Everybody loves a good team mascot. Creating a character to serve as the face of the team draws in fans and brings people into the stadiums. Who doesn’t love a good mascot dance party now and then? Since the 1940s, we’ve learned a lot of interesting things about basketball, and some of the most fascinating things we’ve seen from the NBA are the unique mascots that grace the courts. Here are the top five best mascot characters in the NBA and where you can watch their antics for yourself.
5. Stuff the Magic Dragon – Orlando Magic
We love this dragon because Stuff works on multiple levels, from the clever take on the classic song “Puff, the Magic Dragon” to “stuff” being another term for dunking to him representing the Orlando Magic. It all ties together nicely and gives us a cute, fluffy green dragon with a lot of flair. If you catch a game at the Amway Center in Orlando, keep an eye out for this magic dragon.
4. Rocky – Denver Nuggets
Considering the team comes from nuggets of gold, you would think the Nuggets would use a miner or something more closely related as their team mascot. Nope! Instead, we’ve got Rocky the Mountain Lion. This cool cat knows how to warm up the crowd, mingles well with kids and fans of all ages, and loves to put on a show.
3. Burnie – Miami Heat
It may be surprising to see two Florida mascots in the top five best mascots in the NBA, but Burnie is such a fun and memorable character that we couldn’t leave him off this list. This goofy anthropomorphic fireball is fuzzy and has a big green basketball for a nose. Burnie’s Muppet-like appearance helps him stand out as a beloved mascot. It’s worth a trip to the FTX Arena in Miami just to meet Burnie.
2. Go – Phoenix Suns
Many teams make mascots with exaggerated cartoonish features, but Go the Gorilla, the mascot for the Phoenix Suns, takes a different approach. This fairly realistic-looking gorilla puts on some iconic shows, and the only thing hotter than the sun in Phoenix is Go’s dance moves. It’s no surprise that Go is one of the most iconic, fun, and recognizable mascots around.
1. Benny the Bull – Chicago Bulls
Without a doubt, the most memorable mascot on the courts is Benny the Bull. This Chicago icon graces shirts and plushies and has stolen viewers’ hearts everywhere. Benny the Bull is such an important figure in basketball and sports mascot history. Even those with only a loose understanding of sports recognize the beloved red bull.
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