lore.
Spud Webb was named after a satellite, not a potato
Despite being legally named Anthony, everyone knows Spud by his iconic nickname. It doesn't stem from a potato, though, as you might assume; his family actually got the idea from a satellite.
As explained in the Dallas Morning News, Webb was dubbed “Sputnik” shortly after his birth; someone apparently felt the baby's bald head resembled the famous Soviet satellite. Before long, however, Sputnik had been trimmed to Spud. From there, the nickname simply stuck.
While Spud certainly rolls off the tongue a bit better than Sputnik, that initial nickname proved to be prophetic. Despite his small stature, Webb certainly could soar with the best of them.
